Middletown transcript., 1907-12-07
4 REPLY

reply 10 al ctttcAc appealing ~ W
| Elre,,iag Journal published at Wilmington
Del, under date OF November S0til, 1907
Tile Journal gives an account OF th
negro p4ra,ip. and celebration at Middle
town, t,rt., On Thanksgiving Day, whicl
vas under tile auspices Of Unity Lodge
/ No. 2, Knights of Pytilias OF this town.
/ As the tenor of the article is noted TO
| its eaneness from beginning TO end, vii
simply quote the following characteristic
words As preliminary to the excite
ment created by tile fight, a new lodge o
colored people was organized aud Thurs
day they appeared in their new suits anc
| silk hats for the first time, arousiag tlit
envy OF all the other colored folks ant
putting them in the bad humor thai
started several scraps during the evening
Il eliminated in general fight in which
razors were welded and johnson was cut. "
As member OF the lodge in question,
minister of the Gospel, and humble
representative OF my people | feel to be
| under moral obligation to state the facts
in the case. Please compare them with
what we read in the Journal. A man was
cut at night we agree. But if the fighter
had beer ens sious OF the silk hats It looks
reasonable that he would have avenged
his envy upon some one wearing silk
hat; but the fact is that no member Of
the lodge was connected with the affair
in any way.
Instead OF several scraps as the article
reads, there was only one; instead OF a
general fight. no one else offered to raise
their hand, but both the man who did the
cutting and the man who was cut went
out of the building so quietly that only
those who were near and saw the affair
knew that anything had happened.
Permit me to say that do not in any
way condone the crimes of my people,
nay, a thousand times nay on the other
hand l would that every criminal regard
less OF race had his legal deserts, and if
in any case the present penalties meted
out by the law are not commensurate
with the gravity of the crimes committed
then let the law abiding bodies see to it
that laws be made adequate to the needs,
and the judiciary see that they are un-
conditionaIly and impartially enforced.
We regret that any thing disgraceful hap
pened, We condemn in the strongest terms
that act which marred the day OF pleas
IRE. But no member of the lodge was in
any way responsible for what happened,
on the other hand every member not
only pledged himself to be orderly but to
he lp in keeping order before leaving the
depot the writer even took the precaption
to admonislI those who were not members
OF the lodge TO be orderly SO as to present
a respectable appearance. We ask the
white people who saw it to decide as to
its responsibility.
We ask the question Why did not the
article in the Journal speak of the music
rendered by the negro band, the respect
able appearance in way other than
ridicule, and. the orderly way in which
the parade went through town? Not to
cover up tile act which n,arred the day,
but to give to the commendable features
of the day equal recognition. Why not
give the virtues of the negro the same
publicity as his vices. LAS it ever oc-
CURED to the average reader that the
public press owes the negro great debt =?
Has it ever occurred to you that all crimes
committed by the negro are given con-
spicuous place on the front page of the
putlic press, emblazoned with large
heavy head lines, while his virtues are
either given small Insignificant corner
or not published at alt? Has it ever
occurred to you that the average. white
man does not know the better class OF
negroes? Why? Because he gets his
information through the press.
At recent convention Of prominent
negroes in the city Of Annapolis, Md, it
was my privilege and pleasure to respond
to welcome address delivered by the
Mayor Of that city. In grasping my
hand after I had resumed my seat he
said, frankly Il did not know that there
were such able negroes in the State of
Maryland" Why should the Mayor of
the Capital City OF the State be ignorant
Of such fact. The only answer is, since
he did not come in contact with the
negro, he knew him only through the
press.
We do not ask for any fattery from the
press, for hattery helps no man. We do
not ask for concealment of our vices.
We simply ask for fair play. We only
ask that the public press give our virtues
the same publicity as our vices. The
press is power, a giant sentiment maker,
a seritable leader of thoughtjit can either
help US or hinder us if it will not help
us it certainly can't afford to hinder us.
Would it be manly for strong man to
wilfully place heavy burden upon a
struggling child2 You readily answer
me, no. Is it manly for strong race to
place barriers in the way of struggling
people by publishing the vices and con-
cealing their virtues?
Let me appeal to every reasonable
mind If our vices are published then
why not hunt up the good things We do
and publish them? If our virtues are
kept secret then why not conceal our
vices? What is the motive? But l am
not pessimistic. have implicit faith in
the intrinsic worth of my people, not all
OF them of course, for we have criminals
among Us like every other race, but there
are those in whose bosoms beat the inn
pulses of true manhood. And / am not
uumindful OF the fact that our white
friends are many, for in their hearts God
lives, and where he lives right must
triumph,
The strenuous efforts and indefatigable
labors of our own leaders, the indomitable
courage Of many white friend to cham