New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-12
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The old fashioned darby preferred to 60 10 the
white man for everything; he didn't trust his own
! people: the negro. with growing race con-
sclousness, and feeling that the white man is
against him. urges his friends patronfzs negro
doctors and dentists and to trade with negro
storekeepers. The extent to which this movement
has gone was OF the most surprising things
that I, as an unfamiliar Northerner, found In At
lanta. In other words. the struggle OF the races
is becoming and moro rapidly economic
One day, walking IN Broad street. passed
negro shoe store I did know that there was
such thing in the country. I went IN 20 maks
inquiries. 1t neat well kept and evidently
prosperous. I found that IT owned by a stock
company. organized and controlled wholly BY ne
grOes; the manager was brisk young mulatto
named Harper. a graduate OF Atlanta University.
found him debating 10 a negro girl stenogrepher
There were two reasons. he said why the store
had been opened; one was because the promoters
thought IL good business opportunity and the
other was because many negroes OF the bsttss
class felt that they did get fair treatment al
white stores. At some places-not all, he said
when negro woman went to buy pair OF shoes,
the clerk would hand them to her without Offering
to help her try them on; and negro was always
kept waiting until all the white people IN the store
had been served Since the new business was
opened. he said It had attracted much OF ths ne
trade all the leaders advising their people 70
patronize him I much Interested 20 hnd out
how this young looked upon the race Dues
ton. His first answer struck me forciby, for it
was the universal and typical answer OF the bust
ness man the world over. whether white. yellow or
black:
"An I want" he said. els to be protected and
let alone. so that can build up this busness'
What do You by prOtection?' asked
Well Justice between the races That doesn't
mean social equality We have a society OF our
own. and that is all want. If We can have
justice in the courts. and fair protection. we can
learn to compete with the white stores and gpt
along all right"
Such an enterprise this indicates the new. eco
nornic separation between the races. Most South
eTn men met had little or no idea OF the remark
able extent Of this advancement among the better
class OF negroes Here is strange thing I dou't
Know how many southern men have prefaced their
talks with me with words something ike this:
You can't expect TO knew the negro after a
short visit You must live down hers like we do
Now. know the negroes like a book 7 was
brought up with them. I know what they'll DO and
what they won't do. I have had negroes in my
house all my life
But curtously enough. I found that these men
rarely knew anything about the better class Of ne
groes-those who We're in business. or in indspea5-
ent occupations, those who owned their own
homes They did into contact with the
servant negro the field hand. the common Iaborer
who make up. OF course. the great mass OF the
race On the other hand the best class OF
negroes did not know the higher class OF white
people. and based their suspicion and hatred
whom they naturally came into contact The best
elements OF the two races are as far auart 81
though they lived in different continents and that
IS one OF the chief causes OF the grOwin, danger OF
the southern situation--The American Magazine
for May.