The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1860-03-10
A FEW WORDS MORE ABOUT OUR
TRUE POLICY.


tie or no gain or advance to ourselves and
eventually no status in the country, we
must, and speedily, arrest the present ten
dency of our pecuniary affairs. Instead,
therefore, of losing time on mere idle ques-
tons that bring us no profit, let us 60 d.
rectly and earnestly to work to husband
our means while we serve the State, and
while we contribute to the interests Of the
predominant class, see to it that we con-
tribute in far greater degree to our .own
interests.
To do this seems difficult task, and yet
nothing is easier. Mind your oaom bust
ness, and attend diligently to 1t. This is
the conclusion of the whole matter Bey-
ond this you need not go to succeed. The
Quaker has become standing example of
probity and good business management;
and why2 Because he marks out his bust
ness and rigidly attends to it. He never
depends upon men, or the mere tricks of
men, political, social or otherwise, which
are the common resort, for the prosecution
or advancement of his business, but takes
the legitimate means only, adding there
with strict attention and unceasing perse-
verance. Thus, while others of his fellows
are breaking or failing on every hand, the
Quakers, as a business class, are found
firm, strong, lasting-a living example of
good management and true policy. This
is so Of them whether as farmers, mechan-
les, or merchants.
Take another example-the Dutch gro
Ger. Where is a more thrifty class of bust
ness men than your Dutch grocers A
class apparently in small way, yet really
in an extensive way, and rising fast to in
dependence and competency, your Dutch
grocer gets himself posted on every corner
that is laid out, and appropriates to himself
all the corners that are not laid out, and
long before the town or city gets there;
and why2 Simply because grocery-keep-
ing, studied and understood, and rigidly
and industriously followed, is his sole bu-
siness-nothing else. Hence it is that
though he comes here and works for his
br8ther groceryman for six, eight, and new
er over ten dollars per month, this year,
in ga or '68 we see him rearing his sub
stantial corner brick building, arranging
his shelves, and by daylight hanging out
his goods and wares for sale. No failures
and no sherifs ever come there to haunt
his sleep.
Now, suppose we place these two solita-
ry examples before ourselves, no matter in
what we may be engaged, and apply the
princi pies thereof to our own Operations
and who but can forsee ready and rapid
advancement in prospective. Let it be,
for example the matter Of money saving.
Let ten or twenty Of our young men take
it into their heads to excel each other in
the simple act of money getting for the
space Of ten or fifteen years, bound each
to each by compact to strive with, cheer,
and encourage each other. None can fail
to see what these men can accomplish in
this short space Of time. Let these same
men pursue business or branch of trade
with the same earnestness and vigor and
for the same length of time, even amidst
hungerings oft and pinchings frequent
yea, amidst the more frequent jeers of their
present better-clothed and better-fed fell
lows, rho know of no business; and how
great will be the contrast between the two
parties in the end, and what an eminent
and enviable position will the former occu-
Ply in the community.
Now, in the light of these facts and ex-
amples, let us offer word or two more, in
addition to those we gave in former ar
ticle, about our true policy in this coun-
try. And the first point to which wish
to direct attention is the necessity of our
becoming land-holders- first, because it is
safest for US, uninitiatiated business men
as we are, and second because it will give
us greater influence as body of citizens.
Let us, therefore, like the Quaker and the
Dutch grocer, make business of getting
good landed property, in city, town, and
country. So long as we are lardless and
floating people, we can never be wealthy
Or influential people. If we have no an
cborage in either city, town, or country,
we cannot preserve, in property, our earn
ings. This is true Of the whites, and it is
eminently so Of us. The waves of sub
stantial progress come in their course, and
sweep us and all we have from our foot
ing; and when we again find ourselves
landed, we also find ourselves stripped
and bare of nearly all we ever possessed.