The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-03
THE NEGRO'S RUIN
HAS BEEN POLITICS
A Startling Statement From
One of the Race,
GRAFTON BY CAPEHART
GRAFTON BY CAPEHART
APPROPRIATE EMANCIPATION
DAY EXERCISES.
THE THIRTY-SiXrH ANNIVERSARY
Resolutions Adopted Endorsing the Free School
System and Asking Continuance of
the Cordial Relations Be-
t,Daen the Races
tween the Races.

tween the Races.
The colored people Of Raleigh yester-
day celebrated the thrty-siX ann yer.
sary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
1t is not too much to say that it was
one of the hest celebrations of the kind
ever held here. Certainly tie Grafton of
Prof l.. Il. Capchart. principal of
Washington Graded school. was one of
the most thoughtful and at The same
time one of the boldest ever delivered by
n colored man on such an occasion.
THE future of the Negeo," was his
subjectsv He said that the immigration
scheme was inpracticahle and advised
the colored people 10 remain in the
South and try to make tie best OF their
lot He counseled them to avoid politics,
10 exercise PATIENCE aud moderation. and
devote their time to industrial and educa-
tional DEVELOPMENT. Politics. he said,
had been the curse Of the blacl: man
from the day of his freedom and will
continue to be SO as long as he is ig-
norant.
These sentiments, Notwithstanding
their holiness. were we'll received and
heartily applauded.
THE first day of January, 1868.
Prof Capehart said, marked an epoch
in the history, not only of this race. but
of the whole American continent. The
freedom of the negro gave this country
such problem as 30 years has not been
able to solve"
In the story Of the bondage of the
children of Israel he found prototype
of the slavery of the Sons of Ham.
Both" he said. were schooled in les
sons of industry, patience and persever-
ance by the cruel exactions of the task
master. These are the traits of charac-
ter that go into the making Of a great
race
Notwithstanding many shortcomings
during the thirty-six years of his free
dom, he thought the negro had much TO
be proud Of In this time he had accg
INFLATED SS,G00.000 of property, the
door of knowledge had been unbarred,
public schools had been established aud
institutions built for their unfortunate
ones.
1.-The greatest drawback TO the color
ed man has been politics. They that
would build upon a firm foundation. must
build upon something other than politics,
be they white or black, rich or poor.
The Negro has built upon politics to his
ruin
Continuing along this line the speaker
further ON in his address, said:
In this them ost critical time in our
history, the crucial period of our citizen
ship; when the spirit of restlessness is
abroad, when Indignation meetings are
being held in every State north of Ma
son and Dixon's line. when the colonial
ZIONIST and the emigrationist claim our
attention. it is but natural, in our anxiety
for the future, that we should eXclaim,
s.Watchman, what of the hourw The
answer comes in clarion tones in Scrip
ture language: Except these abide in
the ship they cannot be saved My
friends. the ship is the South, and We
are the sailors on the tempestuous sea.
There are those who contend that
colonization or emigration is our hope.
If we COLOMBO. where and how: Ger
tainly there is not man with any knowl-
edge of the history of races who would
contend for moment that we could
maintain ourselves in Africa even en-
masse. For we would surely be swal-
lowed up in barbarism and superstition.
But they say to Georgia, South Carolina
or Mississippi. We answer that tales of
woe from recent attempts of this kind
are too fresh in our minds for waste
of time on that score. And as for the
West, the story of the Illinois Governor
who refused to let innocent colored men
legitimately hired, 90 to work. answers.
But the colonizationist says:'Iet us go
to the North, to our friends. to our
liberators, to the champions Of our
rights" We answer that it is true
the North stands for equality
of rights in the South, and sheds copious
tears over any seeming breach of them.
but at the same time it throws its count
less millions against us when it comes to
Equality of Opportunity TO earn the
'.staff of life" within it's own borders.
She opens her doors, bids you welcome.
but the workshops are Theoretically seal
ed against you. When you come begging
she listens attentively to your plea, and
often gives generously to relieve your
suffering, but when you seek to earn your
bread by the sweat of the brow, in ODE
dence to the divine injunction, your
sphere is far more limited than in the
South
1t matters not how skilled a mechanic
or mason you may be in the South, when
you cross Mason and DiXon's line, il
you bear any tints of ebony hue upon
your brow you must put down the trowel
and the saw and can only take up the
apron and the tray. This policy Of the
North makes pau1ers and not men. The
South guards with jealous vigilance any
thing that encr0aches upon its social life.
but ii encourages, aids and ahets when
it comes TO labor Such a policy makes
men and not beggars.
The North opens its colleges and you
may feast until you want no more, but
when it comes TO using what you have
learned, you must simply rust out for
want of use. The white college doors
in the South are eternally closed to us,
and so be it; but others are built for
our honor and glory; we simply have TO
go in and possess them and there become
men, leaders of our race.
1t is neither in the North, the East nor
the West. but in the South, the State
of North Carolina, if you please, that we