The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-30
AFRO AMERICANS
issue AN ADDRESS
The District Council Meets in
Special Session.
Asks for a Commission TO Study
Negro Labor,
Progress and Patriotism of Their
Race Deliberately Set Forth in
nm Appeal for Recognition.

the National Council, presided, and r. w.
Thompson, editor of the 'Coored Ameri-
cam acted as secretary. An address to
the people was presented by Prof. Jesse
Lawson. yice-president of the local or
ganization. The speaker said in part:
Local Council, No. l. of the National
Afro American Council, in special session
assembled congratulates the colored peo-
pie of the United States upon the fact
that they now have an organization, ma
tional in character, into which all the
elements of the race have been brought
together and all factions harmonized The
necessity for such organization has for a
long time been apparent to those who
have given the race problem in America
thoughtful consideration. Everybody adj
mits that we, as a people, are strong
enough to better our condition in this
country if our forces and energies are
properly directed, but the difficulty has
been in getting them together.
The meeting of the Afro-American
Council, recently held in this city. marked
the beginning of a new era in our career
as citizens of the United States, for it
demonstrated the fact that there is suff-
cient cohesive power in the race to pro-
duce harmony and unison of action on
all essential points, and that. however the
colored people may differ as to political
parties, they are united in their demand
for fair play, and for equal rights and
equal protection of all classes OF American
citizens under the aegis Of law.
Their share in Wcr.
we are seeking opportunities to make
ourselves useful and worthy citizens, and
We appeal TO the patriotism of the Ameri-
can people to give us that opportunity
We are Americans in every, fibre OF our
being, and we have the aspirations COM
mon to the citizens of this Republic. We
contributed our quota of patriots 10 tine
Revolutionary War, and in every contest
from that time to the present day We have
stood by the flag and fought on the side
of the Union.
We were with Washington at Freehold,
and Red Bank; with Jackson at New Or
leans; with Perry on Lake Erie, and
with Grant at Appomattox. Men OF our
race persisted with the Maine in Havana
HarbOr, and we were with Dewey at Ma
Mia, and fought side by side with Roose-
welt and his Rough Riders in that memo
rable charge up San Juan Hill America
has never produced a more patriotic peo-
pie than are found among members of
our race, and to whatever station il has
been our privilege to attain, we have
discharged the duties of the same with
ability and commendable modesty.
An Industrial Force.
cat the time of emancipation We were
four millions in this country; now we are
ten million souls and all native born
Americans. Fully % per cent OF our race
belongs to the industrial forces in Amer
lea and the labor problem cannot be solved
without considering us as factor and
any attempt 10 solve it without us will
necessarily prove abortive. for the whole
is equal 10 the sum of all its parts and
cannot be complete with any part omitted
! Almost the entire cotton crop, that staple
product of our soil. which in the early
| days gained for America special distinction
| in the commercial world and which is now
! an indispensable factor in domestic econ
| Omy. is raised by the cOloTed people of the
| South. And the rice crop is also depend
ent upon them, as is the sugarcane indus
| try. These products are found in the mar
/ kets of the world and people who produce
| them are entitled 10 a hearing.
We are without representation on III,
: non-partisan Industrial Commission, ere
ated by an act of Congress approved Jun,
/ IS, 1895, with membership of nineteeI
| persons. all of the dominant race.
Ask for n Commission.
I'VE, therefore. recommend to Congress
! that a special commission be authorized
to enquire into the industrial condition OF
| the coored people of the United States
| and to suggest such legislation as will
tend to help them in their laudable ain
| TO obtain a comfortable living, and that
in the personnel of said commission nc
discrimination shall be made on account
Of race. color, or previous condition OF
| servitude. The labor question is one Of
serious concern to us as Il people Il
the white people of this country. witt
y more than century of freedom and in
dependence back of them with education
and wealth surprising that of the mos
favored nations on earth with all of the
opportunities known to civilization thrown
open to them, need q commission to in.
vestigate the labor question, and to sug.
gest remedies for the evils existing alonI
that line, how much more necessary ant
imperative is 1t to the colored people
against whom the fountains of industry ar,
closed and the avenues of wealth ar,
barred and from whose hands the shackle
of bondage have but recently been broken
that they be given an opportunity to pre-
sent their side of the question and b,
members of their own race? Ours is .
case In equity, and We believe that III,
sense of fair play in the bosom of tn,
American people will not allow us {,
plead in vain.
We sympathize with the oppressed q
every land, and we are the last to thro,
any way oi people StruE
Cling for liberty.
Touching the question of the annexatio
OF the Philippine Islands. we would coun
sci deliberation and recommend that II
steps be taken that will place our Gov
eminent in false light before the eye
of the civilized nations of the world an
we ask our people TO do nothing that
calculated to embarrass the Administra
tion in its endeavOr to bring about tn
best results for all parties concerned
Although we had no direct representa-
ton on any of the commissions recent
appointed to determine the conditions upo
which the Spanish American war were
be concluded, yet we have abiding fait
in the ability, integrity, fidelity and pa
! triotism OF the men who were apponte
to negotiate the terms Of peace, and "
accept the result as Americans proud
our national achievements.
/ Turning our faces toward the futurt
we close our eyes on the past and we HOP
that the beginning of the twentieth Ger
tury will find us further than today
The Paris Exposition.
! I'm the year of our Lord 1900 there
2 to be worlds fair in the city of Pari
! France, and the President of the Unite
States is authorized to appoint twelve Con
missioners, exclusive of the Commission,
General. TO represent the people of Ii
United States at said fair or exposition
Let us pray that In the abundance of wi!
o dom he may see his way clear to give l