Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1908-01-17
a VOICE FROM THE SOUTH,
Especial to Bystander.)

v
Especial to Bystander.)
Rome, Ga.
Dear Editor: I was reading the 9TH
er day an article in the Atlanta Consti-
tuition written by Judge Norwood Of
Savannah, entitled "Traits OF the Negro
Race" | looked In vain TO And one
good trait. To him the Negro was q
savage, Is now savage and will for.
ever remain savage. And articles OF
similar strain are constantly appearing
In southern journals and newspapers,
not to mention the same tenor appear
ing as the chief note Of the clarion
voices OF the south's most popular ora
tors and quasi statesmen.
Now do not pretend to answer such
harangues and nonsensical furries OF
these learned Americans, but propose
TO state three or four things deeply en-
bedded in every thoughtful Negro's
mind and heart that II all the orations
on earth come in a mighty wave against
him these things will remain.
First-H Is In our minds and in our
hearts Just how II got there can't
tell you, but It's there Just the same
uldk VIC 0IC u p0lt VI NlS lhlA0A A0Au-
lily and In consequence are sharers
alike with all other races Of the dis
tinctiye and common properties Of hu-
man being. We hold that we possess
in common with other men all the
component parts or elements Of hu-
man being: a body with human propor-
ticns, orgons, ETC., soul said to be
made in the image Of God, mind with
all its faculties, and should there be
anything else belonging to a human be-
Ing as part of 1t we claim that too.
Now If we haven't all of these things,
then we are not human and should not
look to be treated as such, nor should
1t be required of us to act like human
beings. When once you admit that we
are human, then we have right to
claim the possession OF an immortal
soul and rational mind, and have a
family right to be treated as such.
But whether human or not we will
eternally believe we are and to the last
die in the successful efforts of acting
like human beings. AS lost human
souls we will ever look to Jesus as the
worlds redeemer and receive His gos-
pei Just the same as undeveloped
minds we will struggle to reach the
highest possible attainments OF the flu-
man mind. We are going to continue
to laugh when we feel good, sigh or cry
when we feel bad, sing and pray when
we think we need to do so, anything
lust to act like human being.
The first thing we ask Of our BROTH
ers Of the white complexion not only to
recognize US part OF the human fam
lily, but upon the strength Of that rec
ognition to treat us as such. Look at
the preamble OF the constitution, and
there you will find the proper treat
ment OF human beings on the same soil
and under the same government con-
cisely given. SS.s@ Il
Second--lt Is in our minds and IN
our hearts--just how II got there
CAM tell you, it's there Just the same
that we as race are the social equal
of any other. race on the face OF the
earth. And right at this point Is very
sore place, one of these running sores,
on the skins Of our white brother.
Wealth creates kind Of a class So
ciety, letters may do SO, color may DO
so, and many other things may do so,
hedging in small circles the wealthy,
the intelligent, the fashionable, ETC.,
and hedging on the outsider the COM
mon herd.
Well, while we appreciate the super
social air that these superior attain
ments live in, and have not one word
Of denunciation against them. And
while we believe man has natural
right to select the material for the ere
alton of his own society-for that's just
the thing we do-yet we claim that as
rule we are the social equal of any
other race on the face of the earth.
Given Negro with equal qualifica-
tions and attainments of a given white
man. Let it be assumed that the Ne
gro selects from his own race compan.
ionships OF equal qualification as those
OF the given white man. Upon this as.
sumption we affirm that the given Ne
gro society is the social equal OF that
given white man society, and II the two
| circles be equal they coincide wher
placed upon each other.
| The white man has gone back al
most to the flood to trace his blood, and
all the way long the march OF history
he has appropriated to himself the
highest achievements OF all civilization
as il that would make the Negro his
social inferior, and then turns to the
Negro with the look of contempt and
says, Look where you came from, your
past condition in Africa, and at best In
America. You are only imitators
What have you originated? ! have
been wondering how many originators
the south has produced, and how many
there are now in the south who may be
| called originators. am firmly con.
vinced the most OF us are imitators.
believe we have just as much right to
appropriate as our own and wear as 8
plume in our hats the civilizations oi
ancient Egypt, ancient Carthage and
modern Japan, as they to to boast OF
the civilizations Of Greece and Rome
as their own. We have originated about
as much as the southern white man. He
is mighty originator Of windy speech.
es Of Don Quivotic superiority, while
we have originated the ragtime in re-
ligion and in music, and we are being
aped from ocean to ocean and from
pole to pole.
We do not mean amalgamation Of the
two races lawfully or unlawfully wher
we use the term social equality; 1t Is
not in our minds nor is 1t to be found ir
our hearts. We are as firm believers
/ in race integrity as you are. We have
little race pride ourselves, and II yor
only be as watchful Of your young mer
crossing over to our side bringing t
bear on the minds Of our ignorant ane
simple-minded girls their menas, theil
station and their power there will be
but very little amalgamation between
the races. And yet amalgamation !:
not the worse sin the races of the
/ earth have committed, No race has