The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-03-08
HENDERSON. N. c., THURSDAY, MAP 1906
G I'd AIV. ce from a Negro.
Charlotte Observer.

Rev. T. W. TlurstoE. the negro su-
perintrndent of the Ashley Bailey
Silk Mills ut Fayetteville, in which
more than 600 negroes ARE employ
ed, has contributed bv request to
the North Cai Olrna Baptist an inter
eSting article entitled. ''The Negro
What OF His Flu urp?" Rev. Thurs
ton ha> made Il NOTABLE. Success of
cnlOred labor in the silk mills. and
has received many compliments for
the manner in which he manages his
people and makpsinduStriDuS workers
of them He is IL man of ability and
knows all about the things of which
he writes. He takes the position that
the negro youth is rapidly Sinking
to thedepths of uselessnpss, insolen,p,
viriouSness The writer then cites
the mnnner in which domstir ser
wants perform their 1ut les aud com
NETS on their general unreliabilitv.
As Il result OF this condition of af-
fairs h- Says 1--WE seq our true, tried
and lifelong friends casting about to
find Others to take our Places" Con-
tinuing, Rev. ThurstOn saws:
The best people of the whole South
land look upon our progress with
pleasure and pride. They share our sor-
row in our suffering. but the stubborn
facts still face US. There are millions
who are practically dead to every sense
uf usefulness i'll their community, their
State or their country. Indolence and
ldleness can no more survive the indus
trial awakening than night can Outlive
sunshine. For one to continually call at
trntion to grievances. real or imaginary,
past or present, will not give strength
for life's struggles. Remember that
every lawful thing is a step somewh here
Ill the stairway up to greatness and to
God. That spirit of Kindness loyalty
and devotion that enthroned the moth
ers and fathers in the hearts of many of
the nob!eSt Sons and daughters of this
mighty Southland will at least make for
us friends. The great majority of the
race will never be able to do more than
to go hand in hand with the sturdy
army OF bread-winners acquire a modest
home and surround themselves with sim
pie comforts; and not that, if the oppor
tunity that is now before them is not
seen, seized and IMPROVED TO the mOles
and bats with this ceaseless agitation of
the separate cars and the late constitu-
tional amendment. They are not the
most important things that hinder our
back ward race We have got to start
our structures where our civilization
tind@ us. and build from the granite up
ward. and make ourselves the people
wanted upon the farm and in the home
i'll the shops and factories of the South
Rest you assured the people who do the
most and best for the least. will get the
most to do. whether they be negro Ital-
ian or any other class of the human fam
ilv."
The rulor"d writer regards + he pub
lie schools a~ the lulWHrkS OF the
negro, aud >u4ynsts IL special pro-
vision for manual training AS an i'm
provtnI+ ut upon the negro schools
"Our racial pride should not make
us too ANXIOUS to cut the negro
child'S garment by the white child 3
pattern" says he "The negro should
| be trained aS Il negro"
Rev. FhurstOn makes a strong ar
gnment for the proper training of the
npgrD youth. SO that idlenesS, inSO-
lence and viciousness may be elimi-
mated. In this he takes the correct
view, and if his ideasroulI be carried
out generally tine condition Of the ne
gro would be greatly improved. The
superintendent of the Fayetteville
silk mills has done great deal for
the negroes in this State. and it is Il
source of regret that the race has not
more leaders of his kind to point out
the proper course for it to pursue.