The bee., 1883-06-02
OUR PHILADELPHIA LETTER
THE PEOPLE AwAKENED-TfifSes
NEw-socIAL NEWS, &c.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa,
Nav %, 1888.

May %, 1888.
During the past year our citizens
have been awakened from the lethargy
| that has been an incubus upon theml for
years. They begin to realise that they
have rights the same as any other class
! of citizens, and are not TO be eats paw
to pull the chestnuts out of the fire for
somebody else to masticate. meetings
have been held to protest against out
RACES perpetrated against us, and that
the civil rights Dill be rigidly enforced.
Clubs have been organised in the sew
! eral wards, which we have either the
majority or balance Of power. to see
that white men shall not have all the
honors in representing these wards in
the political conventions. but that the
same may be equally shared in by all
class as. This is not enough, we need
something more than political honors,
which at the best, are nothing but
sham. We need employment for hum
dreds of young men, who as far as edu-
cation can give them fair knowledge
| to enter mercantile life. If some OF
ourmen who are reputed to be wealthy,
viz: the McKees, Stills, Pages, Goulds,
Shadds and others, would start COM
mercial shipping houses, or some man
ufacturing enterprises, hundreds OF
which could be named that would not
REQUIRE much capital, thereby giyln g
the unemployed talent that has brain
to do and will to perform, employment
would 90 very far in solving the negro
problem. and show the capacity of the
negro for business, and the unfaIthful-
ness of the statement that the negro Is
but a fit instrument for the most men
ial occupations.
The week has passed with its accus-
toned gaieties, the most prominent OF
which were those mentioned in my last
letter. The United Grand Lodge Of
PENNSYLVANIA made very fine street
display, settiug at rest many of the
croakers who declared that it would be
simply a ridiculous burlesque show
There were twcnty-seven lodges repre-
sented, and membership of over three
hundred paraded our principal streets.
At night the Grand Lodge with its
subordinates repaired to horticultural
Hall, one of the largest in the city,
where complimentary concert and
reception more rendered them by the
city lodges. This should be an effect
ual reason that there is a union in the
craft in the Old keystone Stae. AM
ong the prominent persons present
from other states were +. l.. Jordan,
w. G. Mathews, of G. l.. of Delaware !;
r. Williams, 5. Trust, j. Tines, G. l..
of New York; c. y. Robinson, y. G..
Stevens, VIM. Jackson. Z. ;. Goldlng OF
the G. L. of New Jersey.
The Progressive Club, on the same
evening gave very enjoyable concerts
notwithstanding the festivities at Hor-
| ticultural Hall they nevertheless had
q fine and select audience drawn by the
fame of the Gilbert family, and chorus
of the Amphion Association. The first
named acquitted themselves as they a.
ways do; but l cannot say the same for
Amphions, most of the members SEEM
ed to be out of voice, but suppose all
the defects of the evening will be dis
sipated in the forthcoming rehearsal set
down for Thursday night.
Post so, G. A. r. entertained their
friends on Thursday, in West Phlladel-
phia, and drew host of their friends
with them-thiS is one of the strong
est Posts in the city, numbering about
500 meml lers-menorial day they will
decorate the graves of the fallen heroes
of the republic at Woodland and Olive
cemeteries, the orators of the occasion
being Messrs, Josiah Wear and W. F..
Powell
Messrs. Warrich, c. H. Edwards and
A. F. Stevens, left last week to pay a
visit to pay visit to the Monumental
City and Washington. d. 5. Alexan-
der and Miss Eliza Green OF Baltimore,
were united in wedlock by the Rev. j..
Thompson. Howard Gould and W. j..
Johnson, have opened printing es-
tablishment at 922 Lombard street.
These young typos will no doubt do
well. ID. p. Adger has brought suit
sgainst saloon-keeper on 18th street,
for refusing to accommodate himself
and lady with refreshments.
In the debate of last week MesSrS.
Robertson, Brown and Wobb carried
off the honors for producing the best
argument War. being their side.
The Alumnia o Lincoln University
held their annual session in Central
Church Alumnia Grafton by Rev. Jos.
Thompson, June 9th Commence
ment exercises ut the Univerity, June
9Th.
Much displeasure is evidenced here
that your committee should heed the
clamor Of few malcontents and sore
heads, and change the place of meeting
of the convention, when it is cOnsid-
cred that it is the colored voters in the
Nor hern States that the result of the
next election will mainly depend. Such
States as New York, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey and Connecticut may be
considered the pivotal States. Unless
the Republican party carry these States,
they are doomed to be defeated, but as
the case now stands, no Northern State
will be represented in the convention.
Wallace King is now in the city with
the Calendar troupe. He informs me
that he will leave the troupein in the fall
to join an opera company about to be
formed, of which Madam Williams