Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-02-27
FEBRUARY ~, 90.
WHITE GENTLEslAN,s vIsIoN.
Sees Dire Disaster for the Negroes.
Pleads for Another Douglass.
Makes Remarkable Asser-
tions. Planets Editor
Misguided.

Mi-QuOltu.
Mr. John Mitchell. Jr..
Editor. Richmond Planet.
Ny Dear Friend and Brother:
7 write YOU a very serious letter.
II has cost me much reflection to
produce. You should equally medi-
tate upon its contents. You and
your people enjoy I'm full. liberty.
abundance and independence for fifty
years. have forgotten an old charac-
ter by the name of Frederick Doug
lass. In fact, you never knew MIN.
never knew what he was. He went
about when you could not: spoke.
when you could not speak. did when
YOU could not do. He was an old
man and you were but child
My brother. the serious thing I
have 10 say to you Is this-I am
very much mistaken, If the time has
not again come-be not close by,
when you will have greater need Of
Fred Douglass. You are yet Gas you
were them a stranger in a strange
land. who can talk about anything
except your rights. You are held
strictly in the aspect. character and
situation of stranger. You have
been too much OF a simple and ig
norant child 10 understand, either
the conditions. which beset you or
the reasons for the treatment &C
corded TO you
It Is my task in this letter to at
tempt TO introduce und impress them
upon you enlightened and mature
Judgment. Your race OF ten millions
population. Eat an average OF ninety
- 4 asFff 20
port from the white population a
daily income OF ninety million dollars
which ia a gross annual income OF
more than three thousand millions
(sS,50O.00O.00O). This is the enor-
nous amount OF money annually
spent by the white population In
wages 20 feed. clothe. house. protect.
educate and rear the millions OF your
race and without this income. your
race would perish in the midst OF
this abundance. SO far the following
has been the case.
A white man has produced more
than his family can consume and the
super-abundance. he has given to
feed black man and his black fam
lily.
The situation is changing 20 this,
As the white mans family has multi
piled and the black mans family in
creased. the super-abundance dimin-
ishes fast toward the point. where
the white MN has no more 20 spare
for the black mans family and his
own family and HIS own family be
gins 70 starve. Foreseeing such a
day he has vigilantly taken care TO
hold this black man strictly to the
status and character or a stranger on
his land. In order that IL ever his
own family should need all the land
produces. the stranger possessed OF
nothing should so. leaving all to the
white.
Now. Il so happens that some OF
this white mans children were born
Quartered and reared In this black
mans house. Among these was
Frederick Douglass. They constitu-
ted the only blood tie and bond be-
tween the white and the black. For
this black the white had not the
slightest human interest. and only
looked with human regard on the
black mans house. as the estate OF
his unfortunate" children. What
pity, what mercy, what privileges.
he conceded TO this strangers house.
were conceded as gifts to ameliorate
the condition OF his own blood.
While the tongue OF Frederick
Douglass sounded Negro" loudly up
and down the land before Congress
before the public. not a white heart
heard that wordf IL was only the
white eye beholding a white man in
slavery and degradation that melted
TO give him liberty by freeing the
house in which he lived, You must
know that no matter how much this
white man may come 10 like, respect,
appreciate the honor this black man,
that day when his white children cry
for tie bread the black children eat.
that day the black mans children
must find elsewhere 10 live.
MY brother. / must beg you, you
who are intelligent, well-to-dc, re-
spected Negro. enjoy the friendship
and honor OF the rich and worthy
whites. / must beg you in the In
terest OF your people to see the use
lessness of IL, to save your people
and to face the fact that Just as fifty
years ago. the white man gave liber-
ty, not TO you, but 20 Fred Douglass,
so In a short while, your people may
get bread, only as given to Fred
Douglass l do beg you to consider.
that all equity, all justice. all truth,
ali IlSnts 20 Tue contrary nOlWllQ-
standing, you are not to talk of
rights" in this land. Fred. Doug
lass can beg your rights" as con-
cessions to himself. You would
fight first, IL you asked for them.
That in this land, you and your
people are in such a position that NO
strength of infatuation for your own
manhood and Independence and no
amount. OF character OF direct recog-
milton from whites should ever
seduce you from behind the lowly
and humble, but forever safe point
OF Fred. Douglass.
You advance yourself, even shake
hands,, but only to a position, when
destruction can strike you only TO
the very last. This white man will
avoid destroying his own child. Fred.
Douglass. ere long therefore, as
Fred. Douglass is your front. head,
mouth-piece and leader. Oppression
may fall on you, but never destruc-