The colored American., 1901-10-19
Washington.

| successive editions of the "UniOr
League Directory from 1892 to 1905
all show a steady Improvement in the
| business status Of the race Yet, il.
| view of all the conditions, past and
present, very creditable beginning
| has been made.
SPECIAL DIFFICULTIES TO BE
MET.
In making this canvass the writer
and most Of the gentlemen who as
sisted in the work noticed some facts
which cannot be stated in figures, vel
they are all important and must be
overcome, in a large measure. before
The cOlOred business man can hope u
take his proper place in the business
world
In the first place, there is a want of
confidence among the people in the
tOlOred business man. a feeling that
he cannot conduct business. Sometimes
it amounts TO a feeling of resentment
that he should desire to lead himself
away from the mass who labor and
serve, and assume to be "a business
man," like as if he was white" This
must largely pass away and be re-
placed by the feeling that every col
OTed person who succeeds in business
is a real leader, benefactOr and edu-
Gator of the race, and opens up an OPP
DOrtunity for our boys and girls to
learn the art Of business and to find
employment.
Another alarming fact brought out
was the spirit of vindictiveness and
soreness felt by the colOred business
man toward the cOlOred buying public
because he does not get their patron
age to a larger degree. This makes
the cOlored business man and woman
TOO often impOlite, unaccOmmOdating
and 'surly," all destructive of business
success, especially so to the person Of
small capital in a hostile environment
There are, of course, many exceptions
To this widespread complaint, and they
are always the most successful ones.
POliteness and the desire to please
often makes up for small capital and
meager resources. Let the cOlOred
man who is determined to succeed in
business use his native politeness and
not allow himself too quickly to be-
come Vindictive. Competition in buSi-
ness is great. The white man treats
his cOICred customers with great pO
liteness and consideration.
Many of the 1902 cOIOred prOprie-
tors IN Washington, representing IS
different kinds of business, exhibit
such an inadequate conception of the
requirements of real business success
that such have not attained it TO a
very high degree. In too many cases
the absence Of the spirit of business
enterprise and Oftentimes of that nee
assary tidineSs and cleanliness which
is possible to anyone, was noticeable,
and. no doubt, was a bar to success.
kept away much race patronage ana
produced the ill-temper and SurlinesS
of the proprietor. while he attributes
his failure to a lack of the spirit Of
race help.
Much more could be said along this |
line; but too much adverse criticism, |
like too much vinegar in the salad. |
would make il too sour. No one would |
eat it, and it would do no one any
good. The above has been written in |
the kindlieSt spirit by one who has
tried to study the question from the |
of both the buyer and the |
seller.
1t was not only inherent in the ma
ture OF slavery, but it was also the |
definite policy Of the master to destroy |
in each other among the |
slaves: to breed jealOuSieS among them |
ana to destroy their sense of self-re-
Ii0nce and personal responsibility. 1t |
with any show of reason, be
expected that these habits of thought |
ard action thoroughly ground into the
e In -In