ny important question, or condemnation of
any wrong, whether in the North or the South, from the public
platform and through the press, is to be commended and encouraged; but
ill-considered and incendiary utterances from black men in the North
will tend to add to the burdens of our people in the South rather than
to relieve them. We must not fall into the temptation of believing that
we can raise ourselves by abusing some one else.

Second. Another danger in the South which should be guarded against
is that the whole white South, including the wise, conservative,
law-abiding element, may find itself represented before the bar of
public opinion by the mob or lawless element, which gives expression
to its feelings and tendency in a manner that advertises the South
throughout the world; while too often those who have no sympathy
with such disregard of law are either silent, or fail to speak in
a sufficiently emphatic manner to offset in any large degree the
unfortunate reputation which the lawless have made for many portions of
the South.

Third. No race or people ever got upon its feet without severe and
constant struggle, often in the face of the greatest discouragement.
While passing through the present trying period of its history, there
is danger that a large and valuable element of the Negro race may
become discouraged in the effort to better its condition. Every possible
influence should be exerted to prevent this.

Fourth. There is a possibility that harm may be done to the South and to
the Negro by exaggerated newspaper articles which are written near the
scene or in the midst of specially aggravating occurrences. Often these
reports are written by newspaper men, who give the impression that there
is a race conflict throughout the South, and that all Southern white
people are opposed to the Negro's progress; overlooking the fact that
though in some sections there is trouble, in most parts of the South,
if matters are not yet in all respects as we would have them, there
is nevertheless a very large measure of peace, good will, and mutual
helpfulness. In the same relation, much can be done to retard the
progress of the Negro by a certain class of Southern white people, who
in the midst of excitement speak or write in a manner that gives the
impression that all Negroes are lawless, untrustworthy, and shiftless.
For example, a Southern writer said, not long ago, in a communication
to the New York Independent: "Even