The gold leaf., 1909-06-10
More Fool Negroes.
National Negro Conference in
New York Takes Another
Step Forward to Give the
Race a urther Set Backward
Suggestion Looking to the
Intermingling Of the Races
by Marriage Vigorously
Applauded.'
News and Observer

Applauded.'
News and Observer.
The National Negro Conference in
session in New York is conspicuous
bv the absence of the wiser men OF
the race. 1t is composed Of extrem-
lists. faddists, and fellows demanding
social equality. Booker Washington
il not there and the educators and
workers of the race are at home
working along practical lines while
the race agitatOrs are seeking to stir
up the negroes to clamOr for the
unattainable.
The announced purpose ofthe meet
ing was to promote the educational,
political and industrial development
OF the race, but the fact that a sug-
gestion looking to the intermingiing
of the races by marriage was "vigor-
ously applauded by both whites and
negroes" shows the real spirit OF the
gathering. There are in attendance
some of the members OF that New
York club that made itself notorious
last year by giving a dinner where
social equality prevailed between
white men and women and negro men
and women.
The leading spirits wish to break
down every racial barrier, and
if they infiame the fool negroes by
thinking such a thing possible they
will be sowing the wind that will reap
the whirlwind
The Southern suffrage amendments
to the constitution are denounced as
"a social crime that will ultimately
drag down to an Infamous end any
community that allows it to beprac-
tised." That is a sample They seek
to make the world believe that the
South wants general lynching OF ne
groes, are advocates of peonage and
ens1avement of prisoners. OF course
such extreme and unfair statements
defeat the purpose of those who
make them.
Our sympathies are extended to the
Industrious and useful negroes who
know such ranting is the worst folly,
but who are INJURED by it. Fortu
nately both Southern white men and
Southern negroes know that it is the
ranting of notOriety-seeking agita-
tors, and it will not be permitted to
disturb the quiet and peaceful condi-
tions in the South.
1t is a thousand pities that these
loud-talking agitatOrs could not be
forced to make connection with
plOw and a mule.
Col. Thomas Wentworth Higgin-
son, whO commanded a negro regi-
ment in the Federal Army, refused to
have anything to do with the Negro
Conference that did all the harm it
could to the race it wished to help.
In declining to take part in the
gathering, Mr.. Higginson wrote a
letter to the promoters of the con-
ference that should be widely read.
He wrote:
"In 1868 and ever since | have re-
garded the indiscriminate extension
of the suffrage to an entire class as a
class, whether negroes, or Others, to
be politically inexpedient; that it is
not conducive to the generalinterest,
which in this particular is more i'm
portant than the interest OF the indi-
vidual.
"The extension of this right to ne
grOes as a class was and is in my
opinion particularly unwise, and a
cause of great friction between the
races and an injury to the negro him
self. He would better turn himself
to his industrial and educational de-
velopment than to strive for the es-
tablishment of a civil and POLITICAL
status, which whether or not his,
under existing law can never be ef-
fectually attained, or if ever, only
| through a conflict of terrible con-
sequences.
No white community will ever
consent to the political supremacy OF
either the black man or the colored
man or the yellow man. make this
declaration philosophically, and as
the result of observation and refec-
ton, and absolutely without feeling
or prejudice, for have none.
4 regr ct to say that | must de-
cline to cooperate with theprOposed
plans of the Conference. The advent
OF IL new President, of whom we have
on the whole, reasons to think highly,
seems to me an inappropriate time
to start Il new organization which
may only embarrass and complicate
his action. His purpose seems to be
to conciliate the more progressive
class of Southern white citizens, as in
North Carolina, for instance. While
notifying them distinctly that the
cOlored citizens are free and must be
sustained in their legal rights, he
cannot, of course, overrule the action
of the Supreme Court.
Il am disposed to put confidence
in him at the outset, though | have
always been strongly opposed to
some acts of his predecessor. :
''As almost the sole survivor oithe
early Abolitionists, as one who com.
manded the first black regiment in
the Civil War and has long been al
organizer and supporter of the Cal
houn, Alabama, school, | can hardly
be reprOached as being unfaithful tC
the cOlored race But | have see1
many mistakes made in their behalf
and Ill the present case must use my
own judgment. | have never seer
the President, and have no favors tC
ask OF him, and am too old, (at 50,
even to accept any from him. so tina,
my Judgment is wholly independent.
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