Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-09-07
SATURDAY MIGHT
SERMONS 80
By. -
REYSAMUELWp UgyIS. DID,
our BROTHER IN BLACK.


Bible says you are. It's "A big respon.
slbility. Not many responsibilities are
pleasant. our weaker brother and our
unfortunate brother are nuisanccs ana
distressing to our peace Of mind But
the duty must be done. the problem
must be solved For problem Il Il, es-
perlally our brother In black. Opt
mlstc writer's tell It's there Is no negro
problem any more than there is an
Irish. German or Italian problem Like
some other well meaning folks they
probably reason the best way 70 meet
problem is to deny il. Nevertheless.
like every other stubborn fact, there
Ii Is. Many others there arc-labor.
social. drink. Mormon, divorce. cost OF
living. etc. but here is one that Will
not down. How Is to II be solycdf
No human being close to the conditions
will make any rational prediction con
corning the ultimate relation between
the white and black races IN this eoun-
try. especially In the south only God
knows that. We only know that no
two races as different as the white and
black have ever before lived together
in any age or in any country under the
same government and on terms OF 20.
iitical equality.
Nearby Observations.
The writer. whose paternal home
was puryis old Marion county, Miss.
has at times had large opportu-
nifty 10 study the race question ut first
hand lie wishes to record some OBJ
seryaiions he believes worth while.
one is that southern negroes live I'M
der widest possible variety Of environ
meuts. What may be true In Virginia
and Maryland may be utterly untrue
In Georgia and Alabama. Conditions
In Tennessee and Mississippi are at
opposite poles All CONGRATULATIONS must
be taken with caution. Another obser-
walton Is that the negro rs race has
made tremendous progress. In 1888
there were 100000 negroes In the
United States. Four millions were
slaves. could be bought and sold. move
from place 10 place only by permis-
sion Ninety i've per cent We're totally
llliterate. Only one adult in six was
nominal Christian. Two years be
fore the United States supreme court
decided they were not citizens and had
mo rights which a white man was
bound 10 respect" In less than ten
years they were turned adrift penni
less, landless, naked, ignorant. To-day
they are 100000 In number, legal
slavery Is gone with exception Of debt
peonage aud convict lease system Six
ty-iive per cent can read and write
They hold 1900 federal. state and
municipal offices. Fifty years ago they
were classed as real estate today
they own 5000. 100000 worth of build
ing and lands and $G0.o00.0o0 worth of
church property.
In Honest Tribute.
Is he faithful? When my men kins-
folk were away fighting under the
stars and bars" he slept at the door
Of the big house to defend the wife
and daughter invlolate. Is he a pa
1
chained and burned at the stake he
loves his lag and home. New made
citizens from southern Europe may
wave the red flag of anarchy. he does
not Is he lazys | have always main.
tanned il but the preceding figures do
not spell lazlness. All that in spite Of
the fact that many doors of industry
and skilled labor, especially In the
north. are closed 20 him. Is he de-
PRAYED? The lille. ignorant. shiftleSs.
! homeless, drunken negro IL. lie can
have my side ~ the road AS race
by no means Where he's had white
mans chance he has measured ur
magnficentiy | remember his past
Only generation ago savagery. slay
cry no uplifting traditions. no family
He was bred for the slave market
Ills mother had no right 70 say wheth.
or his father should be black or white.
ReIiglousf Pre-emincntiy SO. fIe falls
down sometimes So do my people.
But the ST.o00.00o he raises annually
FOR religious purposes tells the story
The Two Races as Neighbors
One Of the miracles Of secular his.
tory is the almost universal peace aud
good win Of the two races IN the
south. Millions Of friendly and neigh
borly acts are done every day. They
do not get into the newspapers. espe,
ciaIly ours of the north But If nm ant
NAL negro assaults white woman or
drunken mob lynches black Il
commands headlines. But the same
incident is possible In my state Of
Pennsylvania. Some Of Us who live
In glass houses wear smoked specta-
cles. No. social equality isn't looked
for: II isn't expected Watch the
black or white who lounges about the
others house. There's a reason. The
self respecting negro is too busy add.
ing ten acres 10 his farm or lifting the
mortgage on his home 20 worry much
about social equality. When his ac-
count is large I've seen Il Mississippi
| kavt..~ ,..kn. hfsn fpsn fha dfgartors'