The sun., 1893-08-04
The Colored People at Asbury Park.

The Colored People at Asbury Park.
At Asbury Park in New Jersey there is a
broad board walk extending for several
miles along the seashore. and at intervals
| pavilions with seats are placed. During
the evening more especially. this walk and
these pavilions are crowded with people
who have come out to enjoy the sea air and
| the sea view.
Among them have always been many
| colored people. who are numerous among
both the permanent and the temporary resi-
dents OF the region. and who have occupied
the seats in the pavilions to the exclusion
or the annoyance OF the white visitors upon
whose support the proprietor is dependent.
Accordingly he has posted notices in the
pavllions requesting colored people not to
occupy them. and the negroes are not un-
naturally offended by the discrimination
Some Of them call 1t race war. and they
are determined to assert their rights. as
they call them. against Mr.. BRADLEY.
They are wrong. however. 1t is not a
race war. 1t is purely matter Of business
policy. The enterprise Of Mr.. BRADLEY at
Asbury Park is not sentimental under
taking. 1t is conducted for tho practical
purpose OF making money. The board
walk and the pavilions have been erected
with view to rendering the place more
attractive to visitors. and not for any phil
anthropic purpose or under the impulse OF
any race prejudice. II Mr. BRADLEY could
make Asbury Park more profitable by
turning it into a negro resort exclusively.
we have no doubt he would make the
change. The color OF his patrons money.
not the color Of their faces. Is what he is
interested In. The notices asking the ne
groes to keep out Of the pavillons. we sup
pose, do not express his personal feeling on
the subject. but the feeling OF the visitors
whose wishes he is compelled to regard
in order to make his enterprise profitable.
The patronage Of the white people Is neces-
sary to him. He can get along without
that OF the negroes. That Is all there is In
the matter. Asbury Park pays better as
resort OF white people than 1t would as a
resort given up to black people. because tho
whites are far more numerous and have far
more money to spenc.
Last Sunday a colored preacher OF Asbury
Park advised his congregation to retaliate
on Mr.. BRADLEY, or, more correctly. his
white patrons. by treating in the same way
1.-THE white loafers when they come over to
the colored settlement" That is fair
enough. He also said that II the humblcst
man Of his race /" cant go on the beach. OK
cuse me from putting my foot on the board
walk or In the pavllions." He would not
enjoy privileges denied to the humblest
colored servant he said. That Is the right
spirit. and he deserves credit for trying to
instil 1t into his race as essential to their
own self-respect and to make them re-
spected by others.
When, however. he added the advice that
the colored people spend their money among
their own people and not with the white
merchants. no wasted his words. Both
white people and colored people spend their
money where they think they can spend it
to the best advantage. That, too. is purely
q matter OF business. and 1t Is governed
solely by business considerations. The
buyer does not buy to please or benefit the
seller. but to please and benefit HIM
self. Colored people usually have narrow
means. and they must use their money
carefully 30 as to get the most out OF 1t.
They have none to spare for the luxury Of
venting race spite or retaliating against
race prejudice. When 1t comes to busi-
ness. they do not pay attention to the
color line. They might as sensibly refuse
to work for white people as refuse to buy
from white people. They sell their labor
In the best market they can get. and they
buy In the market that Is the cheapest.
without regard to the color OF anything ex-
cept money.
The best advice their preachers can give
them Is to keep quiet and improve them-
selves individually. so that they will be
more valuable to industry. Their restless
ness under social Determinations against
them. like that at Asbury Park. Is interfer-
ing with their practical prosperity. 1t Is.
moreover, not an exhibition OF strength
but of weakness. They cannot change the
feeling by fighting aganstit any more than
they can change the color OF their skin by
washing 1t. Their race Is dlstinguishable
always and everywhere. and they must
accept the consequences. The prejudice |
against the Jews Is bitter In many quar-
ters. but 1t does them no practical injury !
here. 1t does not interfere In any way |
with their prosperity, for they go ahead
without regard to 1t.
Social relations are entirely voluntary. |
They cannot be controlled by force. The |
negroes arc free politically. They have the |
same legal rights as, the rest of the people.
and the same social rights; but neither a |
white man nor negro can compel people
to like him and associate with him. That
Is field into which the law cannot enter.
except TO prevent the dlsordorly expression
Of prejudice and distaste
II the whito people at Asbury Park object
Ia. ~
In the pa,ilions. no law can prevent them
from expressing tho objection. and requr-
Ing that the proprietor shall heed 1t hy