Evening journal., 1893-06-26
MONROE's BIG SPEECH
Strong Talk on Free Masonry
Among Afro-Americans.
100000 WELL CLOTHED AND FED


day-other BIatters-E Exciting Arrest on
Delaware Street Caterer wiImot VIII
Serve the Deiicacies Of the Season at
the Alumni Banquet.
Special Correspondence Evening Journal
NHw CASTLE. June 26. The anniver-
sary Of the organization of Levi Ander.
son Lodge, Free Masons, was the occa-
sion for great jubilee among the
colored people of New Castle Band
concerts, parades. bright regalia. and
the reception of strangers were charac-
teristics Of the day. The Mount Yer
non Band Of this city. won fresh laurels
for its good playing and played all
around the visiting bands. After two
band concerts in front of a large stand
which had been erected on the Market
square. the refreshment booths closed
and the oration of the day began. IL
was delivered by the fine looking, DR.
H. A. Monroe Of Philadelphia and was
the most powerful address ever heard
from the lips Of colored man here
He talked in a clear, tenor voice. princi
pally TO the members OF the Hiram Grand
Lodge Of Delaware. His subject was
The Mission of Free Masonry to the
Afro American Race
In part the learned colorcd man said:
In discussing the mission ,of Free
Masonry to the Afro American race, the
first point for our consideration Is the
need Of such an agent in the improve
ment and elevation Of our people. That
there is such need Is apparent from
our present condition. The Afro Ameri-
can presents 20 the world a startling
spectacle, that in the future will be re
garded by the historian as a curious de-
parture in many respects from the ordi.
nary rules governing the advance or
retr0gression OF other people.
How wonderfully the Afro American
has disappointed all prophecies is a
matter Of history he. has settled for
ever that much Of his future. He will
neither die out nor starve out. The
country that barely clothed and scantily
fed 5000 600 slaves, to-day has 9 600, 600
free black men, better clothed and better
fed than any laboring class anywhere
else on earth.
The Afro American who travels abroad
will feel--as he never does in this preiu
dice-cursed land-a sentiment OF thank
fulness that with the milestone Of
American race hatred tied Co his neck to
crush him down, the black man in
America stands on a higher plane in
every respect than the white laborer does
in countries blessed with a thousand
years Of Anglo Saxon civilization
Socially. No Afro. American of aver
age intelligence ever expected OF asked
for social intermingling between two
races so wide apart The experience OF
the Jew in Europe and America is SUI
II. H..f. 1 1.
OF New York, will biackball a million.
aires son, merely because he has Jewish
blood in his veins, the Afro. American
can afford to let the question of socia
recognition rest where IL belongs-on the
ground Of individual preference.
Politically The Afro American ha,
utterly ceased TO be factor In American
politics There Is neither a fear Of. moi
bid for his suffrage. Holding the bal
ance of power In the North. he has used
It to build high protective tariff wal
around the factories and mills where n,
black man is allowed to work at his trade
In the South, overawed aud intimidated
he has either refrained from voting OF
else has tamely submitted to be made
tool for the ambitious design OF a few
INSCRIPTIONS politicians.
ITO sum up plainly in a few words tn,
condition Of the Afro American, you maj
well say Everything against him Thl
one astonishing fact is that his bite
experience has not yet taught him tn
necessity Of organization for mutual hell
and defence and the absurd folly Of di
viding a house, already surrounded b.
enemies, against itself. The need Of sucl
an agency as Free Masonry at this juno
ture becomes apparent from the failur
Of other excellent agencies to change th'
situation.
Education alone will not suffice. TIL
average negro hater likes nothing bette
than 10 make an intelligent, learned ant
able black man feel the sting OF rae
prejudice. Whether in the renting of
decent house to live in, decent accommo
dations In hotels, on railroad trains or a
places Of amusement, IL is generally th
better class of our people who are dis
criminated against and who feel Il all a.
more because Of their superior intellec
tual ability.
81 do not regret this period Of rae
prescription and prejudice thrOug
which we are now passing. IN it wi
but teach the Afro American the sui
lime duty Of self dependence, the gran
conception of race love, aud open hi
eyes to the fact that God has a highe
and nobler place for him in the banquet
ing hall of the nation than to sit liz
Lazarus at the feast Of Dives, beggin
for the crumbs from the table, then b
hour Of suffering will be the hour
salvation.
Nine millions OF people cannot expe'
10 remain In America forever a depen,
ent race, a swarm Of parasites upon Il
Anglo-Saxon forever begging our mol
fortunate white brother for chance
labor at some menial occupation.
AS we have already created a Geld Il
the Afro-American pastor by giving hi
a congregation of his own race, las '
have opened up fields for the Afro-Ame
ican teacher, lawyer and doctor amor
their own race,-so nine millions
people must combine for self. protect,
and open up industrial fields before Il