The Denver star., 1916-01-15
AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP.
Views Of ths Late }. c. Price on Race
Question In tho South.

W SVO Idto " y. FftCe on H0C0
Question In the South.
The late DR.. Joseph C. Price. who
was for many years prior to his death
president Of Livingstone college at
Salisbury, N. c.. was one of the fore
most men Of our race. He was not
only an educator Of note, but good
preacher. great lecturer and fearless
advocate of legal justice to the colored
race in the United States and especial
ly In respect to the full protection OF
the law as citizens and the right to ex-
ercise the elective franchise without
, being molested.
He was both conservative and opti-
mistic with regard to the future OF
the coiored people Of the south and
throughout the country. The follow
ing from an address delivered in New
York by DR.. Price in 1893 on 1.-The
Race Question In the South may fur
nish food for thought and sober refiec-
ton Tor those who are engaged in the
great task of human uplift and free
dom for our people from unjust laws.
race segregation and such like. DR..
Price spoke under the auspices of the
Nineteenth Century club and in part
said:
"It is admitted that ignorance is the
great cause Of objection to the exercise
OF the elective franchise by the Negro.
IF this admission be sincere, and we
do not doubt it for a moment, then in
telliSence is the remedy for the evil.
1t is my opinion, therefore, that educa-
tion is to be the great means In remov-
ing the evils which center in the south
ern situation. for in education we find
fitting response to all the leading OBJ
jections raised against the Negro as a
citizen.
IF the colored man Is unprepared to
exercise Alright the high prerogatives
of American manhood it is imperative
that he be prepared for the same. And
this is equally true OF ignorant white
men, for the safety of our republic. the
perpetuity of its glory and the stabil
ity of its institutions are commensu-
rate and only commensurate with the
intelligence and morality OF IT'S citizens.
Il am not fOrgetful of the thought
that it may be said that even when it
is admitted that it is possible for 'ig-
nOrance to struggle up to intelligence,
and out of the corruptible to come the
incorruptibc.' even then the Negro
may he objected to as n political fac
tor.
81 am willing 10 trust the future as
to this result and ] have no fear in
SO doing | have too much faith In
Christian civilization and the progress
of human rights to believe in the com
ing of such day The time will never
come in the history OF this country
when intelligence and character will
not he passports to all the rights and
privileges which are the constitutional
heritage of American manhood.
May gracious Providence deny
America such n realization. The rising
sun of such u day may we nor our
children ever behold, in whose light we
shall discover in the advance Of our
acter are not universally recognized as
constituent elements in American citi
Zenship. whether that citizenship rep
rescnts our tanned brethren at the
equator or the sons of men blcached
Mt the poles.
have ever recognized intelligence as
prime force in citizenship. Any coun-
try or section. therefore, denying TO
men OF intelligence and character their
rights on the ground of race identity
puts itself in position to invite and
entitle itself to the ridicule and con
demnation OF the civilized world