The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-01

is a color line here, yes. but If a
negro wants a job IN this country, he
can get il, II he can do the work
He will not be forced to starve to
death just because of his color
Now, We We're treated with the
greatest kindness and appreciation in
England We We're amusing We were
curioSities. We were freaks, if you
choose to put it that way But ev-
erywhere 1 went, every step OF the
way, felt that il were not In the
theatrical profession, if I were not,
with the rest of our company, more
or less of a novelty, 1 would be al
lowed to starve to death before I
could ever get a chance to do lick
of work to earn the price of meal
They are cold. cold people
Yes Clipped in Mrs Walker.
they won't laugh in Il theater until
Mrs So-and-So has laughed They
are all watching her. If she doesn't
laugh. then their eyes dance and they
are entertained, but they must not
show IT. If she laughs, then every
body laughs 1t isn't free country
But did Williams and Walker ever
make Mrs. So-andSo laugh2' asked the
interviewer.
"-Sure we did, rejoined the head of
the house of Walker. But what we
mean is that we resented their wait
ing for some one else TO give the cue
before they dared express their own
real feeling. We may get all kinds of
talk about the color line over here
For myself and for Bert Williams,
will say that We have never had any
trouble and that / never knew the
Self-rsspecting colored man who did
90 But we know that at bottom the
people of the United States, no matter
how much they may differ in color.
have some heart. and that you can
find il if you look for it in the right
way. and If I could say. without dep
recating the many kindnesSes We re-
ceived on the other side, that the same
a lrr-n Il fcn hi a
over there-it would express exactly
what my feelings were
1t was just year ago today that
the Williams & Walker company was
commanded TO appear before the royal
family at Buckingham palace The
event is httingIy commemorated on
the stationery OF the company by the
emblazoning thereon of the royal coat
Of-arms. and INTERVENING therein the
Williams & Walker firm name. with
the date of the royal appearance duly
inscribed below. There was a report
on Broadway last night that all the
mem bers of the company had their
undergarmentS emblazoned with the
same device, over their mOnograms.
Mr.. Walker explained further what
he meant by saying that Britishers
did not give negro a square deal
as a man and a brother
You let a black man get into an
automobile and start off with it over
there said he. The folks on the
street VIII stare and Sn1Ver IKE they
were going TO throw a fit I don't
know. but L hope that we taught them
a little something about the mental
of the American negro. They
are used to colored folks from all
sorts of OutIandiSh countries They
would come up to US with all sorts of
foreign tongues.
.. 'Kee-weei Polly woofuzzy Az
says the first man who was introduced
to me over there.
No, friend says L Not that for
me- Plain L $. A is my talk
He fell back and was clean as
tonished- But after they found we had
the goods with US and had some COM
mon intelligence we had no trouble
at all
to No, this is the coIored mans
country for a fair chance, just as it
is the white mans We may not know
all there is to know. but We know
when we are well Off"