The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-10
MAKING NEGROES ''PROMINENT AT S7.5C
AHEAD"

There is one industry that has Ian
xuished under McKinley's administra-
tion, though it promised to flourish about
the ides Of March. 1t may in truth be
called an infant industry, needing only
: fair chance and a little protection to
crow into one of the most unique and
profitable industries in Eastern North
Carolina.
We refer, of course, to the indus
try Of making "a prominent man. out OF
. negro at the low price of $3.50, inau-
gurated by the defunct Raleigh Tribune.
The following extract in a letter writ
ten May 10TH, from the Tribune mana
ger to w. L. Everett, Princeton, printed
yesterday, tells of the method Of pro-
noting the infant industry:
"Get out as quick as you can and
work the territory thoroughly. You
will find that there is good money
in the write-up business; that is
when you strike prominent colored
man, get photograph and biographi-
cal sketch and make a prominent
man out of him. Prices on these
write-ups are from $3.50 up; cash
in advance"
Visions of easily acquired wealth no
doubt filled the eye of the Tribune man
as he penned this letter to w. l.. Ever
EFT. Mulberry Sellers never saw millions
amassed more easily by the sale of his
patent eye-wash than foated before the
author of this letter. We can imagine
his soliloquy as he made mental calcu-
lations counting up the good money
in the business of taking up a negro,
printing his picture and making a
prominent man out Of him." Bear in
mind that it was "good money" that
was to be made. This being interpreted
eonformed to the "sound money" poll
cy Of the paper, and showed fitness
IN things.
Here's the probable soliloquy: "There
are 10000 negro voters in North Caro-
lima. Each one OF them will pay $3.50
IL we will make "a prominent man out
Of him. This would give us as total re-
ceipts from that source alone one mill
lion and two hundred thousand dollars.
The expense would not exceed two hun
ffred Thousand dollars, and we have
d clear profit to put to our credit in the
bank Of a cool million dollars by a sin
gle stroke Of genius and enterprise. And
thes beauty Of it is, we have no credit
system, cash in advance is our plan,
and we have the money before the work
is done. This million dollars profit is
On the theory that no colored man will
pay to exceed $3.50, and that makes the
estimate altogether too low. There are
doubtless many a colored man who will
pay more than that sum il we will make
a prominent man out of him. All who
want office will pay fifteen dollars-and
there are at least five thousand in that
class-and that would add a half a
million dollars to our. profits-a total OF
more than q million and a half on the
colored voters alone. And when
we have made prominent man out or
the men, and sailed down all our big
profits, we will have just begun. There
are not less than four hundred thousand
women and children who will then be
resolved to follow the example of the
men. You just couldn't stop them, and
we might afford to reduce the price to
Eve dollars head, and we would get
in two million dollars-thus realizing
three and q half million dollars on the
brilliant scheme Of making colored folks
prominent. 1t is greater idea than
ever Edison evolved with all his inven
tive genius. Eureka! Eureka! I have
found the key that unlocks the door t
newspaper wealth. and newspaper glory!'
But, alas, for human hopes, this in
FAINT died aborning, the Mckinley wav,
could not breathe life into it, and wors,
than all the colored people 60 about tn
street in sack-cloth and ashes, aamentint
that there Is no newspaper to make then