Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-01-18
OBSERVATIONS
IN THE
PHILIPPINES.
Ffr. LuCidn b. Watkins
Defense.
The Stealing Propensities Of
the Negro.

While "a Sergeant in the Medical
Department of the United States Ar
my. I was once stationed in the town
of Cebu. which is on the eastern
coast of the Cebu Islands. OF the
Philippine archipelago. Cebu. hav-
ing an estimated population OF 10.
600 is the next town in size to Ma
nila
During my sojourn here ] often
went to the only public place OF a
musement,- "cenamatagrafo. a
place i'm which stereoptical pictures
were exhibited. While at this show
one evening. the exhibitor began his
programme by showing "a picture of
an American Negro carrying over his
shoulder q large hen. The lad IS
dressed consisted of striped shirt.
over which was improvised sus-
pendcrs. which served the Office OF
support for his rather "freo and
easy" trousers. made comfortable by
patches of various colors.
on. or rather. across his head the
visor of which lay cnrolessly upon his
rignc ear was a striped cap. His
face. slightly turned towards the
right. showed a pleasing cOuntenance
The significant wink of the right eye
gave one the intimation that the pre-
dominating thought Cif we can call
80 a thougnD OF the character was
OF the proXimatc future when this
valued possession would lie before
him in the delicate SAVIOR OF his past
a..
was followed by that of another Ne
gro lad of similar type as the one OF
which I have just described. This
time there was shown I'm his arms
a large watermelon OF seeming real
istic color.
These pictures caused me TO think.
There seems TO be an allegation of
the American white man in the
South that the Negro has q peculiar
liking for chicken and watermelon.
That In his days OF slavery he would
steal them from his master. The
question presented itself 20 me, Is
there any truth i'm this accusation 2''
If so, what IS the source of this NOR
bid taste and immoral demeanor?
Thus I reasoned: As the rest of the
pictures are Spanish scenes. / do not
think this exhibitor is even an Amer
lean. These two pictures were, per
haps, recommended TO him by some
American as a hit" aud he pro-
cured them for the amusement OF
this portion of his audience.
Here. seven thousand miles from
the United States | saw before me
the sentiment Of the American white
man towards the Negro upon the
subject OF which I write. Again,
came the question as il directed 20
me, rs there any truth I'm this ac-
cusation?" | answer. "Yesi.'
Now, | hear the ordinations OF
CONSERVATION, regret and ridicule
g? - of my race, and see the sig
nifcant smile OF the white man. Yet
confronted by the American Negro
and the Southern white man, / re-
peat my answer, Yes, there is truth
in the accusation" Now, by the
hisses of my own people ! understand
that / have their implacable enmity,
and am ostracised. BY the smile of
the white man I understand that
have his appreciation. bat he has no
relief for me, relative TO my present
state of Ostracism. If can only
regain my former place in the esti-
nation OF my people without retract-
ing my statement. ] shall then have
liberated myself from my present
convictions. and accomplished the
object Of this article.
For the white man, I could well
stop here. This brief yes" is all
that he cares TO hear. But, / have
not said enough TO serve my purpose.
Ny people, rightfully demand an ex-
pIanation The remorse OF my as
sertion rests upon them, and upon
ne, until we are exonerated by con-
vincing facts.
For the third time, | say there is
truth in the accusation. All the
truth there is in it / shall endeavor
to show History teaches US that
in, abou teh year of 1920 the Negro
was brought by the white man TO
live in America. That the white
man felt when he bought these de-
fenselss creatures from a Dutch trad
ing vessel that he was doing an act
OF Christian charity. That his SER
vices were found, especially profitable
in the cultivation OF tobacco. In the
year 1865 he was emancipated.
Considering these dates. there was an
interval of two hundred and forty
FIVE years of Negro slavery. During
this era the Negro was. legally only
a thing" intellectually. the great