The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-08-05
Ghs messrnarr.
COLOR LINE IN NEW YORK.


city have adopted a plan for ~etaliat-
ing upon the whites OF that city fol-
drawing the color line so strictly. II
Is nothing less than the organization
Of a real estate company for securing
residences for negroes in the midst OF
residential sections of the whites. 1t
IS called the Afro-American Realty
Company. 1t was organized by eleven
negroes n is said TO have a capital
OF half a million dollars The object OF
the company according to The Evening
Mail rs to acquire leases in localities
and tenements now occupied only by
the whites and to make the luxury OF
race prejudice very expensive in New
York City" The Evening Mail says:
The aim of the far-sighted, self
respecting negro is not 10 thrust his
presence into any household. locality
Or community where he is obnoxious.
II is to rule his own life and elevate
that OF all members of his race whom
he can aid Or influence SO that preJu-
dice where it exists will be lessened and
not intensified
we ppo these "far-sighted ne
groes' think they can lessen the pre-
JUDGE against social equality by the
white people of New York by locating
negroes in the white districts; that so
long as the negroes keep to themselves
and live only in certain sections of the
city inhabited only by themselves this
prejudice will remain and the white
people will continue TO look down upon
them. Their idea OF the best means
to remove this feeling is to force negro
h~ouseholders upon those of the white
race. This is a unique way for the
negroes to satisfy their revenge upon
the white people of that city for the
manner in which they have been treat
%.
II cannot be denied that negroes have
often received harsh and unjust treat
ment in that and other northern cities.
They have at last hit upon a plan to
get even with these people.
That their plan has caused conster-
nation to the whites will surprise no
One. 1t is said that in every instance
where this plan has been carried out
the white people Of the locality have
moved TO other sections.
This negro company has located sew.
eral small colonies under this plan, and
they are causing much uneasiness
among property owners A settlement
of such a colony, of course, decreases
the value of adjacent property.
I'VE hope such companies will be
formed in Boston. Philadelphia, Pitts
burg and the larger cities of the states
of Ohio and Indiana and We wish sue
cess to every one Of them. There could
be no better way Of bringing directly
home to the white people of these cities
the negro question. 1t puts the case be-
fore them in a way that nothing else
could. We hope the Boston company,
as soon as it is organized, will secure
residential property on the Back Bay
and locate a number of negro families
there, We're sue. course Ike in these
cities we would soon hear nothing more
from them of the injustice of the south
ern people to the negroes in keeping
the latter at arms length. Let tie
good work go on.
The Evening Mail says it must be
admitted that the negro has the 'lega.
right"1tO choose the place Of his
abode wherever his means will permit
him to pay the rent and living ex'
penses." This legal right of the negro
is not denied at the south. and the ne
gro is in the habit of exercising these
rights without hinderance from tn,
white people. This can be seen in tn
cities and towns all over the south. 1
is true that here the negroes general.
prefer TO live together in exclusive set
dement's or sections of the cities, bu
thy are not forced to do so by hat pre-
JUDGE which in the northern cities ha
forced them to it. 1t is only in tn
Northern cities that they are forced L
forego these legal rights to whicl
The Evening Mail says they are ent
tied.
We are glad to see the negroes hav
taken steps to enforce these rights an
in a manner which will give thei
neighbors better acquaintance wit
their brothers in black.
There is only one reason for regret
ting this action N that is it ma
cause serious encounters between tn
two races and bring additional troubl
upon those negroes who think, becaus
these white people make UGH strenu
Gus protestations OF friendship fo
them. that they are in earnest and wi
act up to their words when the condi
tons thew urge for the south are Mace
upon themselves.
Russia seems to be the only countr
in danger from the yellow peril.
She is suffering from it daily.