The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-07
THE NEGRo's OPPORTUNITY.
He Must Prove Himself Willing
 Work. or Lose Out.

"OEAs BE hVHG oWts
 New York Tribune.
 It is doubtless unjust to lay up against the negro as his peculiar sin the fact that the Southern cotton plant CT is loud in his demands for more and more efficient labor. The Kansas wheat farmer, the New York dairyman, and the Massachusetts housekeeper issue the same call. When the officials of this State declare that 5000 laborers are needed in it's fields. and from ev- cry section of the country come com plaints that efficient labor cannot be found, 1t Is not surprising that the ne gro does not take to the cotton fields with desired enthusiasm.
 Nevertheless. when almost every Southern paper contains accounts of European trips to secure white agricul- tural labor. and tells of the satisfactory work of Italians at cotton raising. and the prospect of large immigration from Southern Europe, 1t behooves the friends and let CTS of the colored peo- pie to give attention to their prospects. In vain is agitation to right social and political wrongs for a people who for get to preserve for themselves place to work and to win for themselves the prosperity which will enable them to enjoy their rights. The negro has the first bid to do the work of the cotton fields If he will do 1t efficiently he can nave JnHl +lOiCNtl' V him 1t will be the basis of civilization and the door of opportunity. It will be what school teaching was to the ann bilious young New Englander of fifty years ago, what housework is to the green immigrant girl. who very likely in a few years has q comfortable home of her own But if he sacrifices this fortresshe surenders his future. There is no other ready resource for the bulk of the colored people, and If they de- sert the work which their white neigh bors will encourage them to do and help them to become prosperous in doing, they will forfeit a measure of sympathy and protection which Is of the greatest importance.
 The South is no longer satisfied with the abuse of It's fields It Is awake to the demands of successful agriculture and to the dangers of foreign compe- tltion in cotton growing. It Is deter mined to maintain it's supremacy and to secure efficient labor. A dispatch re- ports that the largest planter In the Mississippi delta Is now on his way to Europe saying that he is convinced. af- ter long experience. that the people of the South must cease relying on negro labor for cultivating cotton or course, the substitution of millions of whites for millions of negroes on the planta- tions is a matter of years, and could never be carried out to anything like completion. But every substitution of tbIs kind means the loss of opportunity to some negroes. not merely to earn a living In the cotton fields. but to estab- lish themselves on a firm foundation. Every negro leader, every farm confer ence, and every school should exert the utmost influence to arouse the colored people to do this work and do it well E Though the great mass of the negroes may be too old to acquire new habits, yet if on every plantation a few men can be placed who will show the energy and faithfulness attributed to the in- coming Italians, they can preserve this domain to their race,