Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-05-11
A SUITE OF
SOUTHERN
CONDITIONS
Following The COlOr-Line.
GRAPHIC RECTA-A RACES HANDICAPs-
THE STRUGGLE ONWARD DOCTRINE CASTE-THE
MESS CITIZEN OF FRIENDS SOUTHLAND

/ arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, on
the first day OF last November. The
riot, which / described a month ago.
had taken Place about six weeks he
fore. and the city was still in the
thrOes Of self-eXamination and re-
construction. Public attention mad
been peculiarly riveted upon the
facts OF race relationships not only
in Atlanta but throughout the South
and all manner OF remedies md So
lutions were under sharp discussion
IL I had travelled the country over.
/ could not have found more ia
vorable time or place 20 begin fol-
lowing the color line.
had naturally expected to find
people talking about the Negro. but
was not at all prepared TO find the
subject occupying such an overshad-
owing place in Southern AFFAIRS In
the North we have nothing al an
like II; no question which so touch
eS every act OF life. in which every
one. white or black. is so profoundly
Interested. In the North we are
mildly concerned I'm many things:
the South is overwhelmingly con
cerned IN this one thing
And this Is not surprising. for the
Negro In the South is both the labor
problem and the servant question.
he Is pre-eminently the political is
sue, and his place. socially, is Of.
daily and hourly discussion. A Ne
gro minister l met told me a story
OF boy who went as a sort of butt
ier's assistant in the home OF a
prominent family in Atlanta. His
people were naturally curious about
what went on in the white mans
mousse One day they asked him:
What do they talk about when
they's eating?"
The boy thought moment; then
ne said:
folks" 10 O''eu
WHAT NEGROES TALK ABOUT
The same consuming interest ex-
lists among the Negroes. a very
large part of their conversation
deals with the race question. had
been at the Piedmont Hotel only a
day or two when my Negro waiter
began TO take especially good care
or me. He fiecked of Imaginary
crumbs and gave me unnecessary
spoons. Finally, when no one was
at hand, he leaned over ana said:
understand you're down mere
to study the Negro problem"
prlsed- How did YOU know it,
We'll, sir" ne replied. we've /
got ways of knowing things"
He told me that the Negroes had
been much disturbed ever since the
riot and that he knew many OF them
who wanted to go North. "The
South" he said, ''is getting TO be too
dangerous for colored people" His
language and pronunciation were sur
prisingly good. I found that ne was
a college student. and that he ex-
pected 10 study for the ministry.
DO you talk much about these
things among yourselves?" I asked
I'VE don't talk about much else /"
he said. ''It's sort of life and
death with us"
Another curious thing happened
not long afterwards. I was lunch
ing with several fine Southern men.
and they talked as usual with the
greatest freedom in the full hearingl
or the Negro walters. Somehow. I
could not help watching to see IL the
Negroes took any notice of what was
said. I wondered II they were SEN
sitive. Finally put the question to
one of my friends:
on" he said, 1--WE never mind
them; they don't care"
One of the walters instantly spoke
up:
mo. don't mind me; I'm only
block OF wood"
FIRST VIEWS OF THE NEGROES.
/ set out from the hotel on tnel
morning OF my arrival to trace the
color line as 1t appeared, outwardlyl
In the life OF such town.
Atlanta is a singularly attractiveI
place. as bright and new as anyi
Western city. Sherman left IL In
ashes at the close OF the war: theI
old buildings and narrow streets!
were swept away and new city wss