The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1921-05-12
/" Il the Negro Free?"

New Orleans Christian Advocated
Under the above caption, our esteem
ed contemporary, Zion Herald, prints
rather lengthy editorial in its issue Of
April 18th, in which it unconsciously,
perhaps, but serenely falls into fall
lacy of inductive reasoning that p en-
college freshmen are warned against
drawing general conclusion from a
particular instance. The editorial re-
ferred to begins as follows: More
than fifty years have passed since the
emancipation proclamation, but the
question, Is the Negro free?' appears
to be pertinent after the lapse Of half
a century. Even the fact Of his COM
plete physical freedom is by no means
demonstrable. The distinguished edi-
tor then proceeds to give an account Of
the atrOciOus crimes for which a plan
tation owner in Georgia was recently
convicted, after which he draws his
conclusion in these words: 6 The whole
case is sickening In its revelations Of
conditions in the South" We much fear
that the brilliant writer has allowed
his righteous indignation over pecul-
iarly horrible example of moral degen-
eracy to unsettle, for the time being,
his ability to think clearly and reason
cogently. If we were so disposed, we
imagine we could compose very plau-
sible argument ito justify negative
answer to the question, :. Is New Eng
land civilized ?''-but we would hate
to have to defend the logic of the argu-
ment. 1t is even possible that from the
territory contiguous to the sacrOsanct
city of Boston itself we might cite some
instances of barbar0us criminality that
Ought to make every member of the
human race hang his head in shame. "
But we would not do it-really, we
| would not. We dare say even lions
| Herald would rebuke our rashness and
pillory our presumption. The logic of
| it apart, though, the editorial in ques-
| ton does full credit to the writer's
heart, for it is expressive of just such
| feeling as has stirred the hearts of the
people Of the South themselves. As a
matter of fact, we have not read any
where more vigorous denunciation Of
the dastardly crime than has appeared
in Southern newspapers-even those
published in Georgia. Only those who
are blinded by prejudice, fettered by
/ ignorance, or misled by false state
ments, believe that the South defends
or condones peonage, or that it upholds
any policy of racial injustice. Yes,
Brother Hortman, the Negro is free
in the South. We have heard some
pitiful stories of the treatment he has
received in other sections of the coun-
try-but we presume they are not true
We are even more fortunate than the
editor of lions Herald. He has trav.
eled through the South; we have lived
in it all our life-a good part Of it In
the delta section of the Mississippi
and we have had fairly good oppor
tunity of observing the Negro under al
kinds of conditions. We, too, know
some trained and intelligent Negroes
and we cheerfully give the race full
credit for all that it has accomplished
In answer, however, to the question
propounded in lions Herald, VIII,
not judge the race by its proven posi-
bilities rather than by its primitive
shortcomings? we PROFOUND another
equally pertinent: Why not lay upoI
children, even in infancy. the response
bilities. they will have to bear whe1
they become men and women?