The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-17
TO THE COLORED RACE
A THOUGHTFUL NEGRO WRITES OF THE
DUTY OF HIS RACE.
The Negro Should Quit Following Selfish
Leaders and Devote Himself 10 Bust
ness and to Work.

TO the Editor: a few months before
and since the last election many things
we're said relative to the future
course Of my race, especially that part
of them in the Southland. A vigorous
attempt has been made to line out the
best thing for him to do. Being one
of them and having an interest at stake
/ feel it a duty of mine to say some
thing touching this most Important
subject. We have BEEN free little
over thirty years, and after freedom
came the power of casting the ballot
in any way that we saw fit. To casting
this ballot the greater part OF us nave
been more true than we have been
to the church, having been taught that
we must do this or we again would
be thrown into slavery more bitter than
that out of which we had not long
emerged. Our experience is sufficient
TO teach us that this is untrue. We
have lived under Democratic and Re
publican rule and as heavy a sufferance
as has ever come to us was while our
own party had the reins of government
Of both State and nation in their hands.
Unknowingly we followed them to the
field of blood and there they left us at
the mercy of those whom they taught us
TO believe, were our enemies, and as
we gaZed around among the sO-called
enemies we found in them more than
in those who claimed to be the Moses
to lead us out of the wilderness into the
Land of Plenty"
Our long devotion to politics has not
gained the race anything but hatred
from those whom it is our business TO
make our best friends.
A few of the race have been financially
benefited, but to the injury OF thous-
ands, of others financially and every
other way in the line of progress. Is it
wisdom to make rich and socially ele-
Yate just a few or let all come up
slowly, surely and permanently? Com
mon sense shows us the latter way is
the best If our leaders are so blinded
by gain that they fail to see it, let
us as n race see it, and now. Politics
will advance few but we want some
thing for the ten million Of us in this
country.
Let me say to my race as Il friend:
Stop dividing your time, devote yourself
to some substantial line, develop it and
begin to live sparingly and save some
thing out of every little and this will
be a part of the solution OF this much
vexed problem of our race. No legisla-
ton will ever make us q people, but we
must make ourselves. DO our duty
along the lines of right and God will
do the rest If we had thrown rs
much interest into other substantial lines
as we have in voting men into office
we would have been much stronger as
n race today. The. Southern white man
is our closest neighbor-tO him we look
for the employment which enables us to
get food, clothes and habitationS. He
know what laws are best for his enter
priSes and to these laws we should SUD
nit knowing that the more prosperous
he is the better prepared he will be to
give us wages ON which we can live and
also put up something for the rainy day
II the white man fails then we must
fail If he succeeds, we can, If we
pursue the proper course, do the same
When the the time comes that You can
help elevate your neighbor without cru
cifying yourself and your best interest,
rally to it! but as long as we are
harmed by it we must decline and beg
you to please excuse us; yet we regard
it as a sure proof of lack of interest
when a few men are willing to climb to
the top at whatever cost, even if it he of
blood Let such men stop and work
their way up in other lines that are
equally as honorable.
Now as to the amendment, | would
say, let us disfranchise ourselves
and not suffer any race to say that it
was done by them. And when the time
comes that our interests involved will be
doubly more than simply giving office
to men who know us only during the
campaign then the time will nave come
for us to demand that we be allowed
to enjoy right that win really be a
right Get for yourselves homes; save
your money and build factories, establish
banks and other places of business edu-
cate and train your sons and daughters,
then and not until then will it he really
necessary for you to cavil over who
will and who shall hold this or that of
flee.
t. c.. COLLINS.
Rocky Mount, n. G.