Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1905-06-16
things which tickle the vanity of
the whites.

| cannot support their own schools
Why do we have such vast ar.
my of school beggars continually
coming north? The Negroes Of
the South shonld never forget
that it was largely through the
white abolitionists of the North,
and the free Negroes of the
North that they are free to-day.
They should also bear in mind
that it is through the continual
agitation of the Northern Ne.
groes that saves them from com.
plete subjugation.. For it is a
we'll known truism that the Ne
groes of the South as whole,
are towards, morally as we'll as
physically.
But this abusing the Northern
Negroes, and the North in gener-
al by these Negro itinerants must
be stopped. And they must be
told to stop through the Negro
press Of the North and by self
respecting Northern Negroes.
This man James went on to say
that disfranchisement was the
best thing for the Negro in the
black belt. Does he not know
that a citizen in this republic can
be reduced to actual serfdom, un-
less he has the power to defend
his rights and interests by means
of the ballot? This is true even
in Alabama. Does he not know
that it i'll becomes a man, who is
supposed to be the principal of
some institution which has for its
aim "elevation,' and that it
classes him as an educated fool,
to endorse the degradation of his
race by the enemies of his race?
Does he not know that our right
to vote is constitutional, and that
it was made so by millions of
lives and millions of dollars, and
that when we are denied that
right by artifice, cupidity and
fraud even of states, our consti.
tutional rights are being stolen
from us?
Of course we don't want igro-
raut Negroes to vote, neither do
we want ignorant Caucasians to
vote. All we demand is a univer-
sal test which shall be erigidly ap-
piled to both races and and as for
corrupt politics and politicians
this is in evidence in the center
of American civilization and cul-
ture, viz: Boston, New York
and Philadelphia. We would
suggest to the Rev. James to
study the ward boss in our large
Eastern cities.
Yes we know to our sorrow
that the Negro of the South fur
nishes more than ninety per cent
of our crime. Chicago, Philadel-
pl1ia and New York are good IL
lustratiyns. If this criminal
class cannot remain in the South
they must not be permitted to in
discriminatory flock up to the
North for they are undermining
to an alarming degree the we'll
being of Northern Negroes. The
Northern Negroes should See to
it that this criminal influx from
the South be crrtailed. But it
further seems to us if these South
ern Negroes are 50 much better
than we Northern Negroes that
they would take some steps to re-
form their criminal element
which is a menace to the progress
of the entire race.
We are informed by pretty
good authority that the store
which Mr.. James mentions in
his lecture as being the best one
in the state controlled by Ne
groes is actually supported by
the whites. The Negro proprie-
tors refuse to cater to their own
race. We have always contended
that it is only because the South
ern Negroes have been forced to
! do something for themselves that
has made them make any effort
whatsoever to rise. Love of race
never actuated them. to achieve
ment. We, therefore give them
no credit for what they have done
0Yes, you told the truth when you
said "we were religious race" "
all races are more or less reli-