The colored American., 1901-11-09

takers, builders, contractors, printers,
publishers, decorators, manufacturers,
tatOrs, insurance agents, coal dealers,
real estate agents, collectors, the pro-
prietor OF q brick yard, the owners of
q cotton factory, and the president Of
a coal mine. The number engaged, and
the capital invested, may not reach
very pretentiOEs figures, but the begin
ming has been made. Aside from the
above, we have produced soldiers
whose valOr has reached worldwide
reputation, poets, artists, teachers, and
professional men and women Of recOg-
nlZed ability. There are hOrdeS of
others pursuing the humber walks Of
life eager to acquire by education q
higher ideal Of manliness and woman
Illness, and to learn the ways of ad-
Vanced civilization and approved citi-
zensh1p. These achievements have
been wrought by Us under the most
adverse conditions. We have wearily
toued by day and by night; have made
DrickS without straw, helped ourselves
and taken advantage Of small OppOr-
tunttieS; though these are days of in
creaSing combinations Of capital, grow
Ing corporations, and gigantic trusts,
which greatly lessen the possibilities Of
individual success. Surely there is in
the black man the same capacity for
business, the Self-Same spirit. purpose
and aspiration that there is to be found
In the white man, and he is as much
entitled to the blessings Of life, and to
share It's hOnOrs and rewards, as the
descendants Of other races; notwith-
standing Senator TilIman's recent plea
Tor Iynchtng Negroes, and the plaudits
and acclaim Of a Wisconsin audience
Despite the fact that the door of
nearly every large factory. shop. and
department store is closed against us:
despite the fact that prejudice stalks
our business streets with unblushing
tread and dominates in all the CONNER
clal centers Of our common country
yet We are not here today pleading for
special legislation in our behalf; we
are not here whining to be given a
chance; we are not here. even to COM
plain Of our hard lot, or to find fault
with conditions which we cannot
change. This, we conceive. would
be 8 very poor programme to attract
the attention Of the business world;
but We are here, representing hun
dreds OF thousands of dollars. thus
demonstrating that we have achieved
at least in small measure. one of the
things which, by common consent. is
taken as evidence of progress, ability.
and worth. We have made money,
have saved money, and are succeeding
IN many profitable business enterprises
which require the possession of skill
and executive ability to direct and con-
troll.
The Jew traces the industrial strides
OF his people from the first foot-sore
pedoler to their present position of af-
nuence IN the financial world. and so
without 'reciting further the early
struggles and hindrances experienced
Oy our pioneers in business. sufficient
IS 1t TO say that we have men who
should be placed in the class with Mel
son Morris, A. NJ Rothschild, and
MandeI Bros. Not that they can com.
pare with these men in the sum total
OF their wealth; no one expects this
But that they began life without a
oollar, nave accumulated property and
acquired influence, and are TODAY men
OF pubic affairs, able TO stand. npr-
severe, and prevail in the fierce strUg-
gieS ana competitions of business life.
Ihese mercantile strides the members
OF our race are taking in the face of
proscrlpuon and oppression, in the face
or the administra ton of unjust laws.
and in the face of diSfranChispmpn
and barbarous lynchings, such as no
other men ever had to face. In fact
we are proSpering under conditions