The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-29
THE FUTURE OF THE NEGRO
A Political Alliance With the Cath
Olic Church Suggested.
Prof. Jesse Lawson -Addresses the
Members of the CoIored Baptist
Lyceum Drastic Measures Advo-
Gated to Re-estabIish the Race.

members OF the COlored Baptist
Lyceum Drastic Measures Advo-
Gated to Re-estabIisb the Race.
Fully !. 200 members of the Colored Bap-
tist Lyceum of the District of Columbia
yesterday vigorously applauded a state
nient made by Prof Jesse Lawson Vice
President of the Afro-American Council
and formerly United States Commissioner
to the Atlanta Exposition, in which he
acknowledged, as deacon of local Bap-
tist church addressing an audience of
Baptfsts, that the only hope for the future
Of the negro in the United States lay in
an alliance between the colored people
and the Catholic Church The speaker
claimed that the Catholic Church had the
power to effect the salvation of the Ameri-
can negro. and had extended an invitation
to all colored people to come within its
folds and receive protection. The negro.
he said. was being ground to powder by
the white man. and the only hope of
safety lay in the Roman Catholic organi-
zation.
Prof. Lawson was invited to address
the liyceum yesterday afternoon on 1.-THE
Political Future of the Negro in America"
in the Second Baptist Church, on Third
Street northwest, and while an office
holder under the Republican Administra-
tion he did not fail to score the Grand
Old Party" for its abuse of the colored
man. r. w. Thompson presided over the
meeting, and in introducing the speaker
said that the question was whether the
white man was brave enough to give the
black man his place in politics.
Prof. Lawson opened his address with
an arraignment of the book. THE Ameri-
fslr
of Ohio, and classed it as the work of an
Apologize negro, who should be bitterly
condemned" In speaking of the attitude
OF the white man toward the negro in
America, Mr.. Lawson said
Justice has departed from this coun-
try and humanity has taken wings. We
are about thirty-six years removed from
slavery and have had a hand in politics
for about a quarter of II century. We
were first made welcome by the Repub-
lican party. and in our early power we
had Senators and Representatives in Con-
gress. This is no more. Our political
greatness has departed The North and
South have Joined hands and bade the
negro farewell His valedctory has been
written. Hilary "A. Herbert a member of
Cleveland's Cabinet, in speech made
few weeks ago, stated that the greatest
crime of the century was the adoption of
the fifteenth amendment to the Consti-
tuition. which gave the negro freedom
from slavery and gives him the right of
suffrage. This is TIE feeling against us
at present. The Democratic and Repub-
lican parties have agreed that the negro
must go, and that he cannot be trusted
with the ballot.
King Dollar has succeeded King Cot
ton. The power of the white man is upon
US, and We must stand and meet it. We
are out of tune with the music on the
national programme. and we cannot sing
with the balance of the inhabitants of
this country. The nation is drifting into
anarchy. and We, the eolored people. must
be prepared for the worst. There is no
time for whining now We must act We
have reached a point where no political
party will espouse our cause, and all
white me'' turn their backs upon us. We
havearcaehed a critical point in our his
tory We are burned at tr> stake-our
wives and daughters are beaten and
drowned as accomplces in every crime
IN many States-We are lynched and
abused, and shot and despised. And how
are our murderers punished? Why, to
my knowledge, some Of the white men
who participated in the massacre of ne
groes at Lake City n. c., are today hold
ing commissions in the Regular Army of
the United States. Just imagine a negro
being granted a commission in the Regu-
lar Army. We can't get it because the
white men do not consider us their EQUALS
III tell you another reason. 1t is because
we nave not had sense enough to use the
power We possess to force ourselves upon
the army. Why should we not do so?
The negro today has 40 ballot We
can be powerful with ballots in our
hands. Let us get them Let us not sur
render our political rights Congress
gives us no consideration. We are not
regarded as being an item in national
legislation. 1t is the truth that Congress
has not adopted one single measure in
the interest of the negro since President
Grant left the White House. We have
not advanced one step politically since
1876. We have been betrayed by the white
man Louisiana, North Carolina and
other States, where the negroes are most
numerous. have adopted amendments to
their constitutions making US mere ami
mails. without power of expression or in
telligence enough to vote. Maryland is
following the lead set, and | warn you
that it is only a question of time. if this
keeps up and we do not do something
when there won't be q State in the
Union where the negro is not disfran-
chised. Let us turn before it is too late
We can yet be masters of the situation
II we will but act. We cannot ally with
strong religious force that we may effect
the change.
''As one of the leaders in a local Baptist
church aad as speaking to an audience
of Baptists, l say now that only the
great and powerful Catholic Church can
help us. lGreat applause We may not
all desire to join the Catholic Church at
once, but We will see the way in time. j
think it must be Gods will that we effect
our salvation through the agency of the
Catholic Church. The leaders have Of
fered us protection and political rights
within the folds of the Catholic Church.
We are assured our rights as citizens
and as human beings and l see no other
way in which we may save ourselves
and save our future We are being
ground to powder by the white man in
this country, and only the Catholic
Church can save us. Let us take matters
into our own hands now and let us act"
The address was debated after the
speaker had closed. and each speaker
greeted the idea Of allying with the Cath
olic Church as the only way out of the
problem and the only hope for the negro
in America.