Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1907-02-01
Washington. D. G.
January q, 1907.
Especial to Bystander.)

{s,E W0CuAu8sOns ~. 49,
4 January q. 1907.
Especial to Bystander.)
The feeling Of the people has run
high since the President acted on
the Brownsville case, and all manner
Of hard things have been said OF the
colored race. l will say right here,
with all respect to Gen. Darlington
and the president, do not believe
the colored soldiers guilty as charged.
l understand there were 167 men In
all; II 1G7 coloned men Stood pat on
any agreed plan, to keep the same
concealed from his white neighbors
and officers, its the first time IN the
countrys history that the white man
has not found a Judas" among that
number. 1t has always been weak
ness of the colored man wherever 3,
4 or knew a thing about some 9TH
ers. the white man has always found
q Judas and got the facts he Is seek
ing. It is, however, mistaken idea
that the people have Of the colored
men of this country, that they want
to shield crime. There is no class or
race of people farther from the shield
ing of crime than the Negro race.
What is hurting the entire race is
they have been more prosecuted than
prosecuted. The colored man wants
to be stood before the courts and
tried according to law and evidence
found In every case. but, because
one man commits a crime for which
perhaps he should hang, don't perse-
cute the entire race, instead Of pro
scouting that one man. Because a
trial has been asked f)r by these dis
charged men, 1t has been said that
the race Is unfaithful and ungrateful
to the President, and the question is
being asked every day why the en-
tire race Is so worked up over this
matter? We answer the question by
calling your attention to the $50 men
and women put to death In the last
six years by mob violence, as fol-
lows:
1901. 1876; 1902, &c; 1908, 1o4; 1904.
81; 1905, 65; 1906, 73,. without a
chance to come before the courts, or
even being asked question by the
courts, lest more trial. This brings
them to think the epidemic has
struck the president whom they
thought the greatest friend they had
on the American continent. And this
is why the wohle race calls like one
man, why persecute us? ?OWhy not
take time, hunt the guilty and prose
cnte them? But, Mr.. Editor, with
two exceptions, think this q blessing
TO the colored people; first because
the innocent of these men are to suf-
fer; second because the colored vote
at this time is so disorganized. This
matter will, however, make the col
ored man stronger In every particu-
lar. They will have more respect for
their professional men. They will
spend more money with them. Al
ready men have begun to say here
in Washington. never had g col
ored doctor in my house, never had
colored lawyer, ] never had very
much respect for colored preachers,
and openly say, now we are going to
do business with them all. In some
of the speeches made on the Browns
vile affair, 1t has been said the whole
race is lazy, indolent and Indifferent.
] beg to differ. I want to call your
attention to a little thing that hap
pened two years ago In New York
city: In one of the resident parts OF
the city peopled mostly by whites,
colored people were renting very
nice fiat. At once rebellious feeling
sprang up among the whites and
these said these colored people must
leave the street, and the agent was or.
dered to put them out. A few colored
men formed syndicate and In 4S
hours they had on deposit 100000,
bought the fiat in question, put 1t In
repairs and had a sinking fund OF
$4,000. They then refilled the fiat
with the best colored tenants, and
are now receiving rent for the same:
The washington Post in speaking OF
this affair, says the white mans pre-
judice made wealth for the Negro. !
will also show from the following
figures, the wealth of the Negro by
states and territories.