Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-09-02

UNaCs &C VIII hoioiS TAKE issue VIII
our contention.
We can only claim credit then for
the achievements of the Egyptians
and the Chaldaens, IL we are to rest
our case upon the truths Of history
and even from this position this dis
tinguished pulpit orator and writer
will attempt 10 dislodge US. alleging
that we represent ali that is igno
rant. low and degrading and nothing
that is eIevaCing. pure and inspiring.
He is not slow in propounding his
questions Tor he says
Judged by this supreme test,
what contribution 70 human pro-
gress have the millions Of Africans
who inhabit this planet made during
the past four thousand years? Alb
solutely nothing And yet Mr.
Booker T. Washington in a recent
burst of elOquence over his educa-
tional work boldly declares:
The Negro race has developed
more rapidly in the thirty years Of
its freedom than the Latin race has
in one thousand years of freedom. q"
Tnink for a moment of the pitiful
puerility of this statement falling
from the lips OF the greatest and
wisest leader the Negro race has yet
produced"
Rev. Dixon forgets that barring
the record of the race, the Semitic
branch TO which we have referred,
we have no claim 70 make for we
were in the same condition as were
his forefathers, the Angles. the Sax
ons and the Gauls. We were like
the parents of us all and wore fig
leaves alone TO hide our nakedness.
The climatic conditions are known 20
affect the intellectual development
of some races.
But granting all that Rev. Dixon
was unkind enough 20 say and deal
ing with the Negro in this country
with life OF civilization. beginning
in 1919. what has been his progress
for that length Of time? II should
not be forgotten that England was
invaded in the 9th Century by the
Angles. the Saxons and the Jutes
and that the name Anglo-Saxon EN-
braces designations for the Low-Cer
maN stock OF people that invaded
Britain's shores. killed the native
Celtic-Britons. enslaved and drove
the rest Of them TO the mountain
regions of Wales and North Britain
The primaUve stock Of the White
race was as ignorant, as uncivilized
as uncouth. as were the Negroes
landed by the Dutch slave traders on
our shores We were slaves 2S6I
years. The White race was Jne vic
tim OF a similar experience.
During our sojourn in this coun-
Try. we nave attained remarkable
degree Of culture and a surprising
amount OF finance. Rev. Dixon
must admit that our progress dates
from 1865 20 the present time for at
that time we were given an oppor-
tunity to display the result Of our
training under the white mans tut
ton. We have Negro mechanics,
physicians. statesmen, orators. pro-
college presidents. lawyers,
surgeons, scientists. economists,
bank presidents, bank cashiers, bank
directors. ofice-holders, teachers,
real-estate agents, merchants, farm
ers, wholesale-dealers. insurance So
iicitors, presidents of insurance com
panies, authors. editors, journalists,
historians, poets, inventors. engi-
neers. West Point Military Institute
graduates. ship captains, officers in
the regular United States Army. the
ologIans. capitalists. publishers. lin
otype operators. hair-dressers, den
lists. pharmacists, chiropodists. spec
ialists in all diseases, artists, sculp-
tors. and experts in many other vo-
cations of life.
Rev. Dixon asks what have We
done? Here is the answer: The Ne
groes of this country. number
over nine million, according TO Uni
ted States Census Report. Bulletin
No. s. They produce (;172,12S,
OOO.) one hundred and seventy-two
million. one hundred and twenty
eight thousand dollars worth of cot
ton in one year, the profit on which
goes to tho White man in this coun-
try. These Negroes produce ($5,
756.351) five million, seven hundred
and ffty-six thousand, three hun
dred and ffty-one dollars worth of
tobacco per yeas the profit on which
goes to the white people Of this coun
try. These Negroes produce GA.
14s,s39.39) four million. one hun
dred and forty-elght thousand. nine
hundred and thirty-nine dollars and
thirty-nine cents worth Of wheat per
year, the profit on which goes to the
white people OF this country. These