INTRODUCTION

Having spent the first twenty-nine years of my life in the Middle West, chiefly in Nebraska, and having only a meager conception of conditions existing in the South, like most other northern and western people I did not at that time interest myself in the race problem, because there are so few negroes in those localities that one's attention is seldom attracted to it there.

In 1906 my profession called me to Maryland, where about onefourth of the population of that state are negroes.

I at once noticed an entirely different attitude of both races toward each other than that which prevailed in the West. In traveling through many of the states farther south I noticed a still more intense feeling. Almost unknowingly I began to study the question, and discussed it with a great many southern and northern people, who, like myself, had come south to live. Without exception, every northern person with whom I conversed had acquired an aversion for the negro, which continued to grow in negro environment.

In the North we met the best class of negroes, well-dressed, as waiters and porters, where for twenty-five-cent tips they are very polite and obliging. They lack the initiative and the power to lead, but are imitative, and the majority of them can be taught to skillfully perform certain lines of work, and, under the direction of more intelligent white men, become valuable laborers.

A few negroes in an environment of hustling western whites are far superior to those of a population of one-third negroes in the South.

In the South we see them in groups of hundreds, ragged, dirty, ignorant, and having a pungent, sickening odor.

In a community of 10,000 white inhabitants and 25 negroes, the question is an academic one, and the doctrinarian and sentimentalist have an easy time with it. In a community of 10,000 white inhabitants and 2,000 negroes there is less philosophy and more silence. In a community of 10,000 white inhabitants and 10,000 negroes the policeman supersedes the philosopher in relative importance, and the problem moves along as best it can under the circumstances.

The South has acted wisely in excluding the illiterate negro from the right of suffrage, and it is determined that the white race shall continue to control the political developments of the country, as it should. This deprives the negro of no legal right, for it also disfranchises the illiterate white, a law which should prevail in every state in the Union.

In many districts of the South racial conditions are nothing less than appalling; a disgrace to civilization. Here an unnatural condition exists in which the application of the golden rule would be almost a miracle. Immediately after the Civil War a few northern politicians succeeded in passing laws enfranchising the negroes, regardless of educational or other qualifications, while the southern whites who participated in the war were disfranchised for from four to twelve years, depending upon their official position in the Confederacy. The negroes proved themselves entirely incapable of executive ability, and the southern whites then wrested the power from them contrary to existing laws.

This condition naturally developed the worst side of the negro of the South, and, with the exception of the educated members of his race, he is less competent or trustworthy to-day than in slavery times. While there are still a few good old mammies and slaves with whom their employers would not part, the average southern negro is a degenerate.

The South is passing from an agricultural order, depressed by poverty and misrule, to an industrial democracy, wherein it is regaining its natural state.

The southern people have developed an overwhelming public sentiment in favor of education of all classes at public expense, thus making of a social system, semi-feudal in character, a democracy in social usage, as well as in political philosophy.

Perhaps the chief political constructive act of southern genius with reference to the negro has been the elimination of the idea of manhood suffrage, regardless of qualifications, thus removing the ignorant blacks from politics and drawing their attention to industrial life.

The South does not want so much to rid herself of the negroes as to place them on a level commensurate with their ability. She wants to retain them as servants, eliminating social and legal equality. In doing this contrary to existing laws it has been necessary to resort to severe and almost inhuman means. It would therefore be advantageous for both races if the negroes would consent to colonization in Africa, South America, Cuba, Porto Rico, the Philippines, or even in Florida and enough adjacent territory to support them.

The North admits that it was a stupendous error for a few northern politicians to enfranchise the negro, and the South admits the wrong of slavery. The only present difference of opinion is due to the existing

local environment with reference to the negro. This difference will continue to exist so long as there is a difference in the proportion of negroes to white population in the two sections. Should the proportion of negroes to whites become the same throughout the United States or amalgamation be effected, then the difference of opinion will be obliterated.

Having thus observed race conditions in various states of environment, having read numerous misleading magazine articles and books on the subject, having received frequent inquiries from friends of the middle west regarding the negro of the South, and believing that the people of the North and West should know southern racial conditions as they actually exist, I spent my spare evenings for a few weeks and wrote this book from an unprejudiced standpoint.

I have quoted others extensively, because of their eminence and authority on the questions at issue; also to substantiate my views. All of those quoted have lived in the South long enough to familiarize themselves with race conditions.

The book was written for popular reading, and those who do not accept the theory of the evolution of man are given a plausible and well substantiated line of thought regarding the development of the negro.

The race problem in the United States is gradually turning toward amalgamation and local option. If this does not meet the approval of the American people they should interest themselves enough to take some definite action toward colonization or some other solution.

CHAPTER I.

ORIGIN OF THE NEGRO.

With a view to studying the race question from an unprejudiced standpoint let us consider briefly the two theories of man's creation, trace them down to the present time, and see what bearing they have upon present racial conditions in the United States of America.

1. Divine Creation.

2. Natural Development.

In the former, "God formed man out of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul," and in "the image of God;" "Thou mad'st him a little lower than the angels and hast crowned him with glory and honor."

Such creative power is similar to that of the birth of Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, a human being, his mother, and God, a spirit, his father.

These biblical teachings can be harmonized with the scientific theories of "Natural Development" in two ways: First, as described by Winchell in "Pre-Adamites," where he shows how the Almighty may have created man by "Natural Development," according to the following diagram, in which the sixth day spoken of in Genesis extended, as did the other days of that chapter, through unknown centuries.

Second, by combining the essential part of this theory with that of Divine Creation, we may assume that Adam and Eve were instantly made by the Almighty God and are the progenitors of the Caucasian race, while the lower orders of man advanced by evolution to their present state of development.

The Caucasian differs from all other races; he is humane, civilized, and progressive. He conquers with his head as well as with his hands. It is intellect, after all, that conquers, not the strength of man's arm. The Caucasian has often been master of the other races-never their slave. He has carried his religion to their races, but never taken theirs. All the great limited forms of monarchies are Caucasian; republics are Caucasian. All the great sciences are of Caucasian origin, all inventions are Caucasian; literature and romance came from the same stock; all the great poets are of Caucasian origin. No other race can bring up to memory such celebrated names as the Caucasian race.