Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-04-02
The RACE QUESTION: ON

eatlon. VI fundamental Importance
IS the blood" the race Of the peo-
PIE. Now, we may in our vandaic
indiyidualism affect to despise race,
descent, family trees as much as we.
please, it remains true that the indis-
thel>ls no more precious treasure
pensible factor for the greatest sue
cess is to be born right, and that
that can come to All individual with
ont his own efforts, than good an
cestry. All men are by no means
born equal in this sense. There are
inferior and superior races, and the
Caucasian race has the right by his
tory and achievement to the title, the
superior race. That we therefore
should try to contine the ancestry OF
,ne IutuAe American as far as pos
slb'e to the Caucasian race is not
only permissible and laudable, but a
patriotic duty. This is no slur on
the non-whlte races. Infinite posi-
bilities are dormant in them, prob
ably many not found in the white
man. But our history and ideals
bind us to the white race.
This is no argument, not even an
excuse for tramping on the lights Of
the black or brown man. Ii he is
here, he should have the same lights,
privileges and opportunities that are
accorded the white man OF his char
acter, education and development.
Race, color, and previous condition
OF servitude should be no bar to the
enjoyment Of any political or econ
omic right.
But 'sociar equality is another
matter. The race-pride Of the can
glo-Saxon" isn't so entirely without
justification. 1t has kept the white
race white in all lands where the
anglo Saxon. has been dominant.
And up to date the half breeds and
mulattoes have not proven a better
and more progressive people than the
lilly white. But while therefore in
termarriage with an inferior race
should be frowned upon, and while
the social exclusiveness Of the white
race is justi6able; there is such a
thing as being so consistent as to be
ridiculous. The Indians, especially
certain tribes and certain individuals
can scarcely be called an inferior
race. Noble in "the noble red man."
is not altogether an unearned epithet.
Few persons with less than half In
dian blood in their veins are ashamed
of the Indian strain in their ances-
try and even the Indian half breed is
often superior specimen Of human
ity. The Japanese come at least very
near proving that they are the peers
Of the Caucasian; and in appearance,
character and achievement he makes
Il good neighbor and keen Compel
itor. However low a race may be-,
when a member of such a race has
risen above his race average, and
proved himself our equal, we ought
to recognize this socially as well. 10
recognize Booker T. Washington as
a gentleman and scholar and ones
equal, even socially, is not recognize
ing the equality Of the Negro and
white race, and still less is it tanta-
mount to saying that one wishes to
marry Negro. So while it may be
wise and right to separate the Negro
and white race socially as in the
South today, and to forbid intermar-
riage, these rules become ridiculous
when they forbid social intercourse
on terms of equality with exceptional
individuals of any race, and when
marriage is forbidden even with per-
sons whose negro blood is percep-
tible only to an expert.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MIXED
BLOOD-We are often told that thu
mulatto, half breed Negro and eau.
casian, is regularly lower in the scale
of being, especially in health ant
morality, than either race from which
he sprung; that mulattoes are in
ferior to the black negro, the eau
casian to the Monaghan and the hal
breed to the Indian. The mulatt'
and half breed are consumptive
their criminal record is unenviable
and they seem to possess the vice
to the full Of both races, and non
Of the virtues.
But let us note this: The seam
side Of civilization is the one wit
which the inferior races and nike
bloods usually come in contac
Primitive man is not so bad. Their
is certain dignity and wholesome
ness even in his dirt and ignorance
But primitive man pushed withou
warning and guardianship into th
garish ferment Of our industrial civ
ilization, very promptly goes
pieces. And it will be found that th
half blood is no worse than the fu
blood in the same situation. Br
the half blood is almost always
that dangerous confluence Of a high
er and lower civilization and hene
y makes worse showing than his fu
blood relative who is farther reno,
ed from the consuming heat of tt
white mans Civilization" NJ