The colored American., 1903-04-18

,,iduaI of the race. If we divide the
totaI amount of these products made
in the entire country, by the popula-
lion il will be found that the per
anita production is only $27.80, where
&c the cOlOred mans part is SCI per
raDira. thus showing his great activity
as an agricultural laborer, and the
snIendid part he is playing in the in
dustrial development of the Nation.
Can YOU wonder that all oppose emf
Grafton or any other schemei And this
vast annual contribution to the nation
al wealth he makes without disturbing
the Industrial and comerciaI tranquil
inv of the country by strikes or labor
riots Of any class whatever.
Where their skilled mechanics can
get employment, they are equally as
faithful in the discharge of their du-
ties as they are on the farm. Some
Of the finest buildings erected in the
South testify to their splendid knowl-
edge of the trades. A year ago the
thriving metropolis of Jacksonville,
Florida. was destroyed by fire. 1t has
within the twelve months phoeniX-Hke,
arisen from it's ashes, more beautiful
and enduring than ever before, and
il WIS by the skill of these men that
tna ravages of fire have been so soon
effaced and the city restored.
Since the colored man has done so
much for his country in trade and
commerce, it is interesting to inquire
what has he been doing for his own
elevation? | propose to tell you in a
few words what are supposed to be
the facts in the case.
Like the Son of Man, he started in
1865 so poor that " he had not where
TO lay his head" With no education,
no experience in business, with so
many enemies to way-lay him and with
so few friends to guide him that he
could walk all day without finding
one, has accumulated 10000 farms
worth $40O, 1000. Homes valued at
1925. 100000 and personal property
worth $165. 100000. Making a grand
total of $500, 600 900; thus presenting
to the world for his first generation of
freedom a per capita wealth of $4,000
for every man, woman and child of the
race.
If those figures are gratifying to all
students of sociology, and to the phil
anthrOpists of the country, how much
more satisfactory would the material
progress of the race be shown to be,
if all the wealth owned by it could
De enumerated. Ex-Governor Merriam,
the Director of the Census, says that at
least 100000 cOlOred people were clas-
sifed as white under the present cen
suS. If this number has come under
the attention of the Census Office, it
Is safe to say that at least twice this
number have been driven over to the
Caucasians in order to escape the
odium, the injustice and the humilia-
tons which fall to the lot of the color
ed man in our country.
1t is a reasonable presumption that
among this vast army of colored people
who are now classed as white, many
OF the most energetic, thrifty and en-
terprising of our people may be found.
Is 1t not reasonable to assume, that the
real wealth accumulated by the race,
since emancipation, would be far great
er, could the holding of this consider
able class now be enumerated?"
We have scores of men worth from
nlty TO one hundred thousand dollars,
Negro millionaire in Kansas only 40
years old, Negro estate of two mil
mons IN Pennsylvania. The Negro has
contributed largely to the material
progress of American industries-11,-
O'JOOO bales of cotton were produced
mainly by Negro labor in the South
IasI year. to say nothing of the tobac-
u, corn, rice, syrup and other crops.
me Negroes now own one twenty
sixth of all tba 1ond inia