Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1922-01-28
Howard University, but we must hast
ell. Ee says: r

press Of the South has not in q single
instance clearly and uneQuivOcally
adopted your platform Of political, eco
nOmic and educational equality for tho
Negro. But some Of thcm, out Of coh'
sideratfOns Of courtesy, and throuYh
ambiguity Of language and with owl.
dent mental reservation, have given
cautious quasi approval Of your posi-
ton. On the other hand, the Negro
press, in considerable proportion, eth.
cr condemns your doctrine OF eternal
racial differences or ignores it in 7iew
Of tho hopcd-for advantages to be deriy
ed from equality OF opportunity
Your words arc so much moro
pronounced and emphatic than
amy which Uiis generation Is
accustomed to hear that the over-op-
timistic Negro is carried away with
=, the enthusiasm Of the promise without
stopping to consider the impossibility
Of it's fulfillment. But in no single in
stance have l seen the Negro opinion
which accepts in clear and uncquivocal
terms the doctrine Of Fundamental, in
escapable and eternal difference Of
race." Neither Major Motion nor Maj
: Gus Garvey would avow a~categor!cal
acceptance OF this doctrine. Some are
disposed to hope that tho advantages
which are calculated to flow from poll
teal, economic and educational equall-
| ty would justify present silence. but
not general acceptance OF your premise
Others. feel, have deluded themselves
with the hope that If the conclusion be
granted the premise will speedily DO
overlooked or forgotten. Tho general
drift Of opinion. however, on part OF
the Negro press that has taken pains TO
give careful thought and analysis to
! the question, is that any form Of equal.
fty will he impossible IL your hypothc-
sis becomes generally accepted. The No
gro would thus sell his birthright for a
mess OF pottagc, with no assurance
that he will receive the pottage.
| DR.. Kelly Miller has gagged tho stu
alton exactly and he has also given an
exact description Of tho attitude OF tho
colored press in particular and the col.
orcd people in general. We cannot add
ono single thing by lingering about
; this description Of conditions. He con-
, tinues:
President Roosevelt, in his celebrat-
cd letter to Southern publicist, de-
clared that he would not shut the door
Of hope in the Negroes face. Your poll
cy. Mr.. President, contrary to your pur
pose would latch, lock and bolt it to all
eternity.
What answer can the distinguished
statesman give to this charge? DR.. Mil
Ter has put him OH II par with the DEM
ocratic occupant Of the White House.
who proceeded him with slight advan.
tagc. so far rs tho colorcd people arc
concerned in favor OF Hon. Woodrow
Wilson Of New Jersey, who is also
claimed by Virginia. President Grover
) Cleveland Of New York. according To
DR.. Kelly Millcr's argument was even
more reasonable in dealing with THIS
question, although tho distinguished
man OF letters does not take the time
to say so. He says:
am fully aware that you do not use
tho term "inferiority" in this discus
sion. Race difference does not in itself
, necessarily carry this connotation
There are marginal dissimilnrities in
, racial attributes and endowments. Tho
:, German is more phlegmatic than the
; Frenchman the Celt Is more hysterica
, than the Teuton, the peoples Of North
p ern Europe show greater racial intolel
: ance than those Of Southern Europe
Italy has artistic temperament differ
: 'ent from that Of England. The Chine
=, man Is moro stolid than the Japanese
The Negro possesses patience, meek
ness, forgiveness Of spirit which surpas
ses that yet manifested by any Otne,
trace. In tho SUM total Of racial endOw
| ment it Is not question Of equality
but Of equivalence. These differences OF
: dlsSimilarities are doubtless the out
. growth Of environment and long cdhtir
. uHd custom and practice. I think tha
no biologist or psychologist who has r.
gard for his reputation would care t.
{ venture the opinion that such dilferenc
es are unacceptable and eternal.
81 Dr.. Kelly Miller is Bringing thu
| changes" upon the official declararto,
! from the White House of the doctrin,
+ Of fundamental, unacceptable and eterE
: al difference Of race" When Presiden
- Harding voiced those words, he Ego
> the goat" of not only DR.. Kelly Miller
!, but that Of every colored leader o
r prominence in the United States O
l America. He says further:
81
y Your words, Mr.. President, were I'D
+ dressed to Southern audience, an
/ nave conycyc.! to them the meaning
l which they are accustomed to attacl
4 to such phraseology. In the VOCABULARY
t OF the South. race difference means M
l. gro Inferiority. 1t would not be fair u
o courteous to you to suppose that yo
l.. would employ words which would cor
n vey to your hearers strange and unu:
= ual meaning. Nor can we for a momen
. suppose that you intended that You
n uyNr6u would coDyay ona MEANING I