The colored American., 1900-05-19
PROGRESS OF THE RACE
Register Lyons Points Out Whas We Have
Gained in Educational ana Vealth-tf-
fectively Contradiets Charles Dudley
Warnsr's MistakeH Estimate.
Evening Star, May 1O)

In the course or MS auuFeSS yeSleI-
day Mr.. Judson w. Lyon, register OF
the treasury, said 3,O39,17 OF the col
ored people are engaged IN galntuI pur-
suits, and only SO ,994 are in the pro
fessiOns. The professional class IN
cludeS u, 159 clergymen and LOUIS
teachers, leaving just little over 6,OOO
following other caIingS listed as pro-
feSSfOnS.
In the matter Of education he show
ed that the cOIored people had made
marvellous progress TO which there u
no parallel in the annals OF time. He
asserted that when Governor Merriam
foots up his returns this year 1t will
be discovered that 5S per cent. OF the
colored people can read and write,
whereas thirty-fiye years ago not three
per cent. could do SO. He said that
colOred men seek education on all lines
because it is the American custom, ana
not TO do it would argue one not a
good American
He we'll knew, he said, that the lot
of nine-tenths Of the people would be
labor that produces sweat of the brow.
He said if more cOlOred men are con-
Victed of crime in proportion than
others it must be remembered that, be-
ing Of the prescribed race, it is just
pOssible-indeed prObable-that the
same equal and exact justice may not
be deliberately measured out to them
as to others. 1t is unfortunate for the
cOlored man in the north, he argued,
that he can not readily and easily con-
meet himself with the labor OrganiZa-
tiOns. This being true, perhaps, in pro-
portion, more Of them are out Of em-
ployment than would otherwise be, and
as there are laws against Vagrancy they
may be convicted fer not working
when they can't get work, and so for
this Offense the statistics Of crime
would be swelled against them.
One of the chief difficulties in the
South, he said, is due TO the uncer-
tainty of the law in some places.
Wherever you find a county with an
established reputation for law and or
der and the strict enforcement of con-
tracts you will find that the cOlored
people remain on the farms, old and
young, and the landlord finds his pos
sessions approaching yearly and the
income therefrOm increasing under a
tenantry that does not change every
Christmas, but is stationery, prosper
Gus and cOntented.
1.-THE prosperity Of last year." said
Mr.. Lyon, has been a great thing in
many ways. Its blessings have not all
fallen into the Golfers Of the much
abused trusts and giant corpora tions
The sun of plenty and comfort has
shown in many home heretofore
darkened by the gloom of mortgages
and lack of sufficient returns from
arduOus toll to make life happy.
"A reference to the production of the
staple in which our people exercise al
most a monopoly will not be uninterest-
ing in this connection. 1t is popularity
supposed that the cOlOred people plant
cultivate and harvest 50 per cent. of
the cotton crop. SuppOSing, therefore,
the crop for last year to have been
100000 bales, their share would be
100000 bales, and then at 500 pounds
per bale, we would have 4,25O,OOO, 900
pounds, and this sold at an average of
s cents we would have the colossal
sum of $340, 100000. This same cotton
at an average Of cents per pound q
year or so ago sold for $212, 1000
thus making a difference in favor of
the farmer of $127, 100000. Segregat-
ing this amount among the 10000, 600
of cOl0red citizens, we have $12.75 for
every man, woman and child over
and above their realizatiOns for the
last previous few years.
Is