The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-10-29

would remove the frelsnI eIuoaiSo
declared when the trainmen on
their road struck Saturday.
opportunity as. between members
of the same race. In each case L
would mean equality proportloned
to the honest capacities and deserts
of the individual.
Men of both races may well
stand uncompromisingly against
every suggestion Of social equality.
Indeed. it would be helpful to have
the word equality eliminated from
this consideration; to have, 1t &C
cepted on both sides that this is
not question Of social equality,
but question of recognizing a fun
damental, eternal, and inescapable
difference. We shall have made
real progress when we develop an
attitude in the public and commun-
ity thought of both races Wnlch
recognizes this difference.
Take the political aspect.
would say let the black man vote
when he is fit to vote; prohloie the
white man voting when he is un-
fit to vote. Especially would l ap-
peal to the self-respect Of the col
ored race. I would inculcate in 1t
the wish to improve itself as dis
tinct race, with a heredity, a set
of traditions, an array of asplra-
tions all it's own. Out of such ra-
cial ambitions and pride will come
natural segregations, without mar
rowing any rights, such as are
proceeding in both rural and urban
communities now in southern
states, satisfying natural lnchna-
tions and adding notably to happl-
ness and contentment.
"On the other hand would IN
sist upon equal educational oppor-
tunity for both. This does not
mean that both would become
equally educated within a genera
ton or two generations or ten gen
erations. even men of the same
race do not accomplish such an
equality as that. But there must
be such education among the col
ored people as will enable them tc
develop their own leaders. capable
of understanding and sympathizlne
with such a differentiation between
the races as I have suggested
leaders who will inspire the race
with proper ideals of race pride. OF
national pride. Of an honorable
destiny. an important participation
in the universal effort for advance
ment of humanity as whole. Ra-
cial amalgamation there can not
be. Partnership of the races IN
developing the highest aims OF al
humanity there must be II human
ity. not only here. but everywhere
is to achieve the ends which we
have set for it.
Il can say to you people OF the
south, both white and black, that
the time has passed when you are
entitled to assume that this prob
lem of races is peculiarly and par
ticularly your problem. More anc
more it is becoming a problem OF
the north; more and more it IS the
problem of Africa. Of South Amer
lea. of the Pacific, of the south seas
of the world. 1t is the problem OF
democracy everywhere. if we mean
the things we say about democracy
as the ideal political state.
The one thing we must Sc
dulouslv avoid is the development
OF group and class organizations in
this country. There has been time
when we heard too much about the
labor vote. the business vote, the
Irish vote. the Scandinavian vote.
the Italian vote. and so on. But
the demagogues who would array
class against class and group
against group have fortunately
found little to reward their efforts.
That is because, despite the dem
agogues. the idea Of our oneness as
Americans has risen superior to eV-
cry appeal to mere class and group.
And so | would wish it might be IN
this matter of our national prob
lem of races. I would accept that
a black man can not be white
man. and that he does not need
and should not aspire to be as much
like white man as possible In or
der to accomplish the best that is
possible for him. He should seek
to be, and he should be encouraged
to be. the best possible black man,
and not the best possible imitation
of a white man.
1T is matter of the keenest
national concern that the south
shall not be encouraged to make its
colored population vast reser-
voir of ignorance. to be drained
away by the processes Of migration
into all other sections. That is
what has been going on in recent
years at rate so accentuated that