Poughkeepsie Eagle-News Page 8
A Letter From Mr. Bolin August 14, 1919 Editor of the Eagle News, sir, In last Monday morning's Eagle News appeared the following editorial “The Race Riots.” “The better elements of different races never have trouble and getting along with each other. Industrious and peace-loving and fair-minded people can always reach some basis of adjustment by which they can live harmoniously side by side.” “The Ruffians who provoke such rash outbreaks as those recently occurring at Chicago and Washington must be made to feel that the country will not tolerate such disturbances. It will be necessary to land a lot of them safely in jail for long terms to teach their friends and imitators that for their own health they must keep the peace.” “Wherever there is serious friction between whites and Negroes the sane and sensible leaders of both must get together to remove the causes. The white people must give the Negro an opportunity for education and development. The Negro must realize that until they become just as good citizens as useful and moral and intelligent as the white race they must expect some degree of social discrimination.” Whoever wrote the editorial, if he had only known when to stop, he would have not betrayed his real, genuine feelings and attitudes in matters of this kind. A weak, milk and