CHAPTER VII.
LYNCHINGS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.
I desire to say a word concerning the lynchings in the Southern States, that our friends in the North, East and West hear so much of. I claim that it comes from ignorance among the colored people that such extreme depredations as assaulting white ladies of the South takes place. I am prepared to show you, in nine cases out of ten, it comes from ignorance. Education and sufficient moral training, with religion combined, are the only things that will stop it. I can say for this institution, as I have been the presiding officer ever since it has been founded, not a student that leaves the Latta University will ever be found guilty of such terrible conduct. I have talked with numbers of leaders that preside over various institutions, and they say not a single scholar that attended their schools have ever committed such crimes. We not only teach them intellectually, but we teach them how they must conduct themselves from a moral and social standpoint. We instill it so deeply in them until they never will forget it during life. In some instances I know several students that attended school who, when they came to school,
were so uncouth they would almost make you blush to see how they acted. After they remained in school and received its thorough training, they would lead prayer meeting and tell others how to conduct themselves in life.
I do not believe in lynch law; but such crimes as I have mentioned above are very shocking, and sometimes a party of men take the law in their own hands. My advice in such a case is to educate such ignorant people, make the law compulsory, compel everybody to attend school, and also make it compulsory for teachers to lecture along such lines, as we do in our colleges; and if these rules that I have just mentioned are strictly enforced, we will have no trouble in these extreme depredations.
I have noticed very carefully that men of means, as a rule, are doing very little good with their money. For instance, you take men like Mr. Rockefeller and Mr. Carnegie. You will not find in a single instance that wealthy men like those give to any institution or any enterprise that is poor and needy and striving to come to the front. We must remember that we have to begin low to go high. I find those institutions that wealthy children attend are the ones wealthy men help. There is no argument that can be produced successfully to prove that such men as I
have mentioned are helping the poor. It seems that they prefer to give to institutions that really do not need their assistance. I have been trying to help the poor. Jesus Christ said on one occasion, "The poor ye have always with you.”
LYNCHINGS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.
I desire to say a word concerning the lynchings in the Southern States, that our friends in the North, East and West hear so much of. I claim that it comes from ignorance among the colored people that such extreme depredations as assaulting white ladies of the South takes place. I am prepared to show you, in nine cases out of ten, it comes from ignorance. Education and sufficient moral training, with religion combined, are the only things that will stop it. I can say for this institution, as I have been the presiding officer ever since it has been founded, not a student that leaves the Latta University will ever be found guilty of such terrible conduct. I have talked with numbers of leaders that preside over various institutions, and they say not a single scholar that attended their schools have ever committed such crimes. We not only teach them intellectually, but we teach them how they must conduct themselves from a moral and social standpoint. We instill it so deeply in them until they never will forget it during life. In some instances I know several students that attended school who, when they came to school,
were so uncouth they would almost make you blush to see how they acted. After they remained in school and received its thorough training, they would lead prayer meeting and tell others how to conduct themselves in life.
I do not believe in lynch law; but such crimes as I have mentioned above are very shocking, and sometimes a party of men take the law in their own hands. My advice in such a case is to educate such ignorant people, make the law compulsory, compel everybody to attend school, and also make it compulsory for teachers to lecture along such lines, as we do in our colleges; and if these rules that I have just mentioned are strictly enforced, we will have no trouble in these extreme depredations.
I have noticed very carefully that men of means, as a rule, are doing very little good with their money. For instance, you take men like Mr. Rockefeller and Mr. Carnegie. You will not find in a single instance that wealthy men like those give to any institution or any enterprise that is poor and needy and striving to come to the front. We must remember that we have to begin low to go high. I find those institutions that wealthy children attend are the ones wealthy men help. There is no argument that can be produced successfully to prove that such men as I
have mentioned are helping the poor. It seems that they prefer to give to institutions that really do not need their assistance. I have been trying to help the poor. Jesus Christ said on one occasion, "The poor ye have always with you.”