The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-10-17
FRIENDS PLEASED
WITH MILITIA LAW
Congress PASSED
Continued From Page OneD

charge of the work. 1t was not bit
ter sectional feeling. but the speeches
which were made on the subject show
ed that there was "a North and "a
South Northern members of the
meeting advocated a better condition
South. The Southern members said
that in some ways, the NOrtherners do
not understand fully the conditions
in the South. and should therefore not
blame the Southern people wholly for
the conditions existing there.
The negro question was discussed
the greater part of Wednesday after
noon and for some time Wednesday
night It was conceded one of the
broadest fields known today for Qua
kcr operation and influence.
Hampered in Work.
The report of Allen Jay showed that
the work among the negroes had been
greatly hampered in the past five years
for the lack Of funds. An appeal sent
TO the various yearly meetings Melted
only a comparatively few dollars for
the cause A great work has been
done for the negro by Friends since
the close of the civil war and the COM
mittee on negro affairs, thought it best
to compile book giving the history of
this work. After much labor this
work is now ready for, the printer. 1t
was thought by the committee that I'M
less such a work was compiled and
published now, it would never be done.
and therefore took the laborious job
upon itself.
Scored Convict System.
Mr. Jay scored the convict system Of
the South, which calls loudly for ref
ormation. Being so intimately con-
nected with politics it is very deli
cate question for Friends to handle.
but a fight should be made for better
conditions. The negro seems to be
the greater sufferer from the convict
system because of his ignorance and
non-use of forethought, swelling their
number in southern prisons. The
matter should be brought to the atten-
ton of the governors of the various
Southern states as well as the legisla-
lures, it was maintained, and advice of
the Five Years meeting on the propri
ETY. of taking such action to accomplish
the end, was asked for by the commit
tee on negro affairs.
Each state should have a board of
associated charities as some few have
none. The convict system is democrat
iZing and a convict is far more dan
gerous after his release than when first
entering the savage convict camps Of
the South. Although it was said that
the convict system of the South was
bad, it was freely asserted that it
could not be worse than some of the
jails of the North at the present time.
kindergartens VS.. Battleshps.
If the United States government
would spend as much each year for the
establishment Of negro kindergartens
in the South as it does for battleships,
whose sole purpose is to carry death
anu destruction, the condition of the
negro would be bettered and at the
same time the government would make
a better investment twice over from an
economic standpoint.
The Five Years meeting should, it
was said, consider plans for the better
education of the negro, and it is highly
probable that the body will make some
recommendations before the adjourn
ment.
James Wood, of New York, pointed
out the many sidedness Of the negro
question, each phase of which needs
care and attention, while Edward
Grub of England. decried the negro
condition in America today and advo-
Gated radical reforms. He made an
appeal to the Friends to do their part
in showing faith in the better nature
of the black, so as to give him encour-
agement. The prejudice of the whites
against negro education in the South
should be broken down, he said, and
further maintained that it would be
better policy to educate the negro in
the schools to be established, than to
educate MIN in the street or in the
chain gang. Religious instruction OF
the colored race is needed Mr. Grubh
also bitterly arraigned the convict sys
tenn Of the South. Friends should
! take up a crusade for the industrial ed
ucation of the negro. while an appeal
| for aid from the better white minds
was absolutely necessary if the work
was to gain the scope necessary.
North Carolina Replies.
In answer to the speeches made
about the South and its treatment Of
the negro. Elwood Cox. of North Caro-
lima, maintained that the negro was
better treated in North Carolina thar