The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-05-05
Questions Are Not Arguments.

I III tNtlN wa. 49,
highest possibilities.
Questions Are Not Arguments.
Some years ago Thomas DIXON,
writing Of the negro, declared tnat
he was born to be a slave and that
we can make nothing else out OF
him. Can you change the kink OF
his hair, the bulge of his lips, the
spread Of his nose, the color OF MS
skim he asked, as though the ques-
ton were an argument for anything.
Replying to him in passionate
words of genuine eloQuence, an IN
telIigent negro said: 7 thank an all
kind Creator for this tremendous
possibility, that my hair, though
kfnked, may cover a brain that can
think as clearly and reason as pro-
foundly as that OF the fairest white
man.; that my skin, though black,
may hide a heart that beats as warm
and true as any that throbs within
a Saxon's breast; and that the bulge
Of my lips and the spread OF my
nose need not forever remain a
brand Of shame, but that they may
become my badge Of honor If, after
fifty years Of freedom, / can show
the rudiments at least Of that edu-
cation and training which 1t has
taken the Anglo-Saxon a half-score
of centuries to attain
The Need Of the Hour.
There ought to be an end to
propaganda that tends to foster
hatred between the white race and
the black. We need strong voices
of strong men to inspire Us to Do
some clear thinking.
we have the problem before us,
and it must be solved or The future
of our country Is doomed. There are
only two ways OF solving it.: either
the Turkish way or the christian
way-either a%nnihilate them or help
them up. Which shall 1t be?
''In spite Of the terribleness of this
recent crime, / declare | cannot find
1t in my heart to hate these two col
ored men. But | do pity them, with
all my heart. 1 cannot but think
what might have been II they had
been brought up in a different way,
trained both in mind and in morals.
To some extent, they have been the
victims of their surroundings and of
a wrong system of society. They
are worthy Of less blame than white
men, who have much better advan-
tages, who commit crimes of equal
brutality.
The Force of Numbers.
And let US not forget that more
crimes and more murders r COM
mitted in our country by w~hite-than
by black men. I am not in any man.
ner attempting to defend these fell
lows, nor to take from the heinous-
ness of their crime. But | am say
ing that, because they are negroes,
they should be punished not one viii!
more drastically than if they were
white men.
They are entitled to exactly the
same consideration, and If there is
any difference at all, it ought to be
in their favor.
Protect the Good Negro.
And let us not be guilty Of trying
to condemn all the colored people in
our midst because of this affair.
There are negroes who have spent
anxious days and sleepless nights
since last Wednesday afternoon.
Some of them have felt keenly the
disgrace that has been reflected
upon their race. The intelligent and
Ia%w-abiding negroes are no less anx'
ious than we to have undelayed jus.
tice melted out TO the criminals.
and it is my belief they would
join us heartily in an effort to clear
the city Of that undesirable class OF
'fIoaters' who do so much to bring
reproach upon their race.
by all means let MS make it I'm
mistakably clear that good, reliable
~God-fearing negroes have nothing tt
fear from the citizens of this com
mUOiry