Daily camera., 1897-07-08
SOUTHERN NEGROES.
A Society Organized for the I'M
provement of the Race.
Self-Help Is the Lesson the Blacks
Must FIRST Learn-EnOrts I'm Their
Behalf Must Be Begun In
Their Homes.

Leading citizens of New Orleans have
inaugurated movement for the i'm
provement of the condition of the negro
race. In an address before the society
organized for this purpose A. B. Ken
nedy, leader IN the movemnt, said:
"That education is an important fac
tor in the removal OF widespread pow
erty is truth so evident that argument
should not be necessary to carry convic-
ton. The mere fact that statistics of
every country show that illiteracy and
. poverty travel together is the strongest
proof of the above assertion, and ought
to serve to guide whittier our efforts
, should go in ameliorating present con-
d;tions.
"Our first act, then, to aid those
who are failing in the struggle for sub
sistence must be to remove some OF
the gross ignorance and shiftlessness
that so often accompany it. Our OBJ
iective point must be individual fam
lilies. All work must begin and end
there, for they are the very arteries
which furnish life blood to any people.
We must impress upon the very de-
graded the fact that cleanliness, fresh
air, properly prepared food and ample
room are necessities of physical and
moral health. We must urge upon
them the moral wrong and the short
sighted economy of a large family liv-
ing in one or two rooms. Any improve
ment in the homes must go hand in
IF 10 inmates
One is the complement of The other.
Such, improvement will be slow, as 1t
means the reversal of habits formed by
wears of cramped and dull surround
ings, but that fact should not cause de-
spair nor doubt of the final triumph of
the work. 1t has often been matter
of surprise to people who visit the
country to note the same crowdiDg, filth
and bad air in the homes of the occu-
pants as is found in those of the same
class in large city. In the country
there is ample space in which to ex-
tend the domicile, yet in most cases the
homes found there are very little, If any,
better than those of the crowded dis
tricts of this city. Perhaps the same
cause--ignorance is responsible in
both cases. After having improved
their surroundings, the next step is to
instruct and develop. AS already noted,
attention must be directed to the indi-
vidual family. Mothers should be taught
the necessity of cleanliness, of proper
preparation of food, of plain sewing
and other useful things that would aid
them in improving their homes, and
in contributing to the health and com
fort of their children. Too often the
men exhibit less thrift and thought in
handling their wages than the women
do in home affairs. Of foresight and
self-denial they seem to know nothing.
Very little is ever saved for rainy day.
In many cases they do not provide their
families with the actual necessities OF
life Liquor saloons, gambling, all
night picnics, balls, excursions are the
principal enterprises in which invest
ments are made. The result is seen in
weakening home ties, lax morals, and
the general undermining of those es-
sential qualities of manhood upon
which the home should depend for guild
ance and support.
"To remedy this state of affairs atten-
ton must be directed to the home.
Christian men and women of whatever
denomination should cooperate and join
in a concentrated movement to relieve
such conditions. Especially are wom-
EN- qualified for such work by reason of
wider sympathy and superior tact. 1t
is not only money that is needed to fur
ther the movement, but a superior judg-
ment, stronger will and knowledge
of those essentials which make for
right living and power These qualities
should be exercised for the very poor
and helpless until they gather strength
to act for themselves The close con
nection between good business methods
and economysshould be impressed upon
them.
"They should be taught the lesson
of self-help, and made to know that
the Lord helps those who help them
selves st. Louis Globe-Democrat.