The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-30
Race Problem of the South
Discussed by "a COI0redS Man
Restraints Of Slavery Chiefly Responsible Present
Cass Negro Victim of Too MuchLb

class. It can easily be seen that this
become an aspiring class Of
individuals. They would naturally seek
to emulate the examples Of their mas
tiers, and whenever opportunities at.
forded they would seek to make the
best and most Of them.
The IL per cent or "skilled labor
class" enjoyed still higher privileges
than either Of the other two classes.
Those that were handy in making i'm
plements, building houses or doing
skilled work of any kind, were set apart
laborers. They performed most Of the
south g skilled labor during the life OF
slavery. The confidence imposed in this
class naturally inspired self-confdence.
and they, more than any other class.
since emancipation, have made the
greatest advancement and have laid the
for racial progress and de-
velopment. The nation made no mis-
take in emancipating these two classes
and giving to them the right Of fran
chise. A very small per cent of negro
A Reform Movement. -
The most important of all efforts to-
day, both to the peace and harmony OF
America and the best interests Of the
negro, is the one being made thru the
work of the Loyal Legion of Labor to
reach, restrain and lift this thought
less, shiftless element of the race. The
plan of this organization provides that
twenty-five of the leading eolored men
of each community be selected as a
the interests of the race or races from
any point of view are brought before
this board. From the council board
are elected nine officers, who make up
an advisory board thru whom the work
Of dealing with every phase of the So
called Grace problem' is reduced to
a business system. To this movement
many of the best white men of the
country, north and south, are now Civ
port. Already in this city this organ
ization has opened quarters in the
Metropolitan Life building, and a
council board from. among the most
thoughtful and respectable Of the race
here has been selected, and the work
fairly launched in the northwest. From
this movement very practical results
are being obtained, such as cannot be
obtained thru any other medium. Thus
it can be seen, Mr.. Editor, that Vie
thoughtful negroes Of this and many
are wide awake to the fact that the
future Of their race depends very
largely upon their own efforts, and
with the cooperation of the master, or
employing, class of white in this and
other sections, many of the causes
heretofore responsible for racial con-
fict and trouble will be removed and
the thoughtless, shiftless negro will be
forced to higher and better planes of
living.
Present Conditions Logical.
Conditions existing today are and
have been but the logical and natural
outgrowth Of causes which have been
both misunderstood and overlooked by
many who have attempted to deal with
this vexed problem. These causes, Mr..
Editor, will not Of themselves take
wings and fly away. They. must first
and then be removed thru intelligent,
patient and sane methods.
There can come no solution Of this
problem, .and in fact, but little material
betterment of our present conditions
until the master or employing class Of
whites, north and south, wake up to
the. fact that they by reason Of Pc
culiar fate have been made Htheir
brothers. KEEPER and that therefore
their restraining influences in reaching
and holding in check this thoughtless
and shiftless element-with the aid Of
are Worth more than al Of the s miiionss
that they possess or can give for the
advancement Of the race.
An Illustration.
Let me illustrate: John Jones repre-
| IF rhS &oa
from whom the blacks receive their
| bread and butter by way Of employ
ment. He has in his employment a
negro who knows that John Jones is
so engrossed in his own affairs as to
| have no time to think of him when he
is off duty. If this negro leaves home
at 6 'clcok in the evening to return at
in the morning he feels free to spend
his time during the interval in the low
est groggeries or dens in the commune
ty, without any fear of his employer
knowing it. He conceives the idea
too, that this liberty means license for
him to do just as he pleases with no
one to speak to him but John Jones,
his employer. This negro represents
the thoughtlesss, shiftless element Of
the race, now responsible for our pres
ent serious racial condition. We can
not reach him thru our churches, our
schools or other various mediums. If
Booker T. Washington or any race
leader were to speak to him and at
tempt to lead him from his chosen
paths he would be frankly told to mind
his own business and 90 below. AS long
as John Jones is Indifferent or has NO
way of knowing how he spends his
time and fails to call for something
higher by way of service and manly eff.
fort, just So long will this negro con.
tinue to do as he pleases until John
Jones himself in utter disgust kicks
him out and damns the whole negro
race on account of his worthless. in.
dolent and criminal habits. As can be
seen, the cooperation Of John Jones
with those of the better class of ne
groes who do come in social touch with
this negro, and do know Of his man.
ner of living and worthless habits
" worth more in reaching him and cor.
recting his erroneous ideas of life and
shortcomings than all other influences
combined. It is thru this cooperation
that the work of reaching the causes
responsible for our present condition
and bringing about solution of the
race problem must in the future be di.
rected.
2. w. Mitchell, Supreme Master
Loyal Legion of Labor, u. S. A., 1895
Metropolitan Life Building.
HERE'S HARD LUCK
1t was only the oncet, but III never fergit
The fine, elegant meal that she cooked.
J | / kin see that fried chikin an hominy yit