The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1917-10-05
THE DISGRACE Of
DEMOCRACY

(Con.nlued From Page One.)
Ii is needless TO attempt % place thu
blame on the helpless Negro. In tn,
early stages OF these outbreaks there wsl
an attempt TO nix an evil and lecherou,
reputation on the Negro race - lying q
tie basis of lynchipg and lawlessness
Statistics most clearly refute this consen
ton. The great majority OF the out
breaks cannot even allege rspeful assaul
in extenustion- Ii Is undoubtedly trus
thai there that there lmbruited and law
lees members Of the Negro race ~ Their,
are OF the white race. capable of com
hitting any outrageous and hideous Of
ienss. The Negro Possesses the impr
f~ctions OF his status. HE virtues o. vel
A. ms failures are simply human. lt j,
= istuous philosophy. however, that
would resort 10 cruel AMI unusual pun
lshment a. e deterrent TO crime. Lynch
ing has never made one Negro vIrtuous
nor planted the seed oi right doing IN
tile mind OF "A single American citizen.
The Negro should he encouraged in ell
rlgit directions to develop bic best man
~ ami human qualities. Where ne dey-
lstes from the accepted standard he
should tie punished by due process o.
law. But A. long as the Negro is held IN
general despite and suppressed below the
level OF human privilege. Just 50 long
will he produced disproportiopate mum
Der Of imperfect individuals OF evil pro-
Fensity. To regulate the Negro 70 a
status that encourages the bAser instincts
Of humanity, and then denounce him
becsnse he does not stand forth a. q
model OF human perfection, 10 Of the
same order oi irOnicsl cruelty A. show a
by the barbarOu- TeutOns IN Shakespear%.
Who cut off the hands and hacked out
tie tongue OF the ioveiy Lsvinia, and
then uPbrsided her for not calling Tor
Eeriumed water To- wash her delicate
hands. The Negro IL neither angelic nor
diaboiicsl, but merely human, and
should be treated a. such.
The vainglorions boast Of Anglo saxon
superiority will No longer avail TO Justify
these outrsges. The contact. adjustment
snt sttrltlon of various races of man.
Kind constitute a problem With is CO.
ternlInous with the ends of the earth.
The lighter and stronger racer are CON-
ing INTO contact with the weaker and
darker Ores. The stronger breeds OF
men are relating themselves 70 the weak
or members of the human family in all
tie ends of the earth How does il hap
pen that IN the United States alone, oi
all civilized lands, these strocious out
RACES are hesped upon the helpless Neg
ro2 The English nation has the larges,
colonial experience and snccess since the
days OF the Roman empire, and has come
into relationship with the VARIOUS weake,
breeds Of men IN all parts Of the world
But everywhere under English jurisdic
ton law and order prevail. la the Wes
Indies. where Negroes outnumber th,
whites ~ % !, rape and lynching hav.
scarcely Yet found place in the locs
vocabulary Ia Brazil, under q Lstir
dispensatl0n. where = more complex rec
isi situation exists than IN the Unitet
states. racial peace and good will prevail
Be.sium fuonishes the only parallel O
civilized dstions, in the strocious treat
ment OF a helpless placed in their chsrs~
BIT even the Belgians were forced 4,
modify the ugors OF their OUTRAGEOUS re-
gime IN the Congo, under the bombsrd
ment of moral sentiment Of the more en-
ilghtened nations OF the world. Amerir,
enjoys the evil distinction among all ei,.
lied nations of tiae earth OF taking ds
light in murder AMI burning OF human
bcinrs- Nowhere else do men, WIENER
and children dance with ghoutisb ola,
and hight for ghastly souvenirs of humar
hesh AMI mock the dying groan- OF IN.
HELPLESS victim which sicksn the air
while the fiickering flames of the inner.
pJre tighten the midnight sky with the,
dismal glare
Mr. President. the American con
science has been touched and aaicksns,
by the Fast ~ I.ouis outbreak a. i, M.
never been before. Press and pulp,
have tired u forget these outrse~.. A
each fresh outbreak they would them
selves into a spasfn Fl virtue and exhans
The eutife vocabulary OF denuuci.tion
but forthwith. would lsp-- into sndde
silence and scquiescent guilt. By som
istnous deiu-'on they seern To hope the
the atrccItie- Of Springfield. wum;,,
ton Vsco, Atlanta. Memphis and
thousand o'"er places Of evil repor
would never be repeated. nor 1tbe mem
ory rise mp 70 condemn the nation. gy
'''enoe and oeglect merely result in com
pounding atrocities. The East 81 I.o,;.