The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-08-27
COTTON AND NEGROES.
Writer Speaks in Defense of c.
nrR6 XNnrlzans

COTTON AND NEGROES.
A Writer Speaks in Defense of Col.
Ored Workers..
ST. Paul, Aus. 19.-TO the Editor: In
an editorial of this mornings issue you
quote "a disappointed contributor to the
Wool and Cotton Reporter" as saying
THAT the negroes shave not made even
fair operatives, and there is no reason in
the world for believing they ever will"
There Is no doubt that the. disappointed
contributor is amply competent to Judge
as to the degree in which the employment
OF the Southern negro has been success
iul or otherwise in the cotton-spinning
industry But when he states the belief
that he never will become even a fair
operative, he evidently bases his predic-
ton upon his knowledge Of the unjust,
selfish and oppressive character of North
ern white labor as exhibited toward the
black laborer rather than upon his in.
sight into the negros inherent, if unde.
veloped qualities.
AS might be expected, where the: negro
OF the South en- masse is experimental
with In new fields OF skilled labor, his
present tnferiority will at once become
evident; but it is manifestly unfair to
conclude that he cannot become the equal
or the white laborer under conditions
equally favorable
It will not be claimed that the cotton
mill operatives of the North are among
the most Intelligent Of the industrial
classes There are many branches of
skilled labor where higher degree Of in
telligence lis demanded; but there is nc
trade in which heredity plays so conspic
uous part as among the cotton spinners
Of the world. When the art was intro
dCced into America, operatives were i'm
ported from Europe, where, under diff
ferent social system. the child followed
not only the condition of the father from
generation to generation, but likewise in
herited his trade. Som ething like the
same condition obtains In the cotton man.
Hacturing districts of the North The
operatives live in communities of which
the Factory is the heart arid center in
every sense The factory" permeates
and dominates the entire life of the COM
munlty. The operative has not only had
craftsmanship transmitted to him through
his blood, but he entered the factory when
mere baby and has grown UP in it until
he has become veu1itable part Of a. great
mechanism, 10y a process Of natural Sc
lection. Now, because he cannot take
from the cotton field, the cane field, the
corn field and the rice swamp a mass Of
their antecedent conditions have made
them. ard transform them in one decade
or less time into factory autcunata, he,
disappointed "~-A~.-.,+or" concludes
their case to be forever hopeless. Re-
preston has made the white operative o,
sion and too much oppression have made
the bulk of the Southern blacks what they
are.
Concluding the article in question, the
Pioneer Press says:
AS for the Industrial future Of the regro. 1t
% RAN tfat It's widening by his admission
70 the mechanical calinga now mainly closed
. 20 nun must denend on the success of such
associates in educating the negro to ha bits ~
anrllcation and self-denial. AS contemporary
truly says: If Prof. Washington and such
IAN induce him to live Clearly. soberly ana
honestly they will do a far greater work thar
The men who put the ballot in his possession"
lid it ever occur TO the Pioneer Press
that the industrial future of the negro
would widen perceptibly and rapidly, bv
the mere opening to him Of ,those mechan-
lca' callings "now mainly closed to him.
ca'l!ngs which do not demand the regen-
Grafton of 4. mass within a decade. but
give opportunity to the Individual who
mas had the advantage Of a favorable en-
vronnent? Booker T. Washington and
his work are all we'll enough, but if ever;
skilled negro mechanic in St. Paul to-day
could obtain that employment from which
he is debarred solely on account of his
color. Prof. Washington's work would he
Infinitely easier and more successful. If,
after he had TRAINED the negro's hands
TO Skill. the negro could find something
Tor skilled hands to do, instead Of being
forced by organized white labor to foresO
the pursuits their skill had fitted them
Tor many more would have incentives to
"self-denial and application" There is
scarcely any branch of skilled labor that
has not its representatives among colored
men, individuals. Usually they are the
of their white fellows in general
and fully their equals in
craftsmanship. These men often-indeed,
more generally-are from the South, the
crly section where they are permitted to |
learn their trades. They come from the
same stock as the negroes " HON the dis |
appointed contributor says ''never will |
become fair operatives" They are COM
posttors who, in the North, are only per-
mitted to, compose" berths in sleeping
cars. They are engineers and machinists
to whom the round houses and machine
shops OF the North are terra incognita. |
and they must consequently be content |
with mental employments.
In conc!usic n, eff Prof. Washington and
such as he can train the negros hands !
10 skill and can induce him to live clearly, |
soberly and honestly they will not, as |
the Pioneer Press says, do a far greater |
" crk than the men who put the ballot in |
MS possession" To the contrary. their
success will have been made possible be- |
cause of the greater work of the men who
gave the negro the ballot; for, without [
hat certificate of manhood and citizen |
ship, what else would be worth striving
or? Booker Washington would not have
corporars guard OF following among an
1nfrancmsed class; the case is difficult
Is 1t Is, for the question is often asked: |
To what purpose shall we make our
'elVes skilled In mechanical callings If |
hey are to remain mainly closed to
No. w. A. H.