The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1910-09-30
4 sourHeRNsA AND THE NEGRO.

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= souTHERNER AND THE NEGRO
The wave Of outraged feeling tina
swept over America after the mob out
break against the negroes at Palestine
Texas. has about subsidized, and in al
that was written and preached on the
subject there is little to help toward
q solution Of the problem. 1t serves
however, az another example to en-
force the argument that solution is
necessary--that the best intelligence
at the command Of the nation should
be applied to the mastery of situa-
ton so grave and so terrible that 1t
bids fair to take the whip hand. 1t is
only In the lull between casualties
that any progress seems to be made,
even theoretically, toward an intelli-
gent understanding of the race prob
lem. The "dry light of reason" is
Swallowed over whenever there is a
new outrage.
Recently some of the best thinkers
Of the South have put their minds to
the subject. and it must be admitted
that they bring 1t much further into
the light than 1t can be brought by
the only misunderstanding North.
The Forensic Quarterly, of which Pro-
lessor w. N. Guthrie, of the Univer-
sity Of the South is editor, publishes
in its current issue a paper by DR.. C.
B. Wilmer which made a profound i'm
preston when it was delivered at the
recent Sewanee Conference on South
ern Problems. Although DIR. Wilmer
Is inclined to a satirical view of those
persons who think they can sit at
home in Boston, and out Of their own
inner consciousness evolve the solu-
ton Of problems vexing the South, he
is at the same time critical Of his own
section.
He is inclined to believe that South
erners think with their prejudices"
instead Of with their brains, when it
comes to the Negro question. He is
a Southerner, too, who spells Negro"
with a capital, keeping problem" in
small type. He acknowledges that
underneath much of the talk about
the inferiority of the Negro lies but
III concealed the fear of a greater ca
pacity than we have been allowing
20 him, and fear that he will make
good beyond our expectations or de-
'ires."
For Southerner in Southern con-
erence this is a significant admission,
md DR.. Wilmer makes 1t stronger
when he says that "a race horse that
claims the ability to outrun his rival
has surely no need to hamstring that
ival."
But, for all his sharp criticism of
prejudice. this eminently
Southerner does not see
clearly more than a step at time.
He offers no actual solution, merely |
airing all the facts at his command
and showing how utterly futile are
he attempts thus far to lessen the
.rouble. He Is set against any pallia.
Ion Of the conditions, for he thinks
hat IL this generation does not do
more than palliate 1t will |
lave snirked its duty to posterity.
segregation, amalgamation-all the
solutions are rejected in a |
somewhat disheartening way. but
here underlies the whole discussion
spirit Of prayer for larger vision
md for a strength great enough to
ope with an unbearable situation.
st. Paul Dispatch.
We admit that all the proposed SO.
ltions are rejected. The fact is that
here Is but one solution, that being
QUALITY BEFORE THE LAW.
Then the Negro is not deprived of
Is God given rights; when he is rec.
,nized by the military powers of this
'untry, when he is allowed fair en-
y In the race Of life-and given a ,
lance to earn his bread by the
'eat OF his brow" also protection
the laws Of the land; that he may ;
t 1t, under his own vine and fig-tree y
the problem will be solved. =