The Washington bee., 1897-04-24

! Ii was not intended that the llfe DIoOd
/ of these fallen heroes should be made
a mockery of by such degenerated
acts. Why are we hewerS of wood and
drawers of water? Why are We stand =
ing on the corners watching the passing
procession2 Why are we still grow
ling in the dust. 1t is because we
have not embraced the opportunities
| that have been presented to US.
! The mistakes We make to-day,
should be lessons to guide us in the
| future
The North that has been nursing US
| since our emancipation, IS tired. The
purses of our Northern philanthro-
| phists are getting empty. We have
been sucking the tit too long Fithout
| showing results. We must turn our
attention TO the South and make terms
with these who once enslaved US. We
have PLAYED upon the sympathy of the
North long enough. We boast of our
accumulated wealth since our Emanci-
patton, let it lose. Money is made TO
spend and not TO hold. The Ameri
can people believe in freedom of
speech aswell as in freedom of money,
be il gold or silver. Awake, my fell
low-citizens, we have slept long
enough, we have allowed the sun to
rise and set without knowing that the
day has broken, the light has passed
| and darkness has come. We are
slaves 10 our own folly. For thirty
years or more we have been on our
| GOOD behavior without results for
| thirty wears or more we have witnessed
| the setting OF many suns and waiting
| for results without making them to our
| interest.
| The Government is in the hands of
the proud and progressive Caucasian
and we are shifting from pillow to post
with bavonetS pointed at one another
attempting TO stop those who are push
ing the wheels OF progress.
THE NEGRo'S PRESENT STATUS.
Has the negro conducted himself to
| command the respect and considera-
| ton commensurate with, what he
claims he merits? If he has, why does
he argue every day that there IS a race
problem 10 solve. 1t IS, therefore,
evident that there is something left
unfinished. | quite agree with him,
! that something is unfinished. here
| is a missing link, who will ind 1t he
only problem TO be solved Is, whether
the negro is to become great by lndl-
| vidual efforts or enmaSS!
Individual greatness is achieved by
| individual efforts. As mass we can
so conduct ourselves that we Can help
| others among US who are great and
| possess all of the requirements OF good
citizenship.
THE BLUE AND THE GRAY.
The blue and the gray had more
cause to continue perpetual separation
than the negro, and those among
whom he lived in slavery. As they
extended the olive branch OF peace
and are now living in friendship and
union, so must the negro which will
| make his future happiness and pros
perity assured. Let retaliation rest
| with the barbarianS and show by our
private and public acts that our eman-
cipation was a blessing and not a
| curse.
| OUR COURTS.
! | cannot conclude without referring
to the Judiciary that seems TO COntrOl
all governments. The English Judi
Ciary is one from which AmeTlca
! should take lessons. Neither wealth,
| position nor power can stay the Eng
| llsh hands of justice, either IN CIVIL or
| criminal causes.
When Judges and prosecuting Of
| hCerS of governments are controlled
| BY administrative power, which Is IT.
self corrupt, base, and unpopular. TO
| advance their personal ambition, When
Judges and prosecuting ofhcers De-
come so debaSe as 10 forget their duty
to the people, and adopt corrupt
methods 10 convict the innocent, When
a mans money or his official position
is made the basis of his influence TO
stay the hands of justice and the poor
| citizen is convicted upon the slightest
preteXt, it is about time for the Great
ing power of the judiciary TO revolu-
tionize its system.
Have we not had such SpeCtacleS III
our own midst? and yet We have
Judges who believe in the English doc
trine of dispensing law. we can
honor such men as Judges Bradley,
Hagner. Cox, Bingham, .hCComas,
ard some few others may name.
These men are legal lights 10 the Dis
trIct Judiciary. Not swayed by popu-
lar sentiment or prejudlCed motives
when the unfortunate OF my fellow
citizens go before them. lhe Judiciary
should be like CeaSar s wife above suS-
piCion. =,
The report of the Superintendent OF
Police shows large list of criminals
among the negroes. And why IS this
Ii is because the enemy OF the negro,
under the disguise OF being his TREND
seems to take delight III convlCtlng
him TOR the most petty oitense. II
there is not an immediate change IN
one branch of our piStrlCt Judiciary,
there is no telling what will become OF
this unfortunate class OF our fellow
citizens.
| don't mean TO say that the negro
should not be convicted if he is guilty,
but, | do meLn 10 say that many OF
fenses that come up daily in some OF
our courts should be thown out.
Our DISTRICT REFORM SCHOOL,
oDerated as i; IS. is q menace and a
dangerous institution to our people.
II is a school that needs reforming It.
self. There should be retormatory
for our boys and girls. A retormatory
indeed and ir fact. Our District Re
form School seems 10 be prison Tor
thieves and set apart especially tor
negro bows and girls. There are hun
1rodS of bovS and girls in our midst