Evening star., 1901-05-04
GIVES ADVICE TO NEGROES
JOHN G.. CAPERS URGES THEIR DIVI-
SION INTO CLASSES.
Honesty. Integrity and Virtue Should
Re Their Guides-A Thought
full Address.

A club was recently formed by colored
people of Rockville, Nd, and vicinity for
the purpose of holding discussions on the
needs of the negro race. and prominent
white men have been invited to address it.
These invitations have been extended with
the understanding that the speakers should
give their honest views and convictions,
regardless of whether they might touch
tender spots in the feelings of their hear
ers or not. At the meeting Thursday
night Mr.. John G. Capers. whose recent
appointment by President Mckinley as
United States district attorney for South
Carolina, his native state, has brought into
national prominence, was the speaker, and
he made q remarkably forcIble address,
He began by urging the negroes to OBJ
serve business methods In all their dealings
and to practice industry, not spasmodically,
but regularly and Systematically. They
should seek to establish regulations as men
and women of integrity and character.
Should Divide Into Classes.
You should divide up into classes he
declared, biased wholly upon the virtue
and character of your women and your
men. White men and white women of vir-
tue and character do not associate. with
the unworthy of their race just because
they are white, and you should not coun-
tenance the unworthy of your race just
because they are black. A Very respecta-
BILE minority of your race will not now as
sociate with those who are lacking in
proper attributes, and [ want the whole
race, as race, to establish high moral
plane and insist that true representatives
of the race must attain it before they can
get your moral support.
mo race continued Mr.. Capers, lever
attained distinction upon fictitious or
fancied status or undertakings, and your
| race can be and will be no exception. You
have shown in peace and in war that you
have in you the making of good citizens
and worthy men and women, and those OF
| the colOred race who are now on the high
| er moral plane must reach down and pull
up your weaker brother and sister and
! help them to establish and maintain vir-
| tue, character and integrity. Those of
Your race who insist upon dragging you
| down to the lower levels. to the criminal
| and vicious class, are not worthy of your
countenance or support and should be
Stunned, just as all other races shun the
unworthy and criminal classes among
! them.
Striking Lessons.
Look at the Jews. Like you, they have
| no country, yet by reason of the worth
and integrity of their men and the virtue
Of their women they hold the highest
places in the business and social world
| Look at the white race. The upright mer
among them do not consort with the Grim
| inal classes or applaud their vices. They
punish them and shun them. You do not
see decent white women associating with
the lewd and fallen women of their race
Make those rules your own and follow
them steadfastly. You should point with
pride to men In your race of the type OF
Booker Washington. Judson Lyons and
many of the bishops and preachers and
teachers of your race, who are laboring tC
make it broader and better in all respects
Let the most prominent colored man In
your town be SO regarded because he is a
steady, reliable citizen of character and
not because he wears the best clothes O,
has the loudest voice. Don't be stuck uI
unless you have a right to be- Have some
| thing Of real worth to be stuck up about
bank account"
Mr.. Capers was followed with close atten.