The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-06
WISDOM AMONG NEGRO LEADERS.

NEGRO I'D
Booker Washington is beyond rea-
sOnable question the ablest, best bal
anced man of the negro race in this
country. He has given his people such
advice from time to time as only a
wise, broad mind could give. But his
advice is too practical, his opinions too
wise, conservative and statesmanlike
to please his race, who are not educat-
ed enough and intelligent enough to
embrace his wisdom and act upon his
suggestions. He has always spoken
calm, conservative, thoughtful words
to his race. 1t is indeed a pity thai
they do not comprehend his wise views
and act upon his ~persuasions. But they
do not. He is abused, denounced and
rejected instead as are Kelly Miller and
Rev. James L. White, of Washington,
and some other educated, informed and
wise men of the negro race. The Mes
senger lately copied from the very
timely and suggestive address of Pres
ident Washington. The following is to
be reproduced again:
The individual or race that owns
the property, pays the tax, possesses
the intelligence and substantial char
acter is the one who is going to exer-
else the greatest control of govern
ment. The negro will be On a different
footing in this country when it be-
comes common to associate a million
dollars with a black skin. The black
man who is intelligent n virtuous
and owns and c%ultivates the best farm
in his country and is the largest tax
payer canno long be denied all the
respect and consideration given to any
other citizen"
He believes in the gospel of work,
of economy, of character. The preacher
White in Washington recently spoke
at the Shiloh Baptist church. He spoke
words of soberness and truth, but they
were unpalatable to his hearers. Facts
with the negroes do not amount to
much; they prefer decisions. Here is
a sample of his plain, sensible talk as
we find it in The Washington Post:
I'm North Carolina four-fifths to
nine-tenths Of the republicans are col
Ored men. These men are led by what
is known in the south as the third
class white man. 1t is we'll known in
the southern states that the best ele-
ment Of the white men are, as a rule,
democrats. Colored men have been
marshaled for over thirty years to
fight directly against the interests of
the SOUTH. This political war will con-
tinue in the south as long as the col
Ored men are led by these third-class
white men,"
Every fairly sensible negro knows
that White has spoken the simple, I'M
vanished truth in this. It is the third
class white men who have used,
abused, hurt them and cursed them.
Parson White said farther, and it is so
pointed, candid and honest we must
copy at length. He told his race:
Il will offer for the first remedy that
the colored men throughout the United
States stop voting for these third
class white men, who are so sailed
among their own race, and a only
get office by the colOred vote, and let
the colored men make friends with
the best class of white citizens, and
stop appealing to the government and
running around like school boys after
the president of the United States and
the governors of the various states and
to the congress Of the United States
and to amend the constitution to pro-
tect the citizens of the United States,
who are a part of the greatest nation
in the civilized world.
81 am assured that the cOlored men
will find no better friends than among
the first-class white men of the south.
I have lived in North Carolina for
over thirty-ive years, and have had
direct dealings as a contractor with
the first-class white men. having at
times worked over twenty-five and
~~ly
as a servant, but always as a contrac~
tor and as a business a and, there
fore. I was thrown in personal contact
with the best men of the south and If
I had to seek a friend today there Is
nowhere in the United States that I
would go in preference to North Car
DINA"
That is excellent reading for his peo-
pie everywhere. But they despise it
and spurn it because it is the truth
and goes against the grain of their
unenlightened natur The wise counsel
and conservative utterances of the best
informed men of their race-Washing-
ton, Miller, Johnson, White-are not
Hospitality received and acted upon
much to the injury of the blacks in
this land. The Washington Post, a
northern republican paper, says
strongly and admirably:
1.-The trouble with h negroes is that
they prefer the advice and leadership
of a lot of silly m~ountebanks who Nat
ter them with stupid Indictments and
crazy hopes. They persist in believ-
ing that they can get on top by virtue
of sheer impudence AND ~pretension.
when they represent nothing of the
property, the social position, and the