Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-09-30
with poor people in Europe.
THE soURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

THE SOURCE OF ENcoURAGEMKET.
"If you ask me for the source and
found alton for my encouragement over
the prospects OF the race, would point
you TO the Negro who is engaged in
business in the South. In all parts Of
the South / have met the Negro car
penter, truck gardener, the contractor,
the butcher, the merchant they speak
hopefully and eecouragingly. Every
where they tell me that in business in
The South there is practically no color
line, and that half their business is
with their white neighbors. Two races
are to live in this country together,
and he is an enemy OF both who tries
to array ons race against the other.
| I'm proportion as the Negro grows
intelligent, Industrious, and good at
heart, in the game proportion will che
white man be helped. In proportion
| as the white man permits himself to
oppress the Negro, in the same degree
is the white man degraded and his pro-
gress retarded. In proportion as the
white mA1 becomes intelligent and
prosperous, in the same degree does
he learn TO accord the Negro the rights
that belong to man.
/ SERIOUS AND TRYING YEARS.
"The years that we are now passing
through are serious and trying ones,
so far as the question of the white and
black races is concerned. / may not
be able TO advise that which will bring
8 complete remedy for sll our ills, but
] believe that there never was q time
| when the Negro needed TO give more
attention to the matter of making him
self intelligent, Industrious, law -abid-
ing, and TO the cultivation OF high NOR
ais and habits. / confess that my
heart is greatly and constantly trou-
bled by the large number of Negro
boys aud men who stand in idleness
about the streets of our cities and
towns. My friends. confess to you
that since thirty years ago don't be-
lieve that have spent q single day in
complete idlenese. The Negro is
too poor TO be idle. He is too far
behind to let others get ahead of him
in learning useful occupations. He is
too weak to fail TO secure that strength
and respect which comes to any one
through the Ownership of property and
the conduct of business l don't find
too much fault; the Negro in proper
tion to his opportunities has made un-
lparaueled progress. but want the
progress In the future to be far greater
than in the past.
AnC uAbn WuO - AOlC 10 10 some
thing as well or better than any one
else is the individual who is honored
and respected regardless of his race or
color.
| EQUALITY BEFORE TIE LAW.
SIN connection with the efforts Of
Negro himself to improve and to obey
the law, it is most important at the
present time that those in authority
see to 1t that the law is enforced in
the interests of black men and white
alike. Any deviation from this course
will bring ruin to both races and to our
country. The official who breaks the
law when Negro is concerned will ere
long break il when q white man is eon-
cerned. We cannot have one code OF
Justice for . white man and another
for the black man without both races
being made to suffer. / want to i'm
plore my race not to get discouraged
during this trying time. Perhaps we
need these trying days TO prod us on
TO greater effort and more conscIenti-
oua duty. Without sorrow there is no
JOY, without trial there is no triumph
without the storm there is no strong
oak.
THE KEY TO THE sITUATloN.
| AA4Obb tue WHO'S problem OF tue
the Negro in the South rests itself upon
the fast as TO whether the Negro can
make Of himself such . valuable factor
in the lie OF the South that he will not
in any large degree seek privil eyes,
but they will be conferred upon him.
} To bring this about the Negro must be-
gin at the bottom and lay 3 sure foun-
dation and not be lured by any tempta-
J tion into trying to raise on q false
} foundation. While the Negro is lay
ing this foundation he will need help,
: sympathy, and justice from the Law.
Progress by any other method will be
but temporary and superficial, and the
latter end will be worse than the b.
ginning.
American slavery was q great curse
to both races. and would be the lass
to apologize fer is. But in the provi-
dence Of God believe thss slayery
laid the foundation for the solution OF
the problem that is now before as in
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