The Washington bee., 1896-03-28

There is the great Knights of Labors
i and the Trades Unions of this country.
comprising millions of members of ali
branches of work, composed of white
men and one of the objects appear to
be to prevent the negro from securing
work; they will not work with a ne
gro, nor even with a mullatto. and
| this Government of ours gives in
Structlons to its contractors to hire
Union men; only Union pressmen are
hired at the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing; only Union type-setters are
hired at the Government Printing Of
tce, and no Colored man, or one who
is known to be colored can JON these
Unions; if so, it is because he has re-
ceived an appointment and has some
pluCky fellow behind, and in order to
carry out their policy they accept him
as some kind of an ex-officio member
of the Union, so all of this law be-
tween the prejudice of the white people
who have the money and employ the
skilled laborerS, and the prejudice of
the Trades Union, the negro laborer is
shut out.
Now, then, Mr.. Editor, before we
educate the negro en- maSSe, as Mr..
" NldllllS, L walt tIllS Odnlnd-
BILE spirit of prejudice and caste exter-
minated from the breast of the white
man against the negro. l want the
Trades Unions to accept qualified
skilled laborers in their organizations
SO they may secure work. | want all
the factories, mills, and shops, North
and South, East and West, with gates
standing ajar for the negro skilled
laborer to enter, and to-day their would
be thousands who could walk in and
do good service, when consumption
demands the product there is some
value attached to it, but while all the
doors of skilled industrial pursuits are
closed against us, then l place very
little value on the product of industrial
schools at present. Last but not least,
Mr.. Washington did not advise any of
us to ascend higher than his pet hobby
of industrial education, that is one of
his failures, and one Of the causes the
white people have for trying to press
him forward to leadership, he says to
them, Give me money to make the
negro skilled laborer." They do so,
feeling that if they can keep us all as
laborerS, the great avenues of higher |
education, science of Government and |
the great spires of philosophy, music, |
poetry, and the drama shall be opened
without competition to their sons and |
daughters. God forbid that we should |
listen to any one who attempts to !
teach such doctrine. God forbid that |
any of us will sacrifice the unexcelled |
JOY, peace, and wisdom, which results |
from the fullest development of mind
the invisible power thus gives charac- (
ter, force-Worth sentiment, and honor
to man, with glory to God. Why is it |
that the Southern people did not con-
Cede leadership to that matchless ne
e 20 leader and Statesman, the deceased
Why didn't the Southern
people crown the late Price, the pol
iShed and finished orator and scholar
Of the race as leader? Why was Ida
B. Wells forced to flee from her home,
instead of being made heroine by the
the white people of this country J? Itis
because these three negroes stood as
1auntless defenders of the race. 1t is
Oecause they would not only tell Of our
faults but would inspire us to go
forward by eXtoling our qualities of
ers and employers and the unequalled
ollN pIuNh VIC hdtC |
Ill ways demonstrated in time of wars
These three persons told the whites of
heir prejudice and the injustice of
Southern States laws. Two of their
and one still lives and will
always live as defenders of the negro
md right. We want the negro edu-
;ated in all branches of civilizations.
Ne want learned minister, a good
physician, an able barrister, a qualified
Older, skillful financier, a bright
professor of all branches of education,
,ood merchants and large business
places, brilliant editors and classic
Yes, negroes who in
heir experience of geology can go be-
ow the mountains and behold the
,lory in the mineral world. Botanist,
Who can see the glory of leaf. Navi-
,ators who can understand the great
'Cean currents, astronomers who can
oar high and muse in the Starry King
IONS, scientist, poet, musicians, artist,
nd all the order of people that make
he mysterious realm of creation and
lie to live in higher sphere of useful
eSs where the mind shall travel to
egions of thought and beauty un-
nown to mankind,
L. H. PETERSON.