The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1907-10-02
The Race Problem to the Fore.

Unless appearances deceive, il
seems now as if the West will
force the Race Problem upon the
next Congress, and that the horde
of yellow invaders will cause the
African to be put in his proper
place.
For the past half century, that
is, since we sent the late Commo.
dore Matthew Galbraith Perry
upon his unfortunately successful
Iexpedition to Japan, we have
been living in FOOLS paradise.
Instead of seeing ourselves as
others see US, we have been in
dulging in a mutual admiration
society the South not SO much as
the North, because we had more
pressing business at hand. For
half century, and until very
recently, the newspapers have
purposely misled the public into
the belief that the Japanese were
grateful to US, and liked us, bas-
ing the assertion upon the ground
that, of all white nations, the
U nited States did not enter into
the race of land grabbing.
This did not satisfy US, but it
satisfied neither the japanese nor
Chinese, nor did it mislead any
other nation. Why should we 60
land grabbing when whole sec
tions of this country are clamor-
ing for more people? We did not
omit going into the land grabbing
business from moral principles,
but because we had no use for it.
That is the point of view, and the
proper point of view taken by
sensible people, and it settles once
and forever all our claims upon
Japan's gratitude, if we only look
facts in the face.
We have been too long feasting
upon fiap-doodle- the stuff they
feed fools on. Massachusetts
revelIed in fap-doodle when it
idealized the negro, and if it be-
gins to suffer from nausea, it will
receive very little sympathy from
US.
As a nation we have idealized
the Japanese teahouses and
geisha: we have lauded to the
skies his politeness manifested IN
the eternal and Internal smile; as
it was with the negro in the North,
so with japanese throughout our
country; distance lent enchant-
ment. A closer view is less ex-
hilarating. Sixty thousand
japanese on the Pacific coast, or
the stinging of sixty thousand
hornets, are apt to set people
thinking, and the West will de-
mand the exclusion of the yellow
jackets, regardless of what Japan
may think.
r Here is the opportunity for the
Solid South. 1t is all very we'll
to say that our sympathy is with
the West, but charity begins at
home and if the Yellow Race is
debarred from the United States,
we might demand that the law ap-
ply to another shade Of yellow,
the light chocolate. In other
words, the South will be in posi-
tion to demand quid pro quo.
We are not suffering from Japan
ese or Chinese-as yet but we
have troubles of our own; if we
help to relieve Others we may in
sist upon reciprocity; that is bus
ness.
In yesterdays leader, the Daily
News urged the necessity of
patching. The course of events
in the West indicates plainly that
the opportunity to demand and
secure the repeal of the unjust,
obnoxious, and loathed amend
ments, may occur at any time.
If we allow it to escape, we shall
have no one but ourselves to
blame.
There is no doubt that the
amendments will disappear from
our statutes. With japanese and
Chinese west of the Rocky Noun
tains and a superfuity of the ne
gro in the Central and Eastern
States, the Race Problem is being
brought home to the followers
and admirers of the late William
Lloyd Garrison. The deal will
disappear before the practical.
If this will put stop to the
free distribution of fap-doodle,
our past misfortune may prove a
blessing in disguise. Hattiesburg
News.