228 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



heredity the determining factors in the upward or downward course 

 of mankind. 



One of the most important lessons of all can be learned from 

 the history of lynching in the Southern States. The most awful 

 side of lynching is not that some miserable creature is put out of 

 the world, but the effect of the practice on the mobs. They learn 

 such lessons of lawlessness that all respect for law is liable to dis- 

 appear. One of the reasons for lynching has been " the law's delay." 

 Instead of the negro ruffian being tried and executed expeditiously, 

 there are delays and formalities, and in many cases a sentence in no 

 wise commensurate with the crime. No one wishes to see the 

 practice of lynching introduced into South Africa. One of the 

 surest ways to prevent it is to have such a stringent law against the 

 offence for which negroes in the South are lynched, that even an 

 attempt of the crime meets immediate death at the hands of the 

 law. If such laws are passed and carried out, the people will 

 realize that their women folk are safe, and will not resort to lynching. 

 On the other hand, if the crime is dealt with lightly, as it has been 

 on several occasions in this country, as sure as to-morrow's sun rises 

 the people of this country will some day resort to the same awful 

 method that prevails in many districts of the South to-day. 



Every woman in South Africa should learn the use of fire-arms, 

 especially of revolvers. Not only have many women in the South 

 owed their safety to skill in the use of a revolver, but in the West 

 as well women have often protected themselves from the Indians by 

 being crack shots. 



Another important lesson for South Africa is the necessity of 

 solidarity in dealing with the negro question. You have heard of 

 the " Solid South " in connection with politics. The explanation of 

 this phalanx, which remained unbroken so long, was the practical 

 unanimity of opinion on this vital question amongst the white men 

 in the Southern States. It will be fatal for Cape Colony to have 

 one native policy, and the Transvaal to have one diametrically 

 opposite. There should be, there must be, a uniform native policy 

 for the whole of South Africa. The negro question in the Southern 

 States has been instrumental in knitting the white people close 

 together. In South Africa perhaps a common problem will do much 

 to bring together the divergent members of the white race. 



There are unmistakable signs that the North has far different 

 views on the negro question than formerly. It is felt now that the 

 problem of the negro is a national problem. And so in South Africa, 

 the negro question is one that vitally concerns the whole country. 



I have stated that millions of dollars were lavished on the 

 negroes by the philanthropists from the North. Little of their wealth 

 was expended in helping the poor of their own race. The " white 

 trash " had to stagger along without much outside help. In this 

 country force of circumstances will produce a large " poor white " 

 class. Let your hand and your heart first go out to the distressed of 

 your own race before giving money and energy to the education of 

 the native. 



