The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-08-18
TO THE EDITOR
Negro Writes on Race Question

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 In The Age-Herald of the 18th inst, is printed an occurrence at the Terminal station which tells more than merely Of needed help extended to fellow creature in distress The case in point was where a former slave-owner with arms around an ex-slave of his, supported him up the stairway and gave such attention to him as only love. faith and a broad, true manhood can offer to one who had proved faithful and loving to every trust and friend.
 In the minds of many who saw the incident and read of 1t it will soon be forgotten, but there are number or white and black out of the great number who will remember it and regret that the opportunities which express the feei- lnss of the true southern man and the confidence in him of the average negro, ia not more often or more prominently d,splayed. That picture showed the pos abilities of what feeling and bond of svmpathy could be brought to bear upon the two races and which would go long way toward solving the Vexed race prob | lem.
 It is the men and women who composed the southern aristocracy before the war; and their descendants, that the negro must look to for that unselfish interest which is produced by love for him, faith | in him, backed up by a true manhood that is broad and inspired by tradition of fairness and culture. The northern | dQ n III a and have worked wonders for l}s by l giving us greater educational advan- | tages. but the people among whom we were born and reared and who have watched generations come and go, must furnish the links in the chain which wiii bind us to success as q people ana TUT nish the means by which we assume permanent place in the citizenship Of this country, which means are testimonials of our worth; and there is an earnest de- sire on the part of the negro to show the southern white man that he feels that he is the negro's best friend.
 No social equality do we want. We only desire that every obstacle be re- moved out of the mind of our friends that prevents them from exhibiting that same love, faith and interest in the negro to- day for his welfare as part of this great commonwealth, as his noble nature can permit Tn each side there are some who try to becloud the way and dis courage and better clements of the white man and the negro. but the nobility oi soul which has characterized the true southern man of the cultured south will arise and is rising and taking into his hand and under his management the gov. ernment and policy of the south which was taken away by the surrender ol 1865.
 The negro, in spite of besetments, i. calmly waiting for time to work its won ders and bring again to the help of ths negro, in unstinted manner. the strong arm of his southern friend. Hasten thu time when such incidents as the Termi nal affair will oily be a fieeting glimpse of the stores of love which will be fol the negros use, and faith in his wortl which will bring him to a successful enc and true manhood, which every negro will lean upon nnd fear no evil results.
 I am only one of the many .N Ing ne groes or latter-day negroes. who desire to see the feeling of mutual interes which existed before the war between white man and black man re-established and every encouragement given to the I negro to settle down, buy homes and farms and prepare himself to assume at the psychological moment his position in tho hodv noliti- ' ,n~-ecintc r''-n A--. Herald's good offices in preaching the gospel of peace and good will and fail show to the honest negro.' To such mer