Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1922-01-19
RACE QUESTION
BEFORE A CLUB

In considering the COlOred people
at the regular meeting of the Fort
nightly Literary club Friday night at
the home of DR.. and Mrs. G. w. Sny-
der, the opinion prevailed they have
made great advancement since their
emancipation.
"The Material Advancement of the
Negro" was presented by the host,
who opened the meeting by reading
from Paul Laurence Dunbar, the poet,
to show that the colored folk found a
place in the literary as well as in the
industrial field.
Slavery Established
The first slaves were brought to
America, IA of them. in a Dutch ship
in 1919, selling them at Jamestown,
Virginia. Now there are about 10,
100000 in the United States. They
are not responsible for being here,
black blot on our civilization, Dr.
Snyder declared. He spoke of G. w.
Waddell, in his book, placing the
blame for many calamities on the col
ored people. (Not many hold to this
view.)
During the Civil war they were
faithful to their masters to the last
and when reconstruction came no or
little effort was made to aid the col
ored people. There was discord and
no other race would have acted so
wisely, the speaker said. He has
travelled Zig-zag course and in the
end has gained a commendable foot
hold. -
Both Races Must Solve Problem
The characteristics of these people
were discussed and it was held there
was little chance of political advan7
cement in the south. AS to social
equality the colored people do not
expect it, they do not want it. They
desire to improve in their own way
and have their homes apart from the
whites. They do not expect or care
to intermarry. They have accumulat-
ed property to the value of a billion
dollars. While their main field is
agriculture yet they own stores, news
papers and banks. Both whites and
blacks live in this country, especially
in the citiesNof the north and all parts
Of the south and both of the races
must join to settle the question, what
ever it's form and scope may be.
Race Consciousness
AS to the RACE Consciousness the
No. Iol1
Libreia project and there was a
question whether or not the Negro
would not revert to type in case he
returned to Africa. He spoke of the
Negro who returned from overseas,
believing he was now in an attitude
to strike back when the whites made
advances into his domain. There was
little doubt but that some of the riots
had been instigated by the whites
and the blame placed upon the color
ed folk. The war taught him the
sense of power and in the future he
would probably be able to more and
more hold his ground. The speaker
believed the new Negro would be
worthy of his steel
Not Social Equality
The colored people are not dream
ing of social equality, the speaker
said. He has entered the publicity
newspaper field, and has found a
new fourth estate. His mode of life
for $50 years means that he cannot at
once live on an equality with the
whites.
The solution is for the two races to
come together for a calm considera-
ton Of the problem. Better schools.
improved living conditions, better ypo-
lice protection parks and Fairgrounds
improved transportation, and other
things will mean much to the race,
the speaker held.