The Washington bee., 1897-08-21


tired frames to the marching soldiers
and other participants. If this is the
only use to be made Of freedom, would
it not have been as we'll to have been
left fettered by the Shackles of slav-
cry? Is this the best way to commemo-
rate your own freedom and honor the
memory of those brave soldiers who
fought, bled and died, and whose sa-
cred deeds are emblaZoned on the
scroll of fame? | ask is the way you
intend to return thanks to those who
now lie six feet under ground, and
who have left widows and orphans
Some are decrepid and others are de-
prived of the members of their bodies
This, my friends, must not be your
stock in trade until the day of judg-
ment. Who reaps the benefit Of this
demonstration, you or your fellow be-
| ing who can better afford to live with
out it ? Answer for yourself Suppose
the world was swallowed by an earth
| quake and you summoned to appear
before the judgment bar, and God
should ask you how you had employed
your time and talents since your eman-
cIpation, what would your answer be !?
ask what would be your reply? | will
tell you: Good Lord, Use been beat
ing the drum, blowing the horn, and
looking on at the passing professions.
He would tell you that your talents
had all been misapplied. He would
tell you that the great Civil War had
not been instituted to liberate you to
spend your time in such idleness
lake them, Satan, bind them and cast
them into utter darkness.
YOUR CONDITION.
Truly it may be said that we live IN
an age of electricity. Yet some feat
ures of the celebrations belong to the
dark ages. You should entertain the
desire to commend yourselves to the
consideration of your fortunate fellow
citizens, improve your condition and
surroundings.
RACE PREJUDICE.
We are told that there is a great deal
Of race prejudice in this county. Of
course there is, and it will continue as
long as you fail to demonstrate equali-
ty of citizenship, equality of acts and
deeds that will benefit the whole peo-
pie. 1t will continue if your inventive
genius fails TO produce the things pos
sessed by the white man. If promi-
nent citizen and manufacturer of Fred
erick, Md, coverts something you
have, he will make you an offer to pur-
! chase it. So it will be if you OVID and
control large places of business and
| sell at the same or even a lower rate
than your neighbor, you will have pa
irons among all classes and nationali-
ties. When you show competition,
race prejudice must necessarily be
eliminated.
SOCIAL EQUALITY.
This question of social equality which
seems so distasteful to the white man,
and which seems to disturb the appe-
tites of some of our colored brothers
can never be enforced by legislation
There is no law that can compel your
daughter to associate with common
white man, nor is there a law which
permits you to force yourself in the
society of a refined white woman, and
the sooner these truths are thoroughly
understood, the sooner will the condi.
ton of all concerned be bettered
There is more social prejudice among
the negroes than there is on the part
of the white man towards the negro
| have presented you picture of the
negro, and now how may the defects
be remedied? In this your own State
of Maryland | understand that there is
a lack of organization. The di- organ
lied element among you is distaSteful
because the administrative power here
and elsewhere have ignored the claims
Of the negro.
| OUR OPPORTUNITY.
| The recent order of the President
will have a wonderful effect upon the
politics of the negro. The President
has thrown the responsibility of the
repeal of the Civil Service law on the
body that created it. Such may have
been a surprise to the republican
voters, but, friends, take my advice
and don't blame the Chief Executive
How reasonable it is and how easy tc
locate the power to be blamed. L
Congress makes a law and the PreSi
dent refuses to enforce it, who is ther
to blame, the President or Congress
Now if Congress is dissatisfied with
the order of the President, and the
: constituents represented by these Con
!. greSSmen are also, the law then ShOulC
, be repealed as | said by the creating
power and not expect the President tc
) suspend law when you know his duty
is to enforce law. Your republican
platform, at St. Louis, contained &
blank adherlng to Civil Service. The
people who voted for it either meant
, to fool those who did not favor it, or il
; was a lie when it was written. The
) President is simply carrying out the
platform of his party and nothing more
, 1t is not wise then for members of tn;
BODY to starve the stomach because
the whole will eventually die. / NEAR
that we very often kick our friend:
overheard thinking we can better oul
cases.
INDEPENDENCE DAY
commonly known as the Fourth o
July is the day for the white man. L
) was on that day that the white maj
declared his independence and swore
allegiance to America. This declara
ton made the white man of America
free but enslaved the negro. There
, IS but one day for the negro and tha
: is the first day of January, for 1t wa:
. on that day that President Lincoln de
: clared freedom to all slaves. We
: should present something on that oc
: casion that tends to show the progres:
; of the race. Don't understand me tc
be opposed to Emancipation Day Cele
) brations, but do oppose the differen
| d,+ae ,obeeryed nv different sections a