The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-06
Some Light for the Bostonese.


 Senator Joseph F. Johnston, of Ala bama, addressed the Algonquin Club of Boston, on New Years Eve His talk was notable in more ways than one. but perhaps its most interesting feat ure was the fact that he spoke, by specific and pressing request of the New Englanders themselves upon the negro, subject upon which the aver age New Englander has for a good many years assumed to be better in- fo1Ined than the resident of any other section of the Union or quarter of the globe. The new Senator from Alabama has not been nationally prominent and for some years indeed has figured very little in the political affairs of his own State. It is not unreasonable to as- sume. therefore, that his hosts at Bos- ton, when they asked him to speak up- on the race question, hoped that his views might in some important feat .ure. differ from those of other South ern orators. whose frank expressions on the subject have so often done vio- lence to the peculiar standards of the New England negrophile.
 In his talk to the Bostonese, Sena- tor Johnston very appropriately dealt with the negro problem almost entire ly from the scientific viewpoint. He quoted from government bulletins to show the black mans racial tendency to crime. not In one State, but in many. He cited the damaging admissions of a prominent negro leader to the same effect. He reviewed the history of the black race since the beginning of au- thantic records to establish its inabil- ity to progross and its tendency to to its own devices and government Step by step. patiently and dispas- stonately, he marshaled the scientific proofs of the black mans ethnological inferiority to the white, which has com pelled the latter to dominate and to reject the principle of race equality. for the sake of both races, wherever the two have been thrown together in any considerable numbers.
 Nothing essentially new was brought out in his discussion. His talk was but a forceful recital of facts that have been established beyond dispute and which all the world. with the exception of New England, has come to accept. The most admirable thing about his exposition was its utter lack of pas sion and studied avoidance of anything that might tend to arouse sectional prejudice. The proofs were presented, negro was accurately portrayed, the conclusions were carefully and logic ally drawn, and New England was left to accept or to reject them as it chose.
 Whether the people down East" are open to conviction or willing to aban- don their false conceptions of the black and the South's treatment of him is doubtful. In anyeVent. however, senator JohnSton audreSS must, In the end, be productive of good. He has placed the subject before them in a new light, has taught them that, sec tional prejudice and passion aside. the race question may be handled by Southern speakers with due regard to the amenities of debate and the doc urine of white supremacy soundly grounded upon scientific and historic facts. The Bostonese in all probabil- ity did not hear what they expected to hear, but they received instruction which can not fail to broaden them strated Senator Johnston's ability as a debater on the race problem, and should teach other defenders of South orn standards that the race theme may be much more effectively discussed and handled by courteous and logical pre- sentiment of incontrovertible facts than by illnatured and passionate diatribe and invective.