The Colorado statesman., 1917-02-10

as important as these are. The real
test lies in the ability of average
American citizens-of those who
make and who execute the laws, of
those who have taken to themselves
the great responsibility of directing
the affairs of government, of those
who have been so greatly blessed with
wealth and culture and influence, if
they love their country-to see that
absolute and exact justice is done to
every man, rich and poor, learned and
unlearned; that justice is done to
those who are different physically
from themselves; that black men and
women are given a fair and equal
chance for training and for education,
wholesome surroundings, are guaran-
teed life and liberty; that Negroes
are taught to respect the courts of this
country and not to feel, as the aver
age Negro too often feels, that the
court is the place for punishment only
rather than the place for justice.
Democracy and Christianity are be-
ing tested and tried as by fire, but
firmly believe that democracy, that
Christianity, that America will stand
this test. After all the misunder-
standings, and friction, after all the
bitterness and hatred, the sober
thought of the educated, Christian
white man of the South, as well as
that of the educated Christian Negro
has come to the verge of a period
when good will, and peace with honor
and justice to al concerned, and mu-
tual understanding seem more posi-
BILE than ever. While there are still
prejudices and hatred on the part of
some Negroes and white men in the
South, it is well to keep in mind the
fact that the Negroes of the South are
not all lazy and criminal, and that all
white men of the South are not Negro
haters and lynchers. Such incidents
as the following have been happening
ever since the War between the states,
but they don't always find their way
into public print.
venture to mention here a few of
the tangible results which Hampton
has led in bringing about. AS a gen.
eral result of Hampton's years of
teaching, racial good will in the South
is more widespread than ever before.
The demand for Negro labor in the
North and the migration of Negroes
from the South to meet that demand
are crystallizing sentiment looking to-
ward justice and fairness for the black
man as perhaps no single incident
ever has General Armstrong, through
Hampton Institute, blazed the way
and set in motion elements that are
today meeting in practical, Christ
like way this situation, making it cas-
ier for white men, as well as black
men, to speak out from press and plat
form as would have been well nigh i'm
possible without his work and influ-
ence.
The Jeanes Board belongs among
Hampton's lateral influences" With
its limited funds, through DR.. James
Hardy billiard, it is influencing educa-
tion in the South, not only among Ne
groes, but among the whites also, in
way that it would be difficult to
overestimate.
Then there is the University Com
mission on Southern Race Questions,
representing through certain of their
professors all of the Southern State
universities in which Southern men of
the highest and most intellectual char
acter are willing to study at first hand
the condition of the black man and to
use the results of their studies in
deepening the faith and inspiring the
youth of the South with a desire to
help and to be just and fair in their
dealings with the black man.
We do not need to mention Booker