Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-20

elevation of our race. The African
Methodist Episcopal Church has an ey-
cellent institution in Paul Quinn College,
Waco, Tex. We are thankful for all ex-
ternal aid in the intellectual and moral
development of our race. Nor, are
we unmindful of the liberality of the state
of Texas IN providing for our race in
Texas so magnificent system of public
schools, the best state system in the
Union. We point with pride and graft
tude to the State Normal and Industrial
school at Prairie View, and to the insti-
tuition for the deaf, dumb and blind chill
dren of the colored race, so ably superin-
tended by our esteemed fellow-townsman
Hon. W. II. Holland. We need all the
assistance we can get from city, state,
and from the Christian churches in the
great work of educating and raising to
higher lines 5000 900 of people.
EVIDENCES OF IMPROVEMENT.
Is the negro improving materially?
Unhesitatingly we answer, yes. We have
but to look around Us anywhere in any
city of Texas to see the evidence of i'm
provement. In our own city the neat
respectable homes of Rev Mack Henson,
Rev. William Massey, Mr.. Harrison,
Mr.. Shaw, Mr.. Darlington, DR.. Q. B.
Alexander, the Madison Bros. w. G..
Wilson, Messrs. Lamblein, Craig, Hugh
Hancock, Taylor, Wright Monroe, Mrs.
Works and many others, prove
that the negroes of Austin are
prospecting. They are learning the
value and right use of money. In
the country-in every county, almost, in
Texas, where colored people live-we
find well-to-do, thrifty colored farmers,
owning farms of from forty to 700 or 500
acres. Their homes are nicely furnished
on such scale as circumstances permit,
showing capacity and energy.
THE PROFESSIONS.
Does he succeed in the higher profess
sions? He does. In medicine, in law,
in the ministry; and i'll the schoolroom
he has shown unmistakahle ability and
capacity. Some have shown great abil-
ity in literature, though no American
negro has risen to any eminence as
writer.
THE TRADES.
Are many learning trades? Not as
many as We would like to see. One dis
couragement is that if a negro learns
trade, many prejudiced white laborers,
North and South, will not work with him.
This is great disadvantage. Many
lines of work for which the negro has an
unmistakable adaptability are placed be-
yond his reach by prejudice. We can
understand a prejudice which excludes
negroes from white society; that is
all right. But we cry out against a pref
dice which prevents fair and free COM
petition of labor; which handicaps the
negro and restricts him to such work as
no other class of laborers want. The en-
lightened, liberal Christian sentiment,
North and South, ought to put down such
a prejudice.
HIS FUTURE.
What is the future of the American ne
gro?
We belive that he will become an
American in all that constitutes an Amer
lean. A white skin does not make an
American. The skin of the anarchist is
white, but his hands are red with blood;
his heart is black with premeditated
crime; he is American; the negro loves
this country; he loves the South, its
pleasant climate, and its genial people;
lie loves the white man, whenever he
shows him kindness and fairness. The
negro, can and will become, in the high
est and best sense, not the American ne
gro, but the American citizen.
E. L. BLACKSHEAR.