Richmond planet., 1906-02-24

the stage. Moreover, this pro
gramme has not yet been reache I.
nor will il until the educational ia
cilities OF the black Southernsrs
have been further curtailed and the
Fifteenth Amendment repealed.
THE QUESTION OF QUESTIONS.
We may turn our heaus as We will
yet this we know has been the his
tory OF the last two decades and a
half. and the burning question for
US Is, What are We going TO do about
it, The time for action-united
solemn action-is at hand We
must shake OF our lethargy. Let
us, as black men and women. no
longer dream that others are going
TO ask FOR us what we fear TO ask
for ourselves. Let us never imag-
inc that the work OF ten million will
be done IL each individual seeks
merely his own advantage and not
that OF the common good.
agree with those earnest men
who urge on the masses Of the Ne
gro Americans the pressing need OF
earning decent living. OF achieving
individual freedom and girdinC
themselves for the worlds work.
Under benevolent jespotism the
greater energies OF all could be de-
voted 10 this end. but under a re-
public, where the common will is
sovereign this is impossible. A
disfranchised people in a republic is
an anomaly and a contradiction. a
temptation ana an evil. And when.
In addition TO this. there is in the
republic virulent antipathy toward
the uisfranchised. due TO racial diff
ference or social caste. poverty or
Ignorance. then Il means that the
unfortunate group must bend under
such civil and economic tyranny
that II is impossible for Il 20 work
efficiently. So long as the Negro OF
the South has almost no defence in
law or politics against the racial re-
action which is slowly throttling
him. he cannot hope TO earn a de-
cent living.
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE
LAW.
Both the letter OF the law. its in
terpretation and the manner of it's
administration drag the worker
down; laws as TO labor contracts.
laws as TO vagrancy. the granting
and taxing of public franchises, the
assessment of property, the right OF
domicile-nearly all such laws in
the South are grossly unfair to the
poor and black, while in the admin
istration &C she Jaw the black man
is openly and continually discrimina
ted against through the discretion
airy power of white juries, the meth
DDS OF foreclosing liens and morSga
ges. the preservation of order and
the assessments of property
Under such circumstances how
can any one reasonably expect the
Southern black laborer TO defen I
his right to earn a living-to secure
a Just share of the fruits of his toll?
Is there a single instance In the
modern industrial world of a group
OF laborers in direct sharp competi-
tion with free skilled voters main
tanning themselves without a voice
in their own government Is there
any thoughtful man that supposes
that race Handicapped already by
It's fearful heritage from slavery is
going to be able TO do what the most
intelligent laborers cannot do?
ACTIVE AND UNITED EFFORT.
Not only In these years of com
promise has the Negro been uisfran-
chised and segregated. but bold and
and ever bolder blows have been
aimed at the increase OF intelligence
and initiative within his ranks. So
cial and spiritual organization and
leadership must be evolved IL this
segregated ostraeised group is TO
make steady permanent advance
ment; ne needs guidance and lead
ership, but the very forces that have
disfranchised him are working to
curtail his educational advantages.
To meet such a situation nothing
but determined, active and united
effort Will avail The history of A
merica and of the world proves that
no people will ever get what II has
not the backbone to at least stand
up and ask for.
But this is not simply a matter OF
interest to a single group-a small
minority of this great land. We
might as well frankly acknowledge
that great many Americans. while
admitting that the tide Of battle is
going against the rights OF black
men in this land. nevertheless let
matters drift because they think