The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1920-10-29
JUDGE KELSEY BLANTON
POINTS OUT DANGERS OF
NEGRO In POLITICS
CONTINUED from Page L.

rerior position and had never been
able to make the beginning toward
higher plane tradition Of higher,
life, which would be sufficient to es-
tablish that he has had none, even /
If we did not know it from recorded |
history. There is not today any such
thing on the face of the globe as a
negro civilization, and although there
are hopeful evidences of his advance
ment, it is at best but sheer veneer.
He has never had to make genuine
effort toward higher development. He
has ever had the white man to rely
upon and could do nothing else. than
live after the manner OF the white
man. Civilization through ages of
endeavor refines the structure Of
man s brain and the outward express
sion Of his mentality The negro, in
America has not had time or oppor-
tunity for this, and no thoughtful
person would expect it. Whatever the
negro in America may accomplish
that may be noteworthy and for all
1.-THE blessings he now enjoys he has
to thank the institution of slavery
which brought him here. No litera-
ture which he may ever have can ever
be worth while that does not contain
paeans Of praise for his former mas
tiers. That this Is not the case is
clear evidence that his advancement
has not yet assumed wholesome or
promising aspect The blood and the
treasure and effort expended to ar.
rive at our present stage of advance
ment ought to mean more to us than
| TO suffer it's maintenance to be cast
upon race that has no understand
ing Of it.
But the primary reason is, that no
matter what advancement the negro
might make, he is by racial char
acteristics unsuited and untitled. to
exercise political right in the gov
eminent of white men. The negro be-
ing without history and having &C.
quired little but white mems ideas.
is essentially without race pride, He
has no distinctive racial aspirations.
All happy prospects to him open upon
fields of white. In heaven he expect.
to be white angel. Our laws are
unsuited to him-our language and
literature more SO. He thinks In
white and must of necessity do so
until he can develop an ideal suited
to his race. White to him still typi.
fies purity. He sings our sacred songs
in his services, and I daresay sings.
Make me as white as the wings of a
dove or Wash me and make me
as white as snow His songs should
rather me, Make me as black as the
wings Of crow or Dye me and
make me as black as ebony His
racial aspirations will never be
wholesome until he thinks In black
His Bible ought to teach him that he
will become black angel. He must
learn to be proud of his color. He
must develop a literature of his own.
One sometimes now sees white plays
performed by negroes in which such
things occur as a negro with red
wig representing an Irishman.
AS God is our creator, so is he the
author Of our race pride. So-caIled
race prejudice is at root nantes
4 tation--a vocalization of race pride.
4 This cannot be suppressed so long as
a race has aspirations and would
I be statesmen who would suppress II
altogether are not fit to direct the
practical affairs of government. The
n Arglo-Saxon possesses greater genius
for government than any other people
and no thoughtful person could ex
pect him to surrender one of the
4 chief objects of his pride to jungle
y men from Africa or their near of
a spring. The undisputed and unchal
u lenged control of his government |.
n SO vital to his racial aspirations tina
n the assertion of political rights By
= the negro can only create a conflict
n menace, a danger, that no thought
i full and really patriotic man can con
Z template.
" 1t is natural that we should b.
Il proud Of our color and race. W.
! might well be proud to belong to tina
q family of the hannah race that 1
Spreading its language, laws and in
s. situations over the earth. We ma
Il be justly proud to belong to that par
y ty in Florida that has declared itsel
3 white party. We might be proud @
n those Republicans that come to u