Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-06-26
FIND A WAY Or MAKE ONE.
BY j. Nj. Arter. A. B.
{ country Us. civ LIE


AS a race. our color marks us as a
very distinctive people in American
civilization. Our past condition of en-
slavement has left us hedged about and
| hindered by unreasonable prejudice
and caste, and in state of poverty aud
servile dependence upon the eau ASH
an race for means Of livelihood. IF we
hope to successfully rise above this
unwholesome and dwarfing position,
to one of self support and independ-
ence, among other things,we must
1 suppress, or at least control our pref
erence for town and city life, aud obey
/ the dictates of reason which point US
to country residences as a much more
! promising and sure way of progress,
Let us, side b. side, consider more
specifically, on The one hand. some Of
| the disadvantages of town aud city
| life. TO people in our condition,
and on the other, some OF the advaa-
tages of country residences. First the
cost of living in towns and cities IL
much more expensive than that of iiv
| ing ia the country
And as the business of municipali-
ties, IN all departments and callings,
with small exceptions, is of a special
| or professional character requiring
special talent, tact, and skill in its per-
Torrance, those who can be regarded
| as properly qualified TO make such
life, or business a success, must possess
these requisites; and be given opporiu-
nifty to make practical application
of them.
This is not more necessary to their
success in the special calings of city
business than to their realization of that
increase of wages commensurate with
the greater expense ofliving in cities
1t hardly needs the statement that
our accomplishments and privileges
do not meet the necessities OF the situa-
ton. AS race, we are neither skill
ed in labor, nor permitted to make use
of, develop and reap the benefits of
the skill, genius and tact we have.
Organized and systematic opposition,
especially in the north and east where
| foreign labor controls everything,
shuts US out from the department OF
| skilled and well remunerated labor.
| What is the result? In order TO reduce
the cost of living to figure that makes
| ii possible to remain in cities and TO
maintain existence upon the Income OF
ordinary wage workers, often too
many of our people are forced to accept
as homes; cold, damp, RECONSTRUCTED
and poorly ventilated structures, loca-
| ted in alleys. on narrow and unim-
| proved streets and in other sections
often where the very air, breathed, IS
pregnant with poisonous odors and
| noxious gasses. Is it possible under
such circumstances to devel0pe and
maintain healthful, robust, vigorous
| constitution; to rear up healthy children;
and to avoid heavy expenses in way OF
drug and doctor bills? What answer
| do existing data give to these inqui-
| ries? The mortuary statistics Of the
cities philadelphia, Baltimore, Rich
mond and the District Of Columbia,
show the death rate among our peo'
| ple to be nearly three to one. On the
/ other hand, the birth rate among us,
is shown to be much in excess of that
among the whites, yet the excess Of
| the death rate among us over that of
| the whites so far exceeds that OF the
birth rate over that Of the whites as to
| make showing against us to degree
| that in its pernicious and threatening
character goes beyond the progress OF
| the race and threatens its extinction.
But without any thought or fear OF
| this, it is evident that such degenera-
| ting influences are radical and serious
In their operation against our progress
| towards self support and independ-
ence. Life in the country is not, In
any thing like the same degree, sub
! iect to such objections. Centuries OF
| training have Injured us 10 country life
| and made us skillful in business OF
agriculture. Here no organized oppo-
sition is arrayed against us. Here
| beautiful, healthful, airy locations and
comfortable homes, can be secured
with little difficulty for small amounts.
Here it is possible TO develop and
maintain healthy, vigorous constitu-
ton and to rear up hardy off-springs
AS proof that these assertions rest up
on something more substantial than
a notion. will relate two striking in
cidents that came within few years,
under my own observation. Half q
mile from where / stop, lives lady,
who has q married daughter living in
Pittsburgh, Pa. She is the mother OF
a child three years old that had
never walked. A physician advised
that it be sent to the country, where
in four weeks, its muscles were SO
strengthened that it was enabled to
walk all about. and In this condition
returned to the city. Near the same
time and in the same city, was an 9th
er family whose little daughter had
lost the use of her limbs She too was
sent to the country, where in eight
weeks the use of her limbs was fully
restored, and her health in every way
greatly improved. These incidents are
sufficient to show. on the one hand, the
deleterious effects of city life, and on
the other, the beneficent effect of coup-
try life. Another objection to our PEG.
pie locating in cities is, the cost OF
property. In most of our cities, a