from The New York Tribune
19 January 1885

MR. CABLE AND THE SOUTHERN PROBLEM.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.]

CHICAGO, Jan. 18 -- George W. Cable, the author, in speaking of the criticisms on his recent paper, "The Freedman's Case in Equity," said that while many found fault with his views favoring a higher civilization of the colored race, and their complete enjoyment of social, religious and political rights, others indorsed his theory, and so expressed themselves in numerous letters. He believed that the more intelligent element of the South favored the improvement of the colored people, and that the intelligent element was gradually taking the lead in all important matters. He thought that the rapid increase of the negroes as compared with the increase of the whites in the South rendered some decisive acts looking to the higher civilization of the colored people a necessity of the hour. Concerning the embittered protest of the Southern press regarding his plea for the colored race, Mr. Cable said: "It is as if you had kicked a bee hive and the bees had rushed out to see what damage was done, and what was going to come of it. In this connection there is a point I must make regarding the newspapers of the South. Nine-tenths of the Southern people are voiced by a lot of job-printers." This criticism Mr. Cable explained by saying that the country press, not enjoying a large support, had not the means to employ that intelligence in its management which was representative of the true spirit in the South. To show the growth of this change Mr. Cable said: "Two years ago I spoke at the University of Mississippi. When I finished they crowded around to grasp my hand, and they told me that had I attempted to say those things a few years ago I should have been stopped before I finished my remarks." Mr. Cable said that there is one promise he regards as unalterably fixed, and that is that 6,000,000 of negroes of the South are there and cannot be deported, and are increasing in the ratio to the whites of 35 to 22. He admitted that he was apprehensive, unless immediate steps were taken for the education of the negroes.

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