Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-06-26
THE AMERICAN QUESTION
Address by Rev. W. J. Lucas to
Body of Colored Citizens
of Lexington


of Lexington
The following address ives delivered
by Rev. w. j. Lucas, pastor OF the
First Baptist Church Of Lexington, be
fore recent meeting Of the "Citizens
Improvement League, an organization
composed of colored citizens OF Lex
ington.
Mr.. Chairman, Gentlemen, and Fellow
Citizens:
/ am before you to speak in behalf
of 100000 people of African decent,
who aforetime were held in cruel bond
age, but who now have become citizens
of the United States.
Negroes are as truly American as are
anv people who lrhabit this land. His
blood has been spilled in every war
waged by this country, and this, II
nothing else, gives him a rightful
claim on this government for protec"
ton. He has never been guilty OF dis
LOYALTY to the government, but on the
other hand has ever been loyal, law
abiding subject, with the exception OF
certain instances Of riot caused by vice
and ignorance, and on account Of
which things, the entire race should
not be made to suffer.
In a discussion Of the "Great Ameri
can Question, 1t is best that facts be
stated plainly, no matter how distaste-
full they may be, either to myself OF
others.
we have before us, that Is, this great
nation. a SO called momentOus problem.
Granting that this Is true, l am com
pelled to say that it is nothing more
than what has been the case with all
nations of any note, and herce why
should the Negro problem, like giant
specter, scare the time honored sophis-
ticated craftsmanship of this great
nation into frenzy
This problem Of today, is precisely
what all the previous problems OF ma
tions heretofore have been, - a problem
of the survival Of the fittest. vitiatet
by. and surcharged with, prejudice Of
selfishness. When the newcomers tC
this country wanted and had to hay'
rhe lands that had long belonged to thu
indians. they claimed TO have an In
dian problem, When England desired
to impoverish the Emerald Isle for the
her eft of her manufactures, and at thu
same time deny the measure OF hon,
rule asked for, England had the lrisl
problem.
When Russia could profit by robbln..
the lew. then Russia had the Jewlsl
problem. When the Anglo-French AL
| lance gobbled up the Nile valley
crushing the life cut Of the people II
AN attempt to construct an ocean-bind
ing canal, then they had the Egyptian
problem. 80,
When America desired the fertile
lands OF Queen "Lil," of Hawaii, ant
when the valor of her soldiers, bot
black and white, had given her dozen
of the islands Of the sea, and when sh
desired to eleave Il continent TO carr
her trade from the Atlantic coast to tn
Orient, and the puny Republic c
Colombia dared to argue with her owe
the price OF the land then she complain
ed that she had the Hawaiian problem
the Philippine problem, and the 18th
milan problem.
And so 1t has ever been, that VIII ~
ever and wherever the strong oppres
the weak. and whenever and whereve
the regnant few rob the struggln
many, taking land without just pay
ment, Ia Dor withou fair compensation
and life and service and fealty to ne
TONS flag, without giving every citize
an opportunity for advancement. Il
accumulation, for education, for lif'
liberty, and the pursuit Of happiness
whenever might overawes right, an
selfish greed throttles justice, then "
have some kind of a problem.
Now do you wondaI, then, that II
Negro with a cycle of wrong ana Oh
preston behind him, and after havin
absorbed most OF the vices and few
the virtues of his former masters q
you wonder that when 1t comes TIN
for him to exercise his God-given righ
% an American freeman, that he make
some mistakes, that he lrcites so re II
herent race antipathy, and that he doc
, not always measure up to the Ia
standard OF his abilities and opportun
tiesY Do you wonder that when Ia pa
of the country refuses to allow him
mans chance, and seeks to crush IN
life out of him, and melt him down
the crucible Of race hatred and prel'
dice, and with their pitch forks, hord'
of Tillmans. Dixons, Vardamans al
J the like are forcing him to flee fro
/ the South, his rlghtful home, and see
! refuge in the North, very often runnir
1 from he Devil into the deep sea, =
D cav do you wonder that when the o.
r pressor desires to explain the oppre
4 sion which he cannot otherwise justif
that he again presents US with the o
time excuse for wrong, and calls II I'll
i Negro ProblemY
q Yes. we have the so called probler
1t Is the "Great American Question
and as such it becomes the duty
= all alike to help to solve it. The viii
man cannot do it alone, nor can Il
i Negro. They both must work toget
f er, each for his own, as well as for t
others welfare.
But am constrained TO think tn
d the Negro has much more copspl
10 nous part to play in this drama tina
y many of us will admit. And hen'
h since l am we'll aware that we ma
many true and honest friends In I
- South, and since know by person
" experience that the Negroes OF tn
h CITY have their lots cast in one OF I
"a most favorable spots of the countl
. eli things being considered, l sheu
T. like especially to speak to the NeSlo
Ie OF Lexington concerning our duty al
n our part in thu solution OF this gre
% question. -
20 1t is said, end truly so, that
q Colored people can and ought to
lie more in the working out OF their o.
/. social and political salvation. l aaIl
1. L LIZ ..,nn mr. NOT llXl