The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-18
THE BLACK MANS BURDEN.
Rev. H. II. Proctor's Plain Talk to
CoIored People.

CoIored People.
Rev. H. H Proctor. morerator of
the Congregational Convention of Geor-
gia, Which closed its session Sunday.
iectaIed last night at the Beach IN
stitute on "The Black Mans Burden"
The word burden may be used in
the sense of injustice, responsibility or
infirmity." he said. In each of these
senses the black man has burden.
1 speak of our burden in the sense
of our infrmities, for if these are re-
moved the others will follow as the
day, the night. 1t is a hopeful day for
any race when in the spirit of reform
it can pause and look its own short
comings squarely in the face. while in
dividuals and groups amongst
us have made remarkable strides up
ward, yet as a mass we have some
very neavy burdens of infirmity.
las l see it the black mans burden
of infirmity is chiefly threefold. The
first element is ignorance. We have
done well. considering all things, in
removing our illiteracy. Within less
than half centxA quite one-half of
But this leaves fuN% 100000 of US in
the dark.
"One way TO remove this burden of
ignorance is the school. We who have
the light must lay our sons and daugh-
tiers on the altar and dedicate them TO
the work of educating our people. We
must make our social circles avenues
of culture. We must cultivate the
love of good books; book is the di
viding line between savagery and
civilization.
Poverty is another part of our bur-
den. We have done well in getting
property. We pay taxes to-day in
Georgia on S15,000,000 worth of proper
ty; in the nation on S4OO,000.0O0 This
was earned mostly outside of the
ganful pursuits. And yet as a race
we are comparatively poor. One bill
lionaire on Wall street can buy US out
twice and have a couple of millions
left. A poor race is like a table with
one leg; it can't stand alone.
There are four things that bring
wealth: Industry, skill, economy and
cooperation. We are an industrious
people, but in skin, economy and CO.
operation we are woefully deficient.
Our skill is like that of the OK
As to money, we believe in keeping it
in circulation. We have yet to learn
TO hold TO a dollar until the eagle on it
matches out another. We cooperate
like the crabs in a basket-to hold one
another down. Let us push one an
other up; for as one goes up we all go
up; as one falls we all fall.
Our chief burden, however. is vice.
! deny, however, that we are a race of
criminals. A study of history
shows the blacklist hand in
nature is the whitest in history,
and we demand that we
be judged as are other races, by their
best and not by their worst If white
Americans are to be judged by their
George Washingtons it is but fair that
black Americans be judged by their
Booker Washingtons. Some vagabonds
amongst US commit bad crimes. but
this is inconsistent with the spirit of
that race as a whole that watched
over the white mans wife and child
while he went to war.
If any man, white or black. laws
unholy hands on a woman, white
or black, let him die the
death at the hands of the law
There are too many criminals
amongst us, especially the young. We
must use every force amongst us.
home, school and church to lift up
the moral standard OF the black
masses. The real test of peoples
stability is their moral stamina. Let
tlic ely ne IdfSeu, pass IL down the line.
Better manhood. purer womanhood.
sweeter childhood
Ignorance, Indulgence, immortality
these are the black mans burdens.
Culture, cash. character-these are the
cures
The old negro with his disabili-
ties is to give place to a new negro
for the new times. And he is to rise
TO his best estate right here In the
heart of the South. The black man and
the white are. contrasts. not contraries:
complimentary opposites. not irrecon-
ciiable opponents. We are friends. not
enemies. Our interests are Identical
our destiny inseparable. To lift his bur-
den the black man must have a white
mans chance and the white mans
help"