The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-13

none that compelled him to remain in
idleness while his family starved.
The negro in all parts of this country
is beginning to appreciate the advant-
ages which the south afford him for
earning a living, for commercial de-
veloDment. and in proportion as this is
true it viii constitute the basis of the
settlement of other difficulties. The
colored man is beginning to learn that
the bedrock upon which every 1ndi-
viduaI rests his chances for success in
life is securing in every manly way
never at the sacrifice of principle-the
friendship, the confidence, the respect
of his next door neighbOr in the little
community in which he lives. Almost
the whole problem of the negro in the
south rests itself upon the question as
to whether the negro makes himself of
such Indispensable service to his neigh
Dor, to the community, that no one can
fill his place better in the body polite.
There is no other safe course for the
negro to pursue. If the black man in
the south has a friend in his white
neighbOr and a still larger number of
friends in his own community, he has
a protection and a guarantee of his
rights that viii be more potent and
more lasting than any our federal con-
gresS or any outside power can confer.
While the negro is grateful for the op-
portunities which he enjoys in the buSi-
ness of the south, you should remember
that you are in debt to the black man
for furnishing you with labor that is
almost a stranger to strikes, to 1OckOutS
and labor wars, labor that is law abid-
ing, peaceful, teachable; labor that is
one with you in language, sympathy,
religion and patriotism; labor that has
never been tempted to follow the red
rag of anarchy, but always the safe
flag of his country and the spotless
banner of the cross.
But if the south is to go forward and
not stand still, if she is to reach the high
and keep abreast or the progress OF the
world she must reach that point without
needless delay where she viii not be con-
JlnuaIly advertising 70 the WoiIu tIlaI
she has a race question to settle We
election. from the choice of a magistrate
to that of q governor the decision will not
LInge upon q tL9cuSs59L ITI "a u q IeElHd4 u
that period where the great fundamental
mers. agricultural and mineral develop
ment. manufacturing and industrial and
degree the absorbing topics IN our polIu-
cal campaigns. But that we may get this
question from among US, the white man
has duty 70 perform, the blaek man
has duty No question is ever perman-
emily settled until It IS settled in the
principles OF the highest Justice. Capital
and lawlessness will not dwell together.
The white man who learns to disregard
law when a negro is CONCERNED viii soon
disregard it when a white man is con-
cerned.
In the evolution of the south 1t seems
to me that we have reached that period
where private philanthropy and the Chris
tan church of the white south should
in a larger degree share directly in the
elevation of the negro. In saying this
am not unm1ndful or ungratefui for what
has already been done by individuals and
through public schools. When We con-
much has been done BY our brothers in
white. All great reforms and improve
church for success. Yo6 acknowledge
that Christianity and education makes
man more valuable as a citizen, makes
him more Industrious, makes him earn
more, makes him more upright. IN this
respect let US see how the three largest
religious denominations in the south re-
gard the negro. To elevate the ignorant
India, etc, these three denominations in
the south give annually about 1914, 900, but
your doors, to protect your families, to
lessen your taxes, to increase their earn
elevate the people at your very side upon
whom in a large measure your safety and
prosperity depends, these same denOmina-
tions give $21, 900: $21 900 for the benighted
at your doors; S544,000 for the benighted
abroad. That thirty-f1ve years after slav-
cry and a fraternal war, the ex-master
should give even 81. 900 through the med
ium of the church for the elevation of his
former slave means much. Nor would
have one dollar less go to foreign fields,
ness of my soul that the Christian south
give larger attention to the 5000 900 of
has a most vital and direct relation to the
work of this industrial convention. Every
dollar mat goes into the educatlon OF the
negro is an interest bearing dollar.
For years all acknowledge that the
south mas sunered from the low price of
cotton because of overproduction. The
economic history of the world teaches
that an ignorant farming class means a
single crop and that a single crop means
too often low price from Overproduction
or famine from under production The
negro constitutes the principal farming
class of the south. So long as the negro
IS ignorant IN head, unskflled in hand,
unacquainted with labor saving uachin-
cry, so long will he confine himself to a
will result. So long as this is true will
you be bound in economic fetters. You
VIII pc hugglng the bear while crying for
some one to help you let go. Every man,
black or white, in the south with his
crop mOrtgaged, IN debt at the end of the
year, buying his meat from Iowa. his
corn from Illinois, his shoes from New
ork, his clothing from Pennsylvania,
his wagon from Indiana, his plOw from
Massachusetts. his mule from Missouri,
and his coffin from Ohio, every individual
duclng the highest results for his state.
to educate such an individual so as to
make him an intelligent producer, I reply
such an Individual. Ignorance is many
foid more costly to taxpayers than in
given training of hand, strength of mind
50 that he IS able to grasp the full mean
can go into some forest and turn the raw
material into wagons and buggies, be-
comes eltlzen who IS able to add to the
wealth of the state, and to bear his share
OF the expense of education and govern
Ilenl. 20 you suggest that this can not
De done2 answer that it is being done
every day at Tuskegee and should be dup
Heated at a hundred places in every
state. This I take to be the
WhlTe man s burden just now; no, no, not
his burden, his privilege, his opportunity
to give the black man sight to give him
strength, skill of hand, light of mind and
honesty of heart Do this, my white
friends. and I win paint you a picture
which shall represent the future party as
the outcome of this industrial convention
and will represent the land where your
race and mine dwells. Fourteen slaves |
brought into the south afew centuries ago |
IN ignorance. superstition and weakness
are now a free people multiplied into many
tney are SURROUNDED, protected.
encouraged, EDUCATED in hand. head and
heart, given the full protection of the
law the highest Justice meted out to
them through courts and legislative en-
they are stimulated and not op-
pressed. made citizens and not aliens. |
made to understand by word and act that
in proportion as they show themselves
worthy to bear responsibilities the great