Omaha daily bee., 1909-06-11
Nebraska
GRADUATES HEAR WILLIAMS
Mississippi Senator Has Race Problem
Solution.
NORTH SHARE SOUTHERN BURDEN
Following Address by Former Leader
of House of Representatives
Diplomas Are Presented TO
Graduates,
ARE SOUTHERN BURDEN

IlNOObNs ShAN As-NDfNNNoA"f NNN-
Sharp williams solution Of the race prob
lem in the south as he gave It in his ad-
dress TO the graduating class OF the State
university today, is immigration Of the
colored people from the congested portions
Of the south to the north, being so dis
tributed that in no part Of the country
would the negro be congested.
When the moving day comes around, he
said. and the negro is as numerous in
Nebraska as he is in Mississippi, Missis-
sippi will be as cool in discussion OF the
race problem as Nebraska is now.
Senator williams refuted the oft repeated
of politicians ans others that
education is the ruination OF the colored
race, and he denied that education was
the panacea Of all ills. Some negroes had
been helped by education and others had
ben ruined by It, he declared.
MIR. Williams wanted It distinctly under
stood that the negro Is not a white mar
with a black skin any more than an ass is
a horse with long ears, or a zebra a horse
with stripes"
The speaker reached his solution OF the
race problem by a process of elimination.
He first talked of the deportation Of the
negro race to Africa and dismissed that as
being impracticable, IL not impossible. He
then touched on the amalgamation of the
two races. Such a solution, he said is
unthinkable. 1T would destroy both
races"
The negro, he asserted, had had the
same opportunity that had been given to
the white race and the public statements
that he had not had a chance in the world
is TO be decried. He described the early
coming of the white man to this country
and Of his struggles and compared his
progress with the negroes work in Africa.
In touching on the slavery Of the negro he
said 1t was a result of Yankees selling the
black men to southern buyers,
Better understanding Coming.
He asked no help from the north in the
solution Of the negro question, but merely
that the north accept what is coming"
When the north has the negro in the same
proportion that the south has him, the
speaker felt sure that the north would bet
ter understand the feeling OF the south
and there would be no difference Of opln-
ion regarding him
At this time he said there are few places
in the country where the negro can go
and be received like the white man and
these places were getting less numerous
every year. The negro should go to these
places now, because as the north got used
to the negro the places will be closed to
him.
The negro had no initiative, but can
learn from the white man and from the
whites he got his civilization. 1t is the
duty OF the white man to teach him. Then
the negro may return som day to Africa
and teach his breM.n there what he has
learned. This may be the mission of the
negro race"
Mr.. Williams denounced as "malicIously
false" the statement OF orators and poll
ticians that the white women OF the south
were compelled to have themselves guarded
in their homes from the negro. At least
s5 per cent of the negro race of the south
is content to go along aimlessly in its
course. harmless, though at times exas-
persting, because of its lack of initiative.
The south so far as the speaker knew was
the only place where farm houses were
never locked at night. -
Northern people who move to the south
soon adopt the southern idea Of the negro,
though some had set a standard OF treat
ment of the negro which the latter could
not live up to. Lynchings in the south In
proportion to negro population were not as
numerous as in the north.
Senator Williams gave some interesting
statistics showing the growth OF the south
curing the last ten years, winch he said
proved a greater development thar any
other country on earth save the Argentine
Republic and Canada.
Love of south Strong.
the southland he designated as the
sweetheart land" for every southerner, he
said, loved his southland. This great love
for his south had caused it's people to an
swer it's every bidding frequently against
the better judgment of the man, and a
proper understanding of this great feeling
on the part Of the people of the north
would explain in a great way many of the
things which the north now seems not to
understand.
The commencement grafton was delivered
in the auditorium, which was packed to the
doors, many being unable to gain admis-
sion. AS an opening ceremony a quartet
sans two selections, Water Lilies and
Summer Lullaby" The quartet was COM
posed of Francis Doubt, Preston Ogden,
Donald Plumb and Edgar Wachtel.
Prayer was delivered by Rev. John Yves
ley Jones, after which Mrs. Ina Ensign
Hagenow played two selections on the
violin, "Benedictus'' and "Obertass."
Chancellor Avery presided and presented
IL