THE SOLUTION OF THE NEGRO PROBLEM.
All prophecies pertaining thus far to the solution of the Negro Problem
have failed. Men in all parts of the country are becoming alarmed over
the situation and are asking, "whither are we drifting?" And yet
although everyone admits that there is a Negro problem, few are agreed
as to the exact nature of the problem, and still fewer are agreed as to
what the final answer should be.
Generally speaking, the Negro problem consists of twelve millions of
people of African descent living in this country, mostly in the Southern
states, and forming one-third of the population of this section and
one-eighth of the entire population of the United States.
Notwithstanding the fact that we are far from an agreement as to the
answer to this problem, we are all agreed that the solution must be
sought in the answers to the following questions: What is to be the
economic, the political, the civil, and the social status of the Negro
in this country?
It is true that there are criminals in the Negro race for whom no legal
form of punishment is too severe. It is also true that the better and
best classes of Negroes are daily being insulted in the streets, on the
street-cars, on the railroads, at the ticket offices, at the baggage
rooms, the express offices, and in fact, in all places pertaining to
public travel. They are persecuted, despised, rejected, and
discriminated against before every court in the South. Since the Negro
is now being lynched as readily for his sins of omission as he is for
his sins of commission, it is quite necessary for him when traveling in
the South, to keep constantly in telegraphic communication with the
agent at the station ahead as to the movement of the mob. In addition to
this, the Negro is subjected to many other forms of persecution and
discrimination in almost every walk of life. These things go to make up
what we call the Negro problem.
_The White Man's Solution._
A large majority of the white men in the South believe that this problem
is to be solved by the Negro "learning his place" and keeping in it.
Though they do not say just what this place is, they purpose to teach it
to the Negro by disfranchisement, by limiting his education, by
discrimination on the streets and on the railroads, by barring him from
public parks, public libraries, and public amusements of any kind, by
insulting replies to courteous questions, by conviction for trivial
offences, and, finally, by judge lynch and the shot gun. This class is
called the rabble.
There is another class of white men in the South, though fewer in
number, who deprecate all such views and actions (as advanced by this
first class). They believe that the Negro should have equal legal
rights, but that he should be denied equal political and educational
rights. They believe the Bible to be the panacea for all the ills of the
Negro. To bear out their contention, they often revert to the time when,
they say, there was no race problem. This, they say, was during slavery,
when the master taught his slaves the beneficent influence of the Holy
Bible. They are now appealing to the white men of the South to return to
this practice. In this class would fall a large number of politicians,
statesmen, educators, and ministers. This is called the conservative
class.
There is still a third class of white men in the South, who believe that
the Negro is a man, nothing more and nothing less. They believe that
under similar circumstances the Negro will act as other races do. They
contend that the Negro should have equal rights in every respect; they
believe that worthy Negroes like worthy white men, should vote, and that
ignorant and vicious Negroes like ignorant and vicious white men, should
not; that the school money should be divided equally among the children
of the state regardless of race, color or previous conditions; that the
Negro should be given justice in all of the courts; that the criminal
and lawless Negro, like the criminal and lawless white man, should be
punished to the full extent of the law. They believe that a strict
adherence to this view will result in the final solution of the problem.
There are, however, so few who feel in this way, and they are so widely
scattered, that they can hardly be called a class. The other classes of
white people consider them insane and accuse them of advocating social
equality. They are given no voice in the government and their wishes are
disregarded as readily as those of the Negro. They are sometimes
persecuted, ostracised, and harmed in every conceivable way. This class
is increasing and the two other classes decreasing.
_The Negro's Method of Solution._
There are three classes of Negroes in the South, but only one desires a
solution of the problem and that is class number two, of those I shall
mention. Class number one is composed chiefly of the illiterate and
superstitious Negroes. They usually work on the railroads, on the
steamboats, in the large saw-mills, and on the farms for wages. They
have no homes and do not want any; but float from place to place. This
class is contented to be let alone, but is quick to resent an insult,
and will shoot almost as readily as the white man, and make no attempt
to choose their victims. Among this class are to be found the whiskey
seller, the drunkard, the gambler, and the criminal of the lowest type.
It is the low, degraded and depraved criminals of this class who stir up
and incite race hatred, which always results in race riots. They do not
attend church or any other religious meeting. The better class of
Negroes are as anxious to get rid of these as the white man.
The second class is composed of the renters of farms, the owners of
farms, of homes, of preachers, teachers, students, professional and
business men. They believe that the Negro should be educated in the
trades as well as in the professions; that they should own homes, pay
their taxes and perform their civic duties like all other citizens and
that they should possess all of the rights and privileges that are
delegated to them by the Constitution of the United States. They believe
in the purity of the state and in the sanctity of the home. They are
enduring, self-sacrificing, patient, and long suffering, and desire the
good of all. It is this class that always assists in quelling race riots
and is constantly seeking the co-operation of the best class of white
people in order that the relation between the races may be of the most
cordial nature. It is this class also who do not lose their heads though
innocent members of the race be murdered by the mob. Though this class
is rapidly increasing, it is still far inferior in number to the first
class.
The third class is composed chiefly of the ante-bellum Negroes. They are
well advanced in age and are contented with their present lot. Many of
them have waited for years for the forty acres and mule and having been
disappointed in their expectation, they have lost all hopes. They are
fast losing sight on the things of this world and gaining sight on the
things of the world to come. Ofttimes, they sing, "You may have all this
world, but give me Jesus." They are perfectly harmless and have no
earthly ambition. This is what the white man here calls a good Negro;
for him they act as pall-bearers when he dies and for him they weep when
he is gone. In many instances they erect monuments to his memory.
_Fallacy of the Master and the Bible Remedy._
Since the recent riots that have occurred in Georgia, North Carolina,
Tennessee, Arkansas and other Southern States, many white ministers and
other prominent citizens of the South have been advocating a return to
the master and Bible theory of slavery days, when, they say, there was
no race problem. But every student of history knows that at the same
time the master was carrying the Bible to his slaves this country was
struggling with one of the greatest race problems that the world has
ever witnessed and the slavery phase of this problem was settled by one
of the bloodiest wars in the annals of history. Furthermore, the student
of history knows that the master carried the lash more often to the
slave's back than the Bible to the slave's heart; that the lash kept the
slave in subjection.
If the relation between the races now seems most strained and the
solution of the problem seems farther away than ever, we must be candid
and seek the cause of failure in the methods that we have been using. In
the past, the white man's idea of the solution has been contrary to the
Negro's idea. The white man has been trying to circumscribe the Negro's
sphere, at the same time, the Negro has been trying to know the truth
which would make him free; yet, both claim to be trying to solve the
same problem. Before a satisfactory solution of the problem can be had,
it will be necessary for the best white people and the best class of
Negroes to get together and agree as to what the solution must be. Is it
to consist of the Negro knowing his place and staying in it, or is it to
consist of the Negro knowing the truth and being free? Which shall it
be? Unless they can agree as to the answer there can be no satisfactory
solution.
In a democratic form of government having one language, one history,
one literature, one religion, one Bible, and one God, there can be only
one man who is the sum total of these, only one man who is the typically
good democratic citizen, and this man will be known by his
accomplishments and not by the color of his skin. If we should have two
types, two men, then we must have two governments, two languages, two
histories, two literatures, two religions, two Bibles, and two Gods.
If the shiftless, ignorant, superstitious, and criminal class of Negroes
is increasing, it is because the ruling class of white men have been
limiting his education, disfranchising him, and in other ways trying to
doom him to serfdom. The great race riot in Atlanta was simply the
culmination of the ten months' campaigning of race hatred. Men who are
now writing resolutions and sound and sane editorials, were then
rivaling each other in their abuse of the Negro. The nominee for
governor seemingly, was to be given to the one who could prove himself
the greatest enemy of the Negro. It is a divine and immutable law that
if we sow the wind we will reap the whirlwind.
_Only One Road to the Solution._
Lynchings and mobs will not solve the problem, for it has been proven
that such actions beget crimes. Depriving him of educational advantages
and disfranchising him, will not suffice, for on the one hand this
method produces ignorant Negroes, and on the other hand it increases in
the white man the belief that the Negro has no rights which a white man
is bound to respect. These two states of mind in the last analysis will
always produce crime. The master and Bible theory will not solve it,
because the criminal and lawless Negro does not attend church. There is
but one true solution and that lies in compulsory education for all the
children of the state with religious, moral and industrial training. If
the South is sincere in its efforts to help the Negro, or even if the
ministers and other citizens who are now filling the daily press with
suggestions as to the practical solution of this problem are sincere,
they will advocate the enacting of compulsory educational laws and see
to it that all children between the ages of six and fourteen are kept in
school. They will also advocate a more equitable division of the school
fund between the races. The great factor in the solution of this problem
is education and the Negro schools are the hope of the race.
_The Attitude of the North Towards This Problem._
Just now, the attitude of the North towards this problem is that of an
onlooker and well wisher. For a number of years the South has been
saying to the North, "Hands off, we understand the Negro and we can
solve our own problem." The North, seemingly, has heeded this injunction
and the press and politicians of the North, barring a few, have been
inclined to take sides with the so-called conservative class of white
men of the South.
The philanthropist of the North, however, while being a friend to the
white South has been none the less a friend to the black South, and has
kept constantly aiding Negro education and it is the schools thus
supported that are doing the most effective work in the uplifting of the
race. It was the wise guidance, judicious and calm leadership of the men
in these schools that saved the day at Atlanta. All of these schools
have the record of their graduates and ex-students opened to the public
for inspection. And an impartial inspection of these records will show
that these students and graduates have made since leaving school,
according to their circumstances, as creditable a mark as the graduates
and ex-students from any of our Northern schools. These schools do not
give college training.
In these perilous times when the race is passing through such trying
ordeals, and when the souls of men are being tried, I trust that our
friends will not forsake us. Our industrial schools and colleges and the
better element of the race, need their sympathy, encouragement, and
assistance now as never before. My prayer is for a double portion of
their spirit and an increased amount of their assistance.
The recent race troubles should not discourage us or our friends. In
fact, we should be encouraged, for during these troubles the better
element of the race has been severely tried and they have stood the
test. Everywhere their advice has been for moderation, patience, and
forbearance. It is true, we are troubled on every side, yet not
distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not
forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. Our records will show that we
have been faithful over a few things, may we not retain the faith and
trust of friends?