The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-03-29

and my'friend the venerable Dr. Crunl-
 mell and many other black men whom
 l am proud to call friends, who are do-
 ing steady, vigorous work for their race
 in the south, are apparently not tor
 mented by any such vague discontent.
 These sentimental objections to the
 provlncialism of the south fade into
 nothingness in the face of the great
 fact that the negro to live must find
 work, and that his old masters will give him work, and his new friends in
 the north will not, The trades unions here shut him out. But there is not a town in the south to-day where black
 mason or carpenter or blacksmith can
 not find work and wages, The real diff
 ficulty there in his way is that, as a
 rule, he will not work steadily. Every
 capitalist who has operated in the
 southern states will tell the same story of the negroes who would work for d
 week and as soon as they were paid
 would Hay off to rest up for a fort
 night. It Is this unconquerable habit of
 the negro workman that has closed face 1 tories and phosphate works from Caro- l lima to the Gulf
 On the other hand, you will scarcely find town or village in the south that has not it's industrious, shrewd, suc- cessful negro--a mechanic, a trader; an employer of other men, self-respecting and respected by his white neighbors. l The sum of the whole matter is, that both the white and black leaders of the race have fallen too much into the hab- | it of considering it as unit, or urging | it here and there, and of prophesying | defeat or victory Of 1t as a whole peo- pie.
 The fact is that the defeat or success of the negro. as of the white, depends upon himself as an individual. He has, it is true, to contend against an absurd and cruel prejudice. But every man has to contend against some difficulty a dull brain or deafness. or tendency bequeathed by his grandfathers to drink, or to lie or to steal. Whoever he Is, he sure that he has his fight to make.
 The negro almost without a fight, has gained freedom, suffrage and education
 now he wants work and has difficulty in getting it. just as women had thirty years ago. They have it now.
 In spite of this difficulty, I should like to show him that he can succeed, if he keeps his head works steadily to his prpose, trusts in God and deserves suc- cess.
 I have in mind now a freed slave who came to Philadelphia in the eos. He had only learned to read and write; he had not dollar, or friend in the city. But he was honest. he had keen moth- erwit, unfagging capacity for work. \ and that fine natural courtesy in which his race so far surpasses ours. He be- gan work as a waiter. then became a caterer: then employed other men and women and made his establishment a universal aid to housekeepers. He laid carpets. he draped your curtains he cooked and served your meals. he took charge of your moving and carried you from one house to the other as quietly as if you were on a magic carpet. In word and work he never was known to be slack. His business increased rapid ly He took enormous buildings into his care, his huge vans were seen in ev- cry street When the town fell asleep in summer he went to a seaside resort and opened a great cafe. When he died lie left a comfortable fortune to his children and an honorable name. Eve rybody felt that Philadelphia had lost one of her most useful and worthy citi- zens.
 What one man has done others may do It is a significant fact, however, that there was not an educated young negro in Philadelphia ready or willing | to take the good will of this mans bus mess or to carry it on when he died
 I have known other freed slaves in | the same town who unaided made their l way to comfort, even luxury, as pur- | veyors. coal dealers, even brokers. | Success waits for the black or white | man who works for 1t. No man is the | sport of any god The negro leaders do I irreparable damage to their people by | their incessant melancholy walls of | and defeat.-Rebecca Hard ing Davis in the Independent.