The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-07

FN+N - E&Al AHEkaAEEH ~ WlAGA AH2NG a
social aspect and tendency; and this Is,
and always has been, impossible In the
South. Politically we had such a prob
lem IN reconstruction days, Tndustrially,
where only a moneyed profit and loss
question Is involved, there can be moth
Ing alarming In The fact OF the two
races living In the same territory. In
short unless there is danger II social
equality, intermarTiaRe and admixture
OF blood. contact with the negro need
have no terrors.
Riots.
Occasional clashes here and there be-
tween whites and blacks are no more
evidence Of a race problem than would
pc a similar trouble between our peo-
pie and a party OF Swedes In Chicago,
Or Italians In New Orleans. II takes
more than one swallow 10 make a
summer"
Progress.
No race ever rose higher than its
v Inherent ability could raise it.
MI. smith asks: win not negro
FOR social equslitygS cSF ePtalnfiy a nOt, 4
y a progress Is the result purely Of
negro intelligence and labor. II 1t
comes OF white encouragement, ell
bowling and hobnobblng, it will give the
negro airs" and a feeling Of superior
- fS"F - Jaw AE1ulIE9 the MHlLG
race to contribute to the Negroes educa-
ton In the common schools. Beyond
this the white race should not 20 a
step further, unless II be for the pur-
pose Of training the negro morally and
along Industrial lines. / have always
to cultivate its own intelligence when
It's children reach college age. II IL
negro fails to attain to a high standard
given first a public school training
then 1t Is either his fault or 1t is a mis-
fortune. due to native lack Of brain
sponsible, either In religion or equity,
Let every race work out its own saliva
ton.
But we are told that because Of the
negro's former enslavement-which
ended about so years ago-we should be
MS guardians for evermore. What other
enslaVed people ever had such a friend?
What nation developed the minds of
the enslaved Jews2 What help had the
Anglo-SaXons who, under feudalism,
were serfs for 400 years?
Mixed Schools.
There is no hope that negro troubles
will cease at the North as long as
whites and blacks attend the same
schools. II ever a negro has 4 desire to
live with white people on terms Of alb
solute equality, 1t IS generally born In
childhood; and contact In schools will
breed II as no other agency can. Me-
gro teachers for negro schools; negro
preachers for negro churches. III mem
bers Of the white race want to help In
either enterprise let them do so with
out compulsion, but let them stand
aloof--that's the doctrine. The least
said to negroes, the better for both
nolens volens, draws the races together.
It Is unfortunate that Mr. Smith at
tempted by Illustrations from Northern
institutions, to add force to his learned
treatise, Southern people, who alone
understand the situation, not only
unanimously decry the evils Of the
mixed schools as most unwise, but
bodily contact between the races.
| understand that a large percentage
of the negro teachers In Memphis were
reared In the North, and that they
teach children that the Jim Grow law Is
wrong; We should rid ourselves Of
Southern negroes.
Politics.
If Mr.. Smiths theory, that the solu-
tion OF the race problem lies in the
proper education Of the negro, and
dealing justly with him, how can he
defend his position In denying the ne
gro the right to vote? Nsthe proposed
philosophy works: III through white in
f1uence and praachment the destiny OF
the negro Is wrought out, and that
achievement finds the negro mentally
unfit to cast q vote, to what purpose
AYE we spent our money for his edu-
politics OF his own accord. White peo-
pie are at the bottom Of the initiative,
ard white people, for thar own pro-
motion, want the negro votes: and they
offer the negro in return treasures In
station and emolument as fabulous as
ever charmed the senses OF poor Blen-
nerhassett when hung pom the siren
voice OF Aaron Burr. Business Of this
sort prevailed for a brief season in
the South In reconstruction days. Ne
gres were taught that the Democrats
Of the South were a common enemy
and that both races were equal before
the law, socially as well as otherwise.
become a renegade through lust for
office, entwined his arms around the
neck OF a negro whose person he had
before been too proud to even touch;
and the negro, perhaps ~dfSeusted, bit
iured by the prospect OF something that
promised his .own. enrichment. stalked
to the polls with the contemplate syco-
plant and voted for him. Be It said to
the honor of the Southern Democrat.
that there Is no record or instance,
where he has thus lowered himself in
the esteem Of the white race, or at
tempted through his own humility to
exait the negro, ~
Root Of Problem.
The first and principal step in Great
Ing ~dissension between the white and
black races and planting the germs Of
social ambition In the latter race was
made by the Republican party In the
Southern states. Indeed, the conduct Of
that party. through their agents, the
c~arpetbaggers and scalawaRs, Ia alone
responsible for the existence Of the race
problem, politically and socially, In the
United States.
Left alone, the South would have re-
constructed t) itself, with honor to IT.
self and In such justice to the negro
that there would never have arisen In
the breast Of the eNsalave even a dream
Of social equality, II la only. by reason
Of promises OF protection by the Repub-
lean party that any negro can be pre-
vailed upon to hold a political office in
the South. The damnable recurrence,
here and there. Of instances where ne
Eroea have been appointed policemen In
the South proves simply that that party,
to attain It's own political ends, balks
at nothing to humiliate the Southern
people. and that 1t holds political su-
premacy above race purity. In a word.
the foundation stone OF social equality
Il. Republican politics. and not origin
ally an Unborn desire OF the untutored
masses OF the negro race. II we could
keep Republicans from lying to negroes
and be assured that on election days
they would not, Sy hugging our ne
groes, encourage them to hope for social