Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-11
ADVICE TO NEGROES.
Or. PRICE TALKS IN FAVOR OF
THE SOUTHERN EXPOSITION.
He Tells TEEN of the Outlook Of che
Outlook OF the CoIored People and
How TO Conduct Themselves.

The coloren people of Richmond held Q
mas. s.meeting last night at the True Re-
formers Hall on Second street near Leigh;
Its object was TO arouse the interest OF
the negroes in the Southern Exposition TO
be held in Raleigh during October and
November. under the auspices OF the
Southern Interstate immigration Assocla-
tion. and in which they have been spe-
cially invited to take part.
Rev. w. w. Browne, president OF the
Grand Fountain of True Reformers. pre-
sided. On the stage were seated the ON
GERS of that order and DR.. j. q. Price,
commissioner-in-ch of the colored de-
partment of the Exposition, and j. f..
Hamlin. supervisor.
DIR. ]. C. PRICE.
The speaker of the evening, DIR. ]. o.
Price, Is colored man OF splendid ply
sique and q speaker of good delivery. He
has little or none OF the thickness OF
speech common to his race.
In beginning his remarks he explained
the nature of the exposition and the lnyi-
tation which had been extended them. 10
more fully explain his subject IN all its
bearings. he would go into a rapid review
of the future af the negro.
There was no doubt, he said. that the
colored race possessed all the elements Of
noble manhood and womanhood. To many
the future seemed dark but TO him It pro-
missed an era of general intelligence, which
shall vet see harmOuiZed relations between
the races in the Southland. The colored
people possessed the conditions to make
them the greatest of nations. The star OF
empire has wended its way westward and
thence sOuthwardly. The power behina 1t
all is the mastery Of mind over matter
which the colored man must possess II he
hopes TO keep up.
RACE CHARACTERISTICS.
II is his belief, continued the speaker.
that the colored man has this mind power.
For long time it was said the negro had
nosuch faculty. That he was thiok-lipped,
long-fOoted, with his ankle in the middle,
making it impossible 10 tell except by the
face whether he was coming towards per-
son or away from him except by his face.
When the teachers undertook after the
emancipation to educats the negroes 1t was
thought were on FOOLS errand. Today
colored men stand In all professions. The
schools North and South erected especially
for the cOlored people bear evidence to tho
fact that the effort TO educate them Is sue
cessful, for if it was not these things would
not be.
COST OF EDUCATION.
II had been estimated that S2j, ,000, 600
had been sent from the North for the edu-
cation of the negro, aud that a like amount
had been appropriated from the treasures
Of the various southern States. This GER
taiply indicated that the negro il getting
TO the point where be is showing himself
to be man.
II the negro is TO have part in tho flu
ture he must be industrious.
Some days ago, DR.. Price continued he
was talking to white man who wanted to
know if the colored people in the South
were working any. for twenty-five years
ago when he was down there in the North
ern army most OF the negroes seemed TO
be going around praying and holding
meetings.
ONLY RESTING.
He told his white friend that the colored
people we're only taking a short rest after
working 250 years for their board and
clothes. the negro had promised God
that if he was freed he would rest awhile,
and at that time he was only keeping his
promise. The colored man had seen the
master class setting around doing no.
thing, so rest and freedom were the same
thing III his mind.
Freedom means toll, industry, and labor.
The negro goes TO work, not on basis OF 40
acres and the mule, but on divided planta-
tions for portion of the crops.
II is not right TO say all negroes are lazy
because some are shiftless. or that all OF
them are thieves If one of them happens TO
steal a chicken. If a white man steals a
treasury OF o whole bank and goes to Can
ada lac simply misappropriates, or as the
speaker saw it in paper yesterday, An
other good man gone wrong
IL is not fair. he insisted, TO judge Bace
by its worst elements.
AND INCREASE WEALTH.
In the State of Georgia there are 100000
colored voters who pay taxes on 100000
acres of land. Their property ls valued at
$40 900 900, not one cent OF which was left
them by rich ancestors. The wealth OF
the negroes of the country is estimated at
S263, 600, 900.
The Doctor then went on to say that
the statistics showed that the negroes
were doubling every twenty years, while
among the whites it took thirty-fve years
On this basis in 100 years there would be
population of 100, ,000, 900 colored people
Before closing the speaker gave some
splendid advice TO his audience as to ac-
quiring property.
VIRGINIA OFFICERS.
Officers TO take charge of arrangements
in Virginia were elected as follows: Pro-
fessor G.. w. Hayes, of the Normal lnsti
tute, Petersburg, State commissioner
Rev. w. w Browne. State treasurer; and
John Mitchell. Jr., secretary.
Each Of the southtrn States has been
assessed $500 for the expenses Of the color
ed exhibit.