Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1908-07-01


what he did. He was sure never to
make mistakes in carrying out poll
cieS, and l doubt if his Superiors in
office ever looked over a proof in or
der to see how Joe" Harris had COW
cred his assignment. He and Henry
Grady were great friends, and became
"cronies." Each was in sympathy
with the other in all that was under
taken. Grady loved to consult Uncle
Remus, and went to him at all times
for counsel and advice, as we'll as to
have his opinion on some of his own
marvellous productions. 1t is rare
for one newspaper ever to have many
writer's of genius on it at one time.
Led by Joel Chandler Harris, he was
followed by Henry w. Grady, that
sparkling genius of pen and debate.
He was a writer of quality besides
being one of the most captivating and
powerful orators this country ever
produced. Grady made The Constitu-
ton. Bill Arp" "Betsey Hamilton"
and Frank l.. Stanton, all contempora-
ries of Joel Chandler Harris, were on
the paper at the same time. 1t was
full of nationally known brains, and
became a potent factor of The New
South" These writer's conferred in the
very heart of the South, and all writ
ing for the same journal eXerted
81
Each filled his own niche, and con-
jointly they represented literary
value rarely equalled, never surpassed.
With such associates and under the
most peculiar environment, Joel Chan
dler Harris continued
His Espousal his career through
of the period of unusual con-
Negroes Cause. ditions. He was
close student of the
negro question, and always argued
that in reality there was no negro
problem to solve; that the negro as
race would take care of itself, and that
theories on how to settle an issue
which wasn't an issue at all, were i'll
timed and out of place. He wrote
much on this theme, which was ia
Vorite with him, and always cOunSelled
caution, arguing with logic and sound
sense that there was no saner solution
of the problem than to let it alone.
There is one thing he never did, and
that was to antagonize the home ne
groes. They all knew the vagaries of
the race, and the trueness of his pic
lures of negro life, was so sure that
he won their admiration and love.
The old time negro has been pre-
served by Uncle Remus" as few
men have even preserved the life,
character, superstitionS and Vagarles
of a race. No other writer of negro
stories-and there have been several
of note, including Harry StilweH Ed
wards and Thomas Nelson Page-eVer
got within earshot of the truth as Mr..
Harris did. He simply reproduced the
negro on canvas as true to life as
the best character drawing ever at
tempted by the greatest literary minds
of any age. Self-educated wholly, he
became classical in his learning, APP
plication placing him beside the most
scholarly men of the times But of
all the studies over which he gained
the mastery, man was his greatest.
Pope wrote, 1.-The proper study of
mankind is man. and Mr.. Harris
took this text home as his own. He
modelled all of his creations on this
one central theme, and his works pro-
duced nothing in the way of recog-
milton in his lifetime that the future
will not accord them in forty fold in
crease of appreciation.
Joel Chandler Harris bore in his
character many similitudes to that of
Abraham Lin