bales of cotton, American weight. Good land in Texas produces one bale
to the acre. The world's supply of cotton could be grown on less than
19,000 square miles, or upon an area equal to only seven per cent. of
the area of Texas.

* * * * *


THE COLOR-LINE QUESTION: WHAT IS IT?

1. It is not the question of _social_ equality. No one doubts the
right of individuals, or the family, or the social circle, to draw
their lines of association and fellowship at their own pleasure,
whether at wealth, rank, fashion, talent, or anything else. To
confound this with the real question, is not candid.

2. Still less is it the question of the inter-marriage of the races.
Here, individual preference is undeniable. To claim that this is the
question, and to ask tauntingly: "Do you want your daughter to marry a
_nigger_?" is ungentlemanly and unworthy of an answer.

3. The question is: Shall a line be drawn between the white and black
races, giving rights and privileges in Church and State to the one
race, which are denied to the other, solely because of race or color?
In other words: Shall a line be drawn which shall separate the
Negroes, and assign them as a race to the position of inferiors
irrespective of merit or character, and merely on the ground of race
or color?

To narrow the discussion, we leave out of view the civil or political