The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-15
Man Who Owns Home.

Man Who Owns Home.
 "The man who owns a home, who is a taxpayer and has a little money in the bank, is not the one who disturbs the community by the committing of crime. In the direction of the opportunitq for labor, let me repeat that there is no ex- cuse for any man or any woman to be in likeness or to go hungry because of lack of occupation. In common labor skilled labor, domestic employment, as well as in professional life, the oppor- tunities right about us are rich to over- flowing with encouragement In order that we may hold the occupations that we now have access to, however, 1t is very important that we not only grow in gen. eral Intelligence, but that we apply ouI intelligence to the better performance oi service.
 ''There must be a harnessing of oui head knowledge to the skill O. the hand In every part of the world people arc learning to perform all kinds of work 1T a more intelligent and up-to-date man ner than has ever been true before, an6 unless the negro makes the same kind oi advance that the white man is making the black man will find himself shut out from many industrial occupations.
 "The negro should not only become 2 carpenter, but seek by study, by investi gation, to become the very best and mos skilled carpenter in his community. Int negro woman should not only be a cook but she should seek by proper training study and preparation to become the mos acceptable cook in her community. There is no disgrace in this kind of service; tho disgrace only comes when there Is pooi service In proportion as we learn to lay the foundation in these fundamental oc. equations, in the same proportion will we help our lawyers, doctors and minis ters to prosper, for without this ma terial foundation it will be impossible foi us to have professional class Of peo. pie who can succeed.
 "Already in many of the United States you will find the German cook or the French cook with not only common schoo education but with college and technica education and they will soon be invading the south and the place now occupied bS many of our men and women in domestic service will be taken by foreigners unless we show that we are able to apply th' same degree of brains and skill and con scientious effort to the performance oi our duties that those foreigners do.
 Should Be Reliable.
 eve must not only seek to grow 1T the better performance of service monti | by month, but to become more constan | and reliable. I would not seek to hol' from you the fact that complaint is of | ten made to the effect that many blacl men and women cannot be depended upon for reliable service It Is said tha many will work until they get littl money and then they cease working untl that has been expended or gets away I riotous living; that if an excursion camp meeting is to occur, regardless o the effect upon the employers business the negro will leave his work and go O the excursion or to the camp meeting. | Our leaders, and especially our minis ters and teachers, should see to 1t tha a public sentiment is kept alive In ever | community that will result in gettin rid of the idle class about the street cor | ners and dens of sin and misery in ou | large cities. In many of these cities ther are enough idlers to operate dozens. an I am almost tempted to add. hundreds o | plantations for themselves or for others