The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-08-03

view OF the better class OF negroes
who are brayely struggling 10 nft
their race 70 a higher moral. intellect
ual and industrial plane. They real
ize that when the negro was made 4
pawn on the chessboard OF national
politics halt the benefits and higher
possibilities Of emancipation were
kicked aside by partisan self.seeking.
Il was sought 20 make the negro
political peon Of the Republican party,
and though the result was not all that
his political masters expected, It was
effective enough to do the negro in
ceicnlahle injury TO. Il destroyed his
individualism-the quality that The
Atlanta Independent recognizes as
his only salvation In the struggle for
existence. Instead Of each negro ar
plying himself to his own evolution
along the lines Of the Booker Washing
ton and Independent idea, he remain
ed a stupid part of a densely ignorant
turbulent and vicious mass, regarding
his natural and consistent friends in
the south as his implacable racial en-.
emy And so It came to pass that in
stead Of evolutine to the full capabili-
ties Of his race the negro in the mass
sold his birthright Of freedom for
miserable mess Of Republican pottagc
and became degenerate.
The degeneracy Of the negro race in
the south is logically traceable to the
insolence and delusion Of his political
solidarity. Let the Atlanta Age, an
other negro paper OF influence, de-
scribe what is the matter of the alb
stract negro;
There used to be a time when the
negro race was judged by its iutelli-
gent, Industrious, virtuous and self
respecting members. That is to say
these constituted the race, and were
so regarded by people of other races
But what do we see now? The crap
shooters, whisky and beer guzzlers.
both male and female, the women who
dance and carouse all night and sleep
most OF the day the nen who live by
hook and crook and who will not work.
for anybody-these are the people who
are claiming to be the real negro race. {
and they are fast becoming so recog.
nized. Young men who drive draws OF
work on buildings or dig in the earth
or toll by the sweat on their brow for
an honest living, you are laughed AT
by this class, your working clothes
and your dinner pals are considered
signs of disgrace You women who
find pleasure in doing whatever work
It falls to your lot TO 40 are sneered
at and criticised by these new leaders
Of the negro race. They are every
where and wherever taey are they are
drunk, noisy, fussy and readv to stick
a knife into each others hearts OF blow
each others brains out. The young
rowdies with their pistols and razors
and the young women with their lazi-
ness and immortality are pushing them
selves to the front as the negro race
and they are so being regarded by the
whites, while people who respect
themselves are regarded as only a part
OF the race"
There is only one remedy, and that
The Atlanta Independent has had the
courage and wisdom TO announce. Tho
ignorant negro-that IS TO say, the
negro mass as at present constituted
must stop its childish attempt 10 play
in the political fire, go to work. go TO
church, go 10 school, learn a trade, cul-
tivate some common sense, and with
il the good opinion and friendship Of
fair-minded white people who have be-
come disgusted with the political
nieeet" the type above described ny
The Atlanta AGE.
The neeros redemption is in his
own hands. When he has redeemed
himself It is time enough for him TO
claim full citizenship PRIVILEGES.