The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-02-21

method of reducing crime and of solv.
ing the race problem than by having
Everybody go to work toward q COM
mon end, and having the Federal Gov
eminent supplement the State with
the necessary means Of teaching both
races how to work most effectively
Gov. Jelks agreed with the conclusions
Of Mr.. Low. If the South as a whole
could be brought to this view of the
situation, and cooperate harmoni-
ously with our friends at the North.
the solution of the race problem would
not be far off.
In response to the united call of the
medical aternity of the nation, re-
ga dless OF color, to put forth their
best efforts to check the ravages of the
tuberculosis evil, and to stand in their
various communities in support Of
lsuCh movements as may be beneficial
| to the public health, the Afro-Ameri-
Can~physician2 of Louisville met last
week and o gained "IAe Falls City
! Medical Association" electing the fol-
/ lowing officers: w. T. Merchant, presi-
dent; J. A. G. Iatimore, vice president;
E D. Whedbee, secretary; and J. c.
Long treasurer. Resolutions were
adopted, approving of the local tuber-
tulosis hospital, and demanding that
the health board make a closer inspec-
ton of the unsanitary houses offered
| to Negroes as homes and insisting
upon a bette:ment of the conditions
under which our people are compelled
to live. AS many as can of this organ
ization- will attend the-next- annual
session of the National Medical Asso-
citation at Baltimore in August.
! The Catholic church IS giving evil
dence Of its practical interests in the
evangelization of the colored people,
and there is little doubt that ere long
a considerable number o. priests will
be ordained especially for work in the
South, where there is almost virgin
soil. Archbishop Ireland, Cardinal
Gibbons and other high churchmen
have expressed themselves in favor Of
giving to competent Negro priests Off
cial recognition of the loftiest charac-
ter, and urge that colored men be
equipped fo- such trusts. Last Sun
day Right Reverend William George
McCloskey, Bishop of Louisville or
dered that collection be taken up
| for the Negro and Indian missions in
| all Catholic churches Of the Diocese
| Of Kentucky at all the masses. He
laid especial stress and made an elo-
'quent appeal for the colored people in
the Southern States, who stand in the
greatest need o. missions. The bulk
of our race still cling to the Baptist
and Methodist faiths-tbe faiths of
their fathers-but diversion toward
the Catholic, the Episcopalian, Presby-
| terrain and Congregational churches Is
more and more rtrOngly marked as
the horizon of thought and experience
Is enlarged. Religious freedom, poll
tical freedom, educational freedom
and commercial freedom are all In
disputable signs of progress.
Congressman S. NJ. Sparkman Is at
work on bill for presentation to the
House Of Representatives designed to
define the status between the employer
and the employed, with reference to
the practice Of peonage in the South
THAT peonage is a crime against civil
liZation and should be suppressed in
lstanter, no honest men will deny, but
Mr.. SparKmLn says that not few of
the lazy Negroes are taking advantage
of the friendship Of the people and are
making false cries of unfair treat
ment at the hands of employer-al-
Ileging peonage-when the facts do not
warrant such a charge. Their idea,
asserts Mr.. Sparkman, is to get into
the good graces of the Federal officials
who are vigorously prosecuting often
preferring charges against their en-
preferroing charges against their en-
ployers, they are summond as wit
negses in the Federal courts, for
which services a fee is paid sufficient
to support the Negro in idleness dur
ing the tendency Of the suit. Mr..
Sparkman's plan is to protect en-
plOyers of labor from such alleged
unjust practices, to SIT iona ftde
cases Of peonage from the mass Of in
discriminate prosecutions frequently
brought forward, to the detriment Of
those who really want to employ and
be employed There are doubtless two
ides to this peonsge business, and IL
by invoking Federal intervention the
proper remedies can be found. Mr..
Mr.. Sparkman should go ahead and
} have the matter probed to the very
/, bottom. The truth will not injure
; anyone who is in the right
The tables are turning in the
i brownsville Investigation, and there Is
: ample room to believe that it will
: finally be shown that there existed
: among the Negotiating citizens Of the
3 Texas town one Of the most shameful
ConSpiracies ever devised in this land
to force the black soldiers out of their
: vicinity.
1t is being shown that there are two
sides to the situation, and the Negro
soldiers are not nearly so black as
they wee painted by the minions of
Darlington and Blocksom. TIL coun-
. try knows that sergeant Minro Sanders