Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-11-26
Race Objections.

1ne war mas DrOugnC LnlS COun.
try face to face with race ques-
tions of which it had hardly
dreamed. The capacity of the
great melting pot" had been
vaunted by natives and foreign
ers alike, but we now know only
too we'll that thousands. if not
millions, of men and women give
America the second place in their
hearts,. What would happen in
case of a conflict with one, or
more, foreign powers. it is i'm
possible to say, but there is the
strongest reason to suppose that
we should have an immense
amount Of trouble at home. And,
as to Japan, no American is un-
der the slightest illusion. Soon
er or later, that controversy must
be thrashed out to a finish. The
two civilizations are incompati-
bic and we must defend our own
at all costs.
Fortunately, a race problem
which once seemed unsolvable
becomes simpler and simpler as
the years pass. THE well
speak not Of their health, but
only the sick" saws CARLYLE.
From this standpoint the in
creasing infrequency of refer
ences to the negro problem. in
pulpit and press, is the happiest
of omens. As a matter Of fact,
the llegro has come to perceive
that his future must be wrought
out along industrial lines. Alas,
the fateful step was for decades
impeded by agitators who fixed
their eyes upon political and Soc
ial equality. And, alas, the I'm
tied States government did what
it could to prevent the charge.
The carpet bag regime was q
crime against civilization - a
crime without parallel. That
dark chapter was closed long
ago; Haiti's experience can new
er be repeated here. But,
though the white man Is resolv-
ed to be the black mans best
friend and the black man is.
at last, fully conscious of the
fact.
In their connection il is pro-
per to l'..llarE' that a black man
|of unusual ability, who has just
died.: used his gifts to the ut
most. in behalf of the safe and
sane propaganda among people
of his race. Born in slavery,
Booker Washington might have
been expected to nurse the hat
reds which slavery begets. It
was not so; on the contrary, this
eminent negro never tired of
preaching friendship with the
white man-never tired of re-
peating that the negro could not
hope to count, except by being a
prosperous. intelligent and USE
full member of the body polite.
Whatever may be said in criti-
cism or the Tuskegee Institute,
its firm establishment sufficient
ly attests Washington's posses
sion of the courage, thrift and
singleness of purpose which the
average negro must have. if he
is to lise in the political or the
social scale. Dying in his fifty
seventy year, Tuskegee's found
er learned many things which
men born to freedom are prone
to forget; privileged to live q lit
tie longer, he might have en-
larged and co-ordinated his
knowledge in ways that were i'm
possible before. Let us hope
that other leaders of equal indus
try and insight will appear to
complete the task so auspicious-
ly begun.
Whatever may be the negro's
faults, hyphenated Americanism
is not among them; he looks to
no foreign land for his cue. Nay.
more; even in the Confederacy's
darkest hours, he was almost in |
variably loyal to his masters
kith and kin, though his selfish |
interests were opposite. Assur-
edly. that fine example deserves
imitation at the hands of thou
sands of our citizens who pride |
themselves on pure Caucasian |
blood, but who fail to remember |
that America bestows countless
blessings for which they vainly |
in homes beyond the sea. |
Times -Picyune.