Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-08-25

and courtesy, Of Justice in the courts ana
Of good schools. These are. however, ex-
ceptions, and, ~ rule, all Negroes, NO
matter what their training, possessions
or desert, are subjected to the above dis
abilities. within the limits Of these caste
restrictions there are much good will
and kindliness between the races and e.
pecially much personal charity and help.
How the Race 10 Distributed.
The is per cent Of the Negro population
living on the border states suffer little
less restriction. They have some right Of
voting. are better able to defend their
homes and are less Disseminated against
in the expenditure Of public funds. In the
cities their schools are much better. and
public insult is less noticeable.
In the north the remaining 10 rer cent
OF the Negro population IL legally undis-
criminated against and may attend schools
and churches and vote without restriction.
As q matter Of fact however. they are
made In most communities to feel that
they are undesirable. They are either re-
fused accommodation at hotels restau-
rants and theaters or received reluctantly.
Their treatment In churches and general
cultural organizations is such that few
join. Intermarrlage with whites brings
ostracism and public disfavor, and In
courts Negroes often suffer undeservedly.
Common labor and menial work Is open
to them, but avenues above this In skilled
labor or the professions, save as they
serve their own race. are extremely dtfl-
cult to enter, and there Is much discrim-
ination in wages. Mob violence has be.
come not infrequent in later years.
There are here also many exceptional
cases, instances Of preferment in the in
dustrial and political. world, and there Is
always some little social intercourse. On
the whole, however, the Negro in the
north II an ostracised person who finds
1t difficult to make q good living or spend
his earnings with pleasure.
Under these circumstances there has
grown up q Negro world In America
which has its own economic and social
life, its churches, schools and newspa-
pers: its literature, public opinion and
ideals. This life is largely unnoticed and
unknown even in America, and travellers
miss It almost entirely.
The average American in the past made
at least q pretense Of excusing the dis
crimination against Negroes on tho ground
Of their ignorance and poverty and their
tendencies to crime and disease. While
the mass is still poor and unlettered. Y Is
admitted by all today that the Negro Is
rapidly developing larger land larger
class Of intelligent property holding men
OF Ne&TO descent. NOCWltNStauuluS tuLS
more and more race lines are being drawn.
which involv6 the treatment Of civilized
men in an uncivilized manner.
This philosophy the thinking Negroes
and large number Of white friends Wig
orously combat. They claim that the ra-
cial differences between white and black
in the United States offer no essential
barrier to the races living together on
terms Of mutuaf respect and helpfulness.
They deny, on the one hand, that the
large amalgamation Of the races already
accomplished has produced degenerates
in spite OF the unhappy character OF these
unions. On the other hand, they deny
any desire to lose the identity Of either,
race through intermarriage. They claim
that It should be possible for civilized
black man to be treated as an American
citizen without harm to the republic and
that the modern world must learn to treat
colOred races as equals Il It expects TO
advance.
They .claim that tho Negro race ins
America has more than vindicated its
ability to assimilate modern culture. Me-
gro blood has furnished thousands Of sol
diers to defend the flag in every war in
which the United States has been en-
gagged. They are most important part
Of the economic strength OF the nation,
and they have furnished a number Of men
Of ability in politics, literature and art.