Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-15
which points to the possibility OF indie
pendent and unaided development One


pendent and unaided development. One
flne morning, with a companion who was
also interested in things sociological, i
mounted fine roadster. After we had
gone some six or seven miles we began to
look around for the gfeat Alabama Quench-
er of thirst-the luscious watermelon. We
approached newly built farm house with
four rooms and separate kitchen. Beauti-
full flowers were growing in the front yard.
Fruit trees had been newly planted There
was good vegetable garden and pigs,
chickens and children were In plentiful evil
dence. A black man was blowing we'll
groomed mule. and the cotton. corn and
cane were as fine any we had seen that
morning. On asking If we might secure a
watermelon broad grin at once assured
house an ak de ole oman. Dey's some
good 'uns up dere." This he said and moth
ing more; but kept on diligently at his
work. which seemed to absorb his whole
soul. AS we came to the house we were
met by a black woman, barefoOted and
smoking pipe, She reluctantly withdrew
the pipe from her mouth, gave us seats
in rocking chairs on the porch and in an
incomprehensibly short time produced as
fine watermelon as will be grown in
Alabama this year. While indulging in
this luscious refreshment we began to ply
questions to our black hostess. We found
her to be a woman Of remarkable intell1-
gence as concerns the range Of topics and
told us how she and her husband had toll
ed early and late to pay for 100 acres of
as good land as there is in the neighbor-
hood. This had been done while raising a
family of eight children
Last Years Produce.
Last year, with the assistance Of one ten
ant, they raised eighteen bales of cotton.
two hundred gallons of syrup and a cribful
of corn. of whose contents she was not GER
tain, except that 1t was all they needed.
They raised all their own truck and garden
produce as well as hogs TO furnish their
meat. They never run a bill at any store,
but sometimes borrow money to supply
their tenant; for the use of this money they
pay 1917 per cent interest. This unlettered
black woman (she was not ignoranD knew
the probable yield of cotton per acre as
well its selling price, the value of land
in the community, and, In short. could give
Intelligent and adequate answers to all our
questions. She was as proud of her pos
sessions as little boy of a pair of red top
boots. They had over and over again re-
fused $500 for their holdings. She inform
ed us: Il wurks awful hard, but l don
mine, kase 1 what Use workin' fur
In this one sentence, uttered by this untu-
tored African woman. lies the whole OF
the philosophy and the ethics of the labor
problem. The only way to stimulate and
inspire the man with the hoe is to Undue
him with a hope.
These people are getting ready to send
their two oldest children to Tuskegee. 1t
has seldom been my good fortune to see a
man so thoroughly in love with his work.
On asking if he attended the farmers con-
ferences at Tuskegee he replied: NO, dey s
bin alter me to come but dey kin only show
you how to wurk an save and have some
thin; Use done larned dat. Tain no use
fer me ter ten" When l commented upon
his great industry and love for work. he
responded: You see, don no nuthin' else;
a man orter do whut he no, ortern he?
OF truth there is much philosophy on an
Alabama plantation.
A Credit to Race.
Here is a poor. unlettered man. with an
equally ignorant spouse, who, without out
side help or guidance, has by dint of his
own industry dug 81. 500 out Of the thin and
sa ndy soil of Alabama. He has an indie
pendent spirit and knows of the zest OF
ownership. He can read his title clear If
not to mansions in the sky, at least to AL
ALBANIA real estate, which is more tangible
and assuring. He Is not personally op.
pressed. Perhaps he does not see q white
man once week And yet he feels deep
down in his bones the wrongs and cruelties
heaped upon his race. This Is a type case
of what is taking place In thousands of in
stances throughout the black belt. Have
we not here most hopeful and encourage
ing Indication?
1t would be a crime to induce such man
to move to the city, where he could only dig
in sewer and live in an alley, thus crush
ing both body and spirit. But would his
children not stand a better chance for ed
ucation and general betterment? Let us
see. The great leaders of the negro race
from Fred. Douglass to Booker Washing
ton. have come from the log cabin. How
many have come from the city alley?
KELLY MILLER.