Smyrna times., 1903-03-18


been or are now collectors at the port,
OF Wilmington, N. c., Bedford, S. c..
Savannah, Ga, Jacksonville. Fla.
and Galveston, Texas. A colored maj
has presided over the deliberations O
the United States Senate performing
the duties of the Vice President of the
United States.
Our young men have graduated with
honor from Harvard. Yale, Dartmouth,
Amherst, Brown, Oberlin, West Point
and many other famous institutions of
learning in this country. We have
$4,000 school teachers, 500 physicians,
2oO lawyers, 3 banks, 300 authors. 400
editors and so many preachers that
no one has tried to count them.
Inc country is not without many
unmlstakable evidences of the results
OF the intellectual freedom of the race
1t may be seen in all the walks of life.
IN the black congressman, wisely and
faithfully representing his constituents
IN the halls of Congress: black editors
sitting in their sanotums and welding
a power that mOulds and makes public
sentiment, sending their silent vet
powerful pages into the homes and
cabins where their words will be read
at night and acted by day; the black
printer following the art preservative of
all the arts, following the trade of Ben
Jamln Franklin, Horace Greedy and
Mark Twain, wherein a drop of ink
falling on thought produces that
which makes millions think: the black
physician, skilful, busy and success
full, driving back disease and giving
trail humanity little longer lease of
life; the black jeweler selling pearls.
setting diamond, turning gold and
silver into ornaments to adorn the
beautiful and grace the brow of wealth:
the black merchant with his opening
days, bargain sales, closing out sales.
sacrifice sales, and cut rate prices,
polite clerks and free delivery. pleas.
ing the public and holding their pa
trOuage.
The black banker looking out upon
poor morals from his high position
and handling checks, bonds, bills and
mortgages with ease, grace and gain;
the black photographer catching upop
the sensitive film the fading features
of the old or the dimples and smiles of
the youth, which might all too soon
be gone and forgotten, did he not rem
der this welcome service; the black
dentist with his chair so soft and com
Portable, his tools so shining, sharp
and strong, with which he pulls and
plugs to relieve pain and encourage
pride; the black undertaken following
lls vocation with all the dignity that
ieath deserves, the crepe, tassels.
uneral car, the black horses and all
he pomp and splendor which mortals
1ut on the trappings of the tomb; the
black druggist compOunding potions
hat drive away the ills to which flesh
s heir, and dealing out to his fellows
vi ellxlrs, save the elixir of life; the
black college professor, learned in the
ore of all ages, and fluent in all the
anguages of men, leading his pupils
Up the steep and stony pathway of
knowledge; the black landlord with
lis row and blocks of houses from
which he collects rents with the regu-
arlty OF a clock and the certainty of
axes and death; the black clergyman
his ecclesiastical robes, scholarly,
loquent and polished, as he prays to
rod and pleads with men, by the side
the discouraged, at the bedside of
he dying, by the open grave, before
ne marriage altar and beside the bap-
smal fount the preacher becomes a
over among the people.
1t has become popular in these days
talk of going to Africa to claim for
ne negro only lowly position, and
ence only industrial education, and
lat the negro should eliminate him
9lf from political life. But those who
aim these things, forget that the
egro is an American, forget that the
egro IS progressive and does not con-
ne himself to any one sphere of life,
nd hence needs all the education that
ay be necessary for him to reach
ltferent spheres of life, and fill them
hen reached; they forget that vol
ntary failure to participate in the
lblic affairs of his community, his
ate or his nation is unbecoming an
merican citizen.
When other men shall have proved !
lse to the faith of the fathers, when
hers have forgotten public good for
'lVate purse, when others have for
ken the principles of liberty. equality :
Id fraternity, and let the old flag 5
all in the dust. NAV the neoro still I