Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-10-08
Owhen the Ncgr,
..nich tima Il. labor in

.snlch time iNS laoor In tha
.vrests ano producing grain :. her
agricultural products brought edccess
where hitherto efforts TO establish per-
nianent settlements had been n dismal
failure. This class of labor, the essential
element in new country proved so I'M
mensely valuable that it was soon
brought into general use both North and
South OF Virginia and like magic per
manent settlements sprang mp as the
labor of the Negro slave cleared away
the forests, built houses, fences and
planted crops thus establishing n perma-
nent civilization, then when the en-
croachm6 nts of the white man upon the
hunting grounds Of the red man arous-
ed the ire of the latter and caused him
to don the paint and enter the war path
with tomahawk and scalping knife in
hand, thirsting for the white mans
blood; this same black son of unrtquit-
ed toll threw himself in thousands of
instances between the uplifted toma-
hawk of the enraged savrge and the
helpless and otherwise defenseless heads
of white women and children and not
only this but IN every war from those
days OF Indian savagery to the latest
display of PHILIPPINE treachery Negro
blood has stained the soil as an attesta-
tion of his faithfulness Co the white
man and loyalty to the American flag,
an emblem that has ever been to him
an insignia Of full protection and equal
Justice.
In all these centuries of the past in
America the Negro has occupied very
unique and trying position. He has of p
ten been called upon to give his life in
defense of the country in which he was
himself outiawed. He has fought in
many battles. campaigns and wars for
the liberties of others without enjoying
the same boon himself, he has toiled for
centuries 70 provide luXuries for others
while the simplest comforts were denied
10 hlm. And even since universal lib
erty has been proclaimed, practical ex-
perlence proves that its enemies have
succeeded in fastening "A string to it, so
that In many of its features it is a dis.
NAL failure so far as the Negro is con-
cerned, yet Notwithstanding all he has
suffered, his most inveterate enemies
\ must admit that he has always as race,
proven himself most valuable adjunct
IN time OF peace and an indisptnsi
clemens III time of war. never fiinching
from duty or showing the white feath-
er IN tie presence of danger. Since the
emancipation to the present the progress
made by that race in the acquisition of
property and education and the advance
ment along moral lines defy comparison
IN any age or country and has elected
the highest encomIums of praise from
many of the great men and women of
all civilized nations of the world. Not
wlthstandlng his faithfulness and
achievements which have proven him
equal to any test of manhood Tie Negro
finds himself still surrounded by in.
huences most peculiar and confronted
by conditions, the changes of which
mean much TO him and to the whole
country. In all Of the periods of the
past he has had strong friends and bit
ter, barbarous, unscrupulous enemies.
This condition still confronts him. These
enemies have always been active, saga
clous and persistent and many times ex.
ceedlngly wise IN their efforts to ruin
MIN. They are not less so now, and in
proportion to the success had by them
along those lines ia the same proportion
are the privileges, rights and liberties of
the Negro jeopardized
wish to direct attention to one of
least, of the most dangerous efforts as I
see 1t, yet made by our opponents since
emancipation, viz; that of educating
public sentiment against the race. This
effort has been so systematic, persistent.
relentless and unscrupulous that it is