Smyrna times., 1903-03-18
EVIDENCES OF PROGRESS
AMONG THE NEGRO RACE
ESSAY READ BEFORE THE LITERARY so.
ClETY OF CENTENNIAL CHURCH.
How the Black Man Has Advanced Since Time
Lincoln Removed the ShackIes By His
Famous Emancipation Proclamation.

teacher ofthe Smyrna ColOred Schools,
before the Literary Association OF
Centennial NJ. E. Church.:
Who can express the Joy which the
Emancipation Proclamation brought
to the individuals to whom freedom
came as a second birth? Yet it meant
more to the nation than to any indi-
vldual. Who can enumerate the
boundless and uumberless blessings
that 1t showered upon a race long held
IN bondage? Yet it meant more to the
whole country than to any one race.
In celebrating this event, which
shall ever remain great in the annals
OF our race, and great in the history of
this nation, and greater still as land
mark along the pathway of human life
and thought and action by which man
snail reach his highest DEVELOPMENT.
and the eternal principles of Justice.
freedom and liberty shall be, in fact,
ana not IN fancy, the common heritage
OF all. We are not narrow. selfish or
clannish, but demonstrating our patri
otto, loyal American spirit, that
acknowledges and honOrs every noble
act and exalted ideal of the nation. We
honor the flag. Standing beneath its
folds we declare our loyalty to be as
deep as its azure blue, and our de-
Votlon as true as its stars of white.
We recall the deeds and words of
statesmen, heroes, orators and legisla-
tors, ard remember that we are lust
heirs of the best that this nation has
ever won by valor on the battlefield.
achieved IN legislative halls. or pro-
claimed from the public platform.
We honor our heroes, both dead and
hVlng. Douglass, the peerless prince
OF the platform; Langston, the silver
tongued orator; Bruce, the renowned
statesman; Williams, the historian;
Garnett and Payne, eloquent cham
plons OF righteousness and the rights
OF their race, have, with multitude of
others, passed over to the silent major |
lty. They sleep in graves over which the |
shining marble may well tell of their
vaIor, their virtues, and their victories.
Then again, we thank God for living
leaders, men that have struggled up
from the depth, men that in the face of
prejudice have won for themselves a
place; men that amid darkness have
held aloft hight, Lyons in the DO
htlcal arena, Washington as an edu-
Gator, Arnett in the ecclesiastical robes
Of the church, Scarborough in scholar
ship, Young in the army, Straker in
law, and Williams in medicine, Tan
ner in art, Dunbar in literature: are
the representatives of the many lines
along which we have living leaders.
or whom we should feel proud.
Let us not fail to honor the men and
women of the race who are living for
the race, and by their lives enobling
Its name, keeping its honor unsullied
and increasing its power and progress.
ears ago, says the New York Tri-
O""e, when the bronze castings for
the statue of liberty, on the capitol at
washington were being completed at
the foundry of Mr.. Mills, near Blad-
ensburg, his foreman, who was receiv-
ing eight dollars a day, struck and
demanded ten, assuring Mr.. Mills that
the demand must be granted him. as
NOBODY In America, except himself.
could complete the work. Mr.. Mills
felt that the demand was exborbitant
and appealed in his dilemma to the
slaves who were assisting in the mould
dlng. can do that well, said one of
them, an intelligent and Ingenious
servant, who had been intimately en-.
gagged IN the various processes. The
striker was dismissed, the negro took
MS place and the work went on. The
black master builder lifted the ponder
ous' uneouth masses and bolted them
Iogether' Joint by joint, piece by piece.
nhtll they blended into the majestic I
free ION, which today lifts her head in
The blue clouds above Washington in.
Voklng benediction npon the Repub-
'lc' as Ihere prophecy In that moment
when the slave became the artist and O
with rare poetic genius reconstructed P
the beautiful symbol of freedom for s
america? Did it mean nothing that a
again in the hour of need the black t
hand was stretched forth to help? b
Will now bring to your notice the b
intellectual force shown in business. a
professional and public life. The race II
now pays taxes on 5000, 900, 900 worth r
n oI property, owns 1000 farms, 15O, fl
!Oo homes and has raised $40, 900. 900 b
ior It's own education. Two negroes Il
nave been United States Senators and 1
TWO nave written their names upon the W
currency OF the nation. A negro has 81
)een governor of ono of ~ 49, . | +,