The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-26
MAKES A PLEA FOR
THE NEEDS OF
THE NEGRO
Rev. W. D. Carter, Of the
Pilgrim Baptist Church,
Says His Brethren Should
Own Land, Run Newspa-
pers, Have Representation
on School Boards and Els
chew Church Dogmas.

The Rev. w. D. Carter, pastor Of the
Pilgrim Baptist church, addressed the
members of the Mems Sunday club
yesterday afternoon on THE Needs of
the Negro He said in part
All things being equal our needs
are identical with the needs of other
varieties of the human family. But
since no one can claina-that we have
had all things equal, it is correct to
say that the negro, as a race, has es-
pecial or peculiar needs, needs born Of
lack of opportunity and of the dfspar-
ity consequent upon the great disad-
VantageS against which we have la
bored for over 800 years.
THE first twenty-five decades of
negro life in America We're spent in
leveling forest, building railroads, cuI-
tivating the soil, constructing dykes
and building harborS, out of which
have grown unknown wealth possessed
by the white man. 1t is possessed by
him because our ancestors did the
work, for which neither they nor we
have ever been paid.
"There' is another disparity in our
start which has run through the last
four or five decades, and that is the
entire lack of, or at best, but poor, OPP
portunities educationally. Neverthe-
less, We have accomplished sufficient to
secure acknowledgment of the world
for intellectual prowess and capacity.
I'VE can find black men able to read,
write and speak all the languages and
dialects, and there is no mechanical
art unknown to the negro that is
known to the white man, except those
from which he has been persistently
and unjustIy excluded. Now. with
these facts before us, what are the
needs of the negro?
Negro Needs Land.
First, we need more land Our land
possessions are very, very small when
compared with those of the white race
TO be a strong and competitive race,
we must own land. The great rail-
road and steamship companies will ac-
cord us but little recognition so long
as we are not known in the markets
OF the world as producers and ship
pers. We must. therefore, enter the
markets with out cotton, grain and
live stock, produced upon our own acres
| Of land, or at least land under our i'm
mediate control.
Il wish to lay especial emphasis upon
our need Of more newspapers and
books edited and published by negroes
-clear-headed, heroic, unselfish and
cultured negrOeS-men who wish not
only for their own achievements, but
for the advancement of all men as
| we'll, who, nevertheless being Of the
| discussion of the needs and conditions
| among us in the most helpful manner.
Il tell you the truth when I say that
we must not expect boOkWriters, news
paper editors and reporters to devote
space Which costs money to the direct
and constant stimulation Of our race
The news of the undertaking and sue
cess of the members Of any race are
encouraging to others, and if we would
stir our youths to the greatest I'M
dertak1ngS and achievements, they
must have lively newspapers, too.
1 wish to say, however that we owe
debt of gratitude to the white press
for advancing our interests as it does.
But every town with a considerable
negro population ought to have a good,
clean, fearless, wide-aWake newspa-
per, and that paper ought to have the
universal support Of the people in
whose especial interest it is published
Experience has taught me that, while
it is true that many negro editors seem
not to rise in appreciation of their re-
sponsibilities, it is also true, to a great
er extent, that the negro laity does not
support the negro press, and thereby
make it potent.
Need School Representation.
eve also need more representation
on school faculties and boards of edu-
citation, for, say what you will, there
are many things which ought to be
taught to black and white alike which
are not but would be if we had mixed
teachers in mixed schools, for no one
can study the books made by white
bookmakers without every now and
| then being impressed that the, book
must have been written for white peo-
pie.
I'VE need close contact one to the
other We have let religion and re-
ligiOus dogmas, ereeds and isms divide
US into too many factions, and not one
! of them has strength enough to stand
upon it's part-clay and part-iron feet.
Every man ought to be allowed to
worship God according to the dfcta-
tions of his own conscience, and at
the same time be a fit subject to enter
an alliance with some other man of
different religious views in business.
| Our business relation ought to become
more symmetrical, and to bring this
! about there must be closer contact
! from business standpoint. We
! should, in spite Of our religious pro-
| clivities, get together in land buying.
merchandising, joint stock companies
and investment associations"