The new age. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1896-1905, 1907-01-19
WHAT IS FRATERNAuSN :?
Mr.. Allison Sweeney, the Orator and
Editor, Discusses FrdternaliSm.
FraternaIism Means Mutual Respect Of Class
for Class, Race for Race, Church for Church
and Individual for Individual.

1t has seldom fallen to our lot to
read a more concise statement of the
conditions of affairs in America that
have tended to created race problem
and the solution of the same, than was
presented in an article contributed by
w. Allison Sweeney of Chicago form
erly editor of the Freeman one of the
leading negro journals of this country.
He pays his respects to Senator B.
Tillman in no uncertain language and
sums up the matter with these words
which contain the gist of the whole
matter: America will have a race
problem until the great intelligence,
heart and conscience of the people is
awakened from its slumber and is
aroused to the point where it will de-
mand for the negro a fair chance to
earn a living" There is a probability
that Mr. Sweeney may in the near
future come west to visit his neice,
Mrs. Geo. Kiser, and if so an oppor-
ity may be arranged to have him de-
liver one or more addresses to the
people of this state. We can assure
our readers that there are few race
champions more able and ready at all
times with either tongue or pen. In
the greatest question before the world
| is the question Of race prejudice and
its remedy, we are only too glad to
be able to reprint articles like the fol
: lowing, touching as we believe, the
foundation of the matter and lack of
which is what makes all the trouble
not only in America but all over the
world We would that this article
could be read by every man and wo-
man-white and black.
! at is difficult to answer this ques-
ton, which a correspondent has ask
ed us, because it is difficult to define
! a spirit, and fraternalism is not a
method, it is simply spirit. In this
respect it differs from socialism, which
is also a method. Socialism proposes
as a cure for Industrial evils that the
state shall own the tools and nipple
ments of industry. Fraternalism
neither proposes nor opposes this in
dustrial method 1t differs also from
democracy, because democracy is a
method as well as spirit. The oldest
ideal of democracy is that furnished
| by the Hebrew Commonwealth, as out
lined in the Old Testament As there
outlined, it involves popular suffrage,
government organized IDr66 depart
ments-legislative executive and judi
cial-no hereditary class, no standing
army, industry honored and promoted
some provision for popular education,
church dependent upon the unen-
forced contributions of the people,
priesthood forbidden to acquire wealth
and the power which wealth confers
These and analogous provisions are
all methods for promoting the general
welfare. The New Testament neither
proposes nor opposes these and kim
dred methods. 1t simply commends,
urges, inspires and illustrates a spirit
, of human brotherhood.
| To analyze spirit is impossible. To
describe it without some approach to
analysis is also impossible. Analysis
is requisite; and yet analysis must
necessarily be incomplete and made
quate.
! Fraternalism involves mutual re-
spect of class for class, race for race,
church for church, individual for indi-
vidual. 1t involves mutual interest, re-
gard for the welfare of others. LOOKING
not upon ones own things only, but on
the things of ones neighbor, a desire
for his prosperity, a regret for his mis-
fortune. 1t involves rejoicing with
those who rejoice and weeping with
those who weep. 1t involves pity for