Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-05-12
''MY VIII FOKS"

which the present day negro, in the
South expresses or describes his re-
lation with his landlord or employer.
This arrangement or status, while it
is Of necessity one Of con1-acs, par
takes of many other elements OF at
tributes and, for want 0f 4 better
name it may be called an estate. There
is no other estate like it known to the
English Common Law, the Civil Code
or the Code Napoleon. 1t is sui gem
eris and peculiar to the South. Note
the possesSive case of the very first
word of it. No combination Of let
te-s and punctuation marks will ex-
ac-ly give the proper sound to 1t.
One must hear the negro utter 1t to
get its full significance, To hear one
of them speak it especially when he
or she desires something particularly,
gives the idea that there had been
.ome ceremony of adoption and the
Gegro can give it that degree of rev
ference that the New Highlander does
when he, in his most devoutly patrio-
tic mood, sings "My Country lis of
Thee"
This estate has some of the ele-
ments of feudalism but the vassal
does not take up arms in behalf OF
the feudal lord. There is an element
' of guardian and ward, another OF
master and servant combined with
that of Landlord and tenant. On the
part of the negro there is some reyer-
ence, a little fear in certain instances,
Va modicum of respect and admiration,
considerable loyalty, especially If a
northerner attempt to "butt in,
lust a lingering trace of that affec-
ton which so frequently existed be-
tween the master and slave and which,
in many instances, survived the abo-
lition of slavery and manifested 1t
self in the loyalty and devotion OF the
negro to his white folks during the
stormy DAVIS of the reconstruction and
the Ku KluX Khan. The rest, residue
and remainder of the Negroes part
will he composed of dependence. Whlle
The negro likes his freedom and re-
SCENTS any suggestion that would de-
nrive him of one iota Of it. he cares
nothing for independence. He much
nrpfers to let his white folks do the
worrying, the walking of the floor SO
4o sneak. He may not have colnei
the slang expression, Il should worry
but he practiced the principle there
nv EXPRESSED long before said slang
phrase became current. Do not get
the idea that the foregoing elements
on the part of the negro form a Jug
handled arrangement with the handle
always towards the white folks. far
from it. Dependence will form a
controlling interest of at least fifty
one per cent. The negro who has sue
cessfully picked his white folks dis
misses the word worry from his vo-
cabulary and forgets it. He knows
that Mr.. jim, Tom, Johnny or Josh,
as the case may be, is going to back
him, ration him, clothe him, doctor
him, square up for his petty pecula-
tions when caught and, if necessary,
get him out of the hands of the
Sheriff. Does he get an annual IN
crease in his picaninnies, he simply
counts noses at the beginning OF each
wear and gets his rations increased
accordingly. He knows that if he
fails to pay out the first year. Mr..
Jim will give him another, and IN
case of a second failure, he feels
sure of a third year because Mr.. jim
in the two years of failures, has got
foo much invested in him to give him
I'M. ard three or more failures mean
that he is settled for life, and should
his polish, which is taken out to
assure him a decent burial, lapse for
non-payment of dues or premiums,
he knows that Mr.. jim will bury him.
John ]. ingalls, wrote a literary
gem about grass and, among other
things, said of it "Unobtrusivc and
natient it has immortal vigor and ag-
preston. Banished from the field or
highway it bides its time to return
and when vigilance is relaxed or the
DYNASTY has persisted it silently re-
sums the throne from which it has
been expelled but which it never ao-
dicates." Stealing the idea and copy
ING the style, this car be used to IL
Iustrate or describe the negro's me-
thod of getting, from his white folks
all that he wants. Driven from the
nresence of his landlord or employ
er with execrations, even curses ana
some times blows, for asking too
much. he becomes like The grass, IN
II -TlaTNHIV q