The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-07-11
JUDGE;'A7KlNSON
Pleads for al:S':quare
For the Negro and Thinks
He Should be Given al. an \.
- EquaNo o.tufityin : +
., .ls. I" Life r !:

Rlnson, Judge OF the United States
Court OF Claims, and former COVER
nor OF West Virginia, In an address
here today before the Moundsyille
Chautauqua upon The Great Re-
public; Whittier Is It Drifting" said
in part: -.-,,.,' - r.. ~ !
MY couptrymen, one OF the most
important, and at the same time the
saddest Of the problems which con-
front us an a nation, is the race
question. The Negro is among us
not OF his own volition, but as the
result Of tho scheming OF the mean
est and lowest OF men, who imported
htm to our country purely as q COM
meTial commodity. Such conduct
by mercenary scoundrels who sought
10 profit by traffic In human beings,
Is too repreheBSive, and 1t is our du-
ty as g nation to care for him, and
to At him for the responsible dfities
OF life. He can. not be deported.
He should not be deported. J. He is a.
citizen. He is man. He must be
, recokoned with. He can not be ig-
nored. 1t ds}tclaimed' that he Is in.
ferior. to his white brothers. True,
many Of his race are; and yet many
OF them, so far as education and real
ability are considered as standards,
are not. A goodly proportion Of
their number are literally educated
and are, therefore, worthy OF the
highest consideration and recogni-
tion. 1t should be. universally ad-.
mitted that II is no longer ques-
tion of their ability to advance and
to- rise among their fellows If op-
portunities are offered wherein they
have an equal chance with the
'Whites'-the superior race. They.
: have demonstrated the fact that
they are men, and when given op-
portunit1es to assert themselves they
have not been refegated to the rear
ranks. No longer can 1t be truth
, fully claimed that the Negro as an
individual. is In every sense an in
ferior' parsonage. Given equal OPP
pOrtunfttes the VIII he his
chances with the white brother and.
ptde results In any reasonable con-,
our talk ahoat the Negro being ma
fore not entttled to fair chance In
the ordinary pursuits OF life. We
should accept him In the condition
we find, him toPbe. We should be
willing 70 comfort him at every turn
or the ROAD. we should be willing
to confront MIN on the platform, az
the bar, IN the pulpit, in the school
rooms, indeed, everywhere III we
meet them thus honestly and square,
ly we VIII be glad to cease talking
about them as inferior; beings.
have tried 1T, and know WHEREOF
/ speak. -s@%-%
MY frlenas, peleVe hrmly that
time, patience ana a square deal VIII
solVe the negro proDle!n. "A race IN
bondage FOR a hundred years ought
not TO be regarded as II they mad
been att -that-t4n4e- upon al. Anglo
saxon Dasls' ana especially Is such
comparison unJust When they nave
Deen alloWed treeaom ror only Forty
years "iuh lplece-meai opportunities
Tor educatlon handea out 10 theh
IN those sectlons ,"nere tney are
most numerous and Where practlcal-
Iy all or the superior race yet re-
gard tnenh aS serIs anu saves. Doh
hang them Wl0nout Juoge or jury
Don Durp them mereiy because
their SKINS are placK. Gou mace
dhem So Dont regard the1h as
orutes, u B Bo 1lye s. tnem crdnce I1ae ~ Woah *h
out their qestlhles' Euucate Inem
Try to make men or them. Ihey
are suceptlpie OF development. Iheir
skins 1t is true, are black put thelr
hearts In most instances are Whl!e'
Fhe more they are educated tne
whittier they appear 10 tnose that are
interested IN the1r Weitare' ana Nhe
more use19l tny become en 10 their
kindred and, associates. N Inc nlg9er
up tney 20 IN eoNcatioh 1,. Ghe- -eiSaner aasilta
VIII pc tnelr pooteS anu ,heir shl.o'
and the fartheT they VIII get away
from the ldea' because theS are rev
men tnat they are as Svou VI oe'.o.
than tne'F wh'te he'snools anu u1
soclaIes: 40 ho'{osiiGse ni;s III ,eIaa SoIia,
equalny, nor, oo ! oel'1ye .'., - 1tn
Crow railroad cars, nor IN DrOSCrlR