The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-30
Negro Developments.

mere IL no greater pTpblem beloTe
u as a nation than that of the negro
and his development. \ book like
BldcL and white IN the southern
states. 10y MAURICE :. EVANS long
mans. Green and Company. an Eng
lishman who has given years to Che
study in South Africa, annot, there.
fore. hut be valuable.
The issues raised. he says. are the
relations between Europeans and Ash
atics as independent States. the Gov
eminent II tropical dependencies. in
which the white mar cannot make a
permanent home. such as the West
Indies and the greater part of Africa,
and countries with a climate and sur
roundiugs suitable L. European family
l.fc. hut with "A large population of "A
backward race. as South Africa, the
highlands of East Africa and por-
tons Of northern Ehodesia.
In the Union If South Africa and in
our own southern States II has been
proved 10y centuries Of experience that
the climate and conditions are favor
able To European family life. They
have n tempcramental leaning Of the
race toward a democratic form of
Government and nowhere does the
democratic theory Of government find
stanChcr supporters. But in both
cases the theory stops short at
members nf the dominant race. BY
Federal law with us all men are de-
clared free and equal. with equal
rights to life, liberty and the pursuit
oi happiness. The Constitution en-
il. 49,. l., tha frAYNEeaa
shall be the privilege Of all. But in
practice and 10y state law one-third
of the population in the South is
without social and political liberty.
In South Africa only one state in the
four recognizes political equality: two
III Transvaal and Orange Free State
explicitly 10y law deny il: and in one,
Natal, there are separate cod OF
law for black and white. The ques-
/ tinn, therefore, the fates have to de-
cidc FOR both countries is how to in
sure that two races So different. liv-
ing IN the same land. shall each have
opportunity for full development. II
is the problem Of this century to dis
7 cover n basis Of adjustment,
The idea has, since the tnion IN Soutl
3 Africa, itfn 'NHltSs'b ~ WV hl-hIH
placed, that talking and writing on
tie native question did only harm
This attitude is due to the position
adopted by the ruling race that tho
status and circumstances Of the ma
,ivcs should Ice decided for them AN,
not 10y them, The author, however
believes that only 10y free discussion
and inquiry will the matter ever h'
satisfactorily solved.
one question which must lc an
swercd is this: Is the deepest caus'
Of race misunderstanding the tacit as
sumption that the present character
istics of a race are the expression o
fixed and permanent race characters
ties? II So, could not anthropoloEist
and scientific thinkers as a class pow
crfully assist the movement for
justcr appreciation of the races h!
persistently pointing out the funda
mental fallacy involved in taking
static instead Of "A dy lamiC. Il homer
tary instead Of a historic. "A local in
stead Of n general point of view u
race characterization" The autho
SAYS that though no knows HOY
many hundreds ~ centuries it ma,
hc since the negro and the Anglo
Saxon diNcrccd. II is folly to assum
that the results Of geologic time can h
swept away or permanently moditie
hy "A few wears Of spccia, ~trainin,
Few of those who nave spent thei
lives among a backward people, eve
with so many admirable qualities a
tho Bantu, for instance. are incline
10 minimize the deep seated nature q
race difference,
To know Il race ono must live wit
them. ani even then many OF those who's
whole ne has been spent among a prim
tlN" people, and who thought they unic,
stood, VIII md, as many south African
have done. that there are depths the
never plumhed, and at some supreme M
ment. deep seated, hidden race tendcnci,
become apparent, that make them Noni,
whether. after AL, their knowledge is on
Of the surface, and wonder whether an
White man will ever be able to undsrstan
the workings Of the black mans min
and spirit.
The rtpiGity with which many men
hers 81 - prImitiv. race can, under favo
able stimuli. absorb and initiate, is indcN
marvellous. and II II not surprising this
those who know only such aherrlnt men
hers of "A race should Judge all by the,
exceptional ones.
The indweliing spiri, 1t i. that matter
and no amount of veneer viii even
generations materially change It Educ,
ton may give It direction and opportuui'
? the nnai result viii be the erect Of Il