The colored American., 1901-10-19

ton IS a little less than One-third of
the whole. A stranger who has dropped
from the SkieS-frOm some neighbOr-
ing planet-and who might be sup
posed to know nothing of their his
tory, would reasonably expect them
to constitute about One-third of the
teachers. lawyers. physicians. dentists,
mechanics and business men. and to
conduct One-third of the business of
the community. If he did not find it
so, he would be likely to conclude
that the cOlOred population was in
feriOr. We know that our planetary
visitor would not find the two races
anywhere near their proper proportion
along these lines. But we. who know
something Of the history Of this back
ward class, believe that we know the
reason why, and that the present con-
ditiOn viii be temporary. 1t cannot,
with any Semblance of reason or fair
ness, be expected that a race snatched
from SaYagery and barbariSm, nur-
tured in the debaSing household of
American slavery for go years.
pressed down and back by the awful
weight of American color prejudice
would, in a single generation of NOM
lnal freedom, make up for all lost
time and catch up with the white peO-
pie with their centuries of progress
behind them. Yet representatives of
the race in the District of Columbia
have from the earliest times had as
piratiOns to succeed in business and in
the professions In the face of ad-
verse and fOrbidding public statutes
and a hostile public sentiment, several
cOlOred men and women were success
s,,V Il,
bellum times under conditions that
make them real heroes.
SINCE THE CIVIL WAR
Emancipation brought such an en-
largement Of opportunity to the col
Ored people that for q time the busl-
ness field was not worked as it should
have been. They, like everything else.
proceeded along the line Of least re-
Sistance, sought and obtained political
office, contended. very properly, for
their political and civil rights, while
the masses generally enjoyed their
newly-acquired freedom without fully
appreciating it's duties, responsibilities
and opportunities.
A BUSINESS AWAKENING.
1t was not until the election of a
Democratic President in 1884, which |
spread abroad a fear among the col |
Ored people that they would be dis |
missed from the Government offices |
and lose the control of their schools, |
were the cOlOred leaders awakened |
from their dreams of pleasure. Then
be- Il great agitation for business
Meetings were held in all the churches,
the ministers preached special sermons |
on the Importance Of our people going |
into business. and many new enter |
priseS were founded, some wisely,
some unwiSely, all showing Il genuine |
business awakening.
WORK OF THE UNION LEAGUE. |
In 1892 the Union League was or |
ganized for the purpose of stimulating |
this desire for business" working for |
the business success of its members, |
and, in general, carrying on this agl-
tation for business" in an organized |
way. Several Directories Of the Col |
ored People in Business have been |
complied and published and much /
work done by the Union League to
further the success of our people IN /
business, but its purposes have been
appreciated by only a few, hence its
influence and work is not so wide
suread as its importance deserves.
Last fall a complete canvass OF the
District was made, under the auspices
IF this SOCIETY. to ascertain how many
,olored persons in the District were
n huSiness for themselves as proprie-
.orS what kinds Of business, the num-
1pr of employees. the amount OF cap
- :wx-oIvod aud the 9mOunt of DuSl-