The Washington bee., 1909-04-19

derstand it, when He assures us that
"out of one blood He created all ma
rions." Character counts for all with
us, and color counts for naught.
Scholars have never yet found any
psychological difference between the
faces. My race has responded TO a
very satisfactory degree, to the in
y;tation to demonstrate its moral, in
tellectual and spiritual equality with
ether races. 1t is true that in the
ave1 age, we have not equaled your
race in developed capacity" but it is
also true that we have not had the
time, you were using these assets in
ing corn, picking cotton, and serving
you without money or price, for two
hundred and fifty years. During this
time, you wer using these assets in
educating yourself, building your
your home, paying for your farm,
and erecting schools. We have had
but forty years, and during that time
we have had barriers placed in Our
way, but we are marching on. We
have not taken a commanding part
in the constructive work of the world
1t is cur desire to do so. We feel
that this is a laudable desire. Like
other races. we want to contribute
our part toward blessing the world in
which we live. Your race is in the
lime-light of civilization just now,
but that fact does not argue inherent
superiority. This is historical fact.
Unfriendly environments have i'm
peded our progress Fortunate cir
Cumstances have helped you on-but
this relative superiority is only a
transient phase of human develop
ment. History teaches the ascend
cncy of races, Quite six races have
ruled and reigned III the world before
lvour day came. Subsequent develop
ment shows, however, that though
the Francs and Germans were roam
ing in the forest in the days of AriS-
totle, they were not inferior to the
Judge ourshrdlui2Ifhh shrdlrdlurdlum
| Judge our doing capacity, by the ac-
oomplishmentS of the masses. The
majority of any race is composed of
ordinary folks, who simply do ordi-
nary things. But in my RI Sce, as in
yours, there are choice individuals"
that are adding, and will add TO the
worlds civilization.
| have visited nearly every Negro
educational institution of any impor-
| tance, snd ! have never heard any of
the students arguing that they are as
good as white people; indeed have
never heard any Negroes arguing
that, except the trashy, loafing ele-
ment that you see on the streets.
They may indulge in such an argu-
ment, because they know their lives
discredit any claims to decency, and
so they compare themselves TO the
people who lay claim to superiority.
Negroes are not worrying over the
question of superiority half as much
as you think they are They are not
seeking social recognition. They are
not yearning for social equality. y
Indeed, there is no such thing as
social eqality. There is no such a
thing among your people, and there is
no such thing among my people. You
choose your own associates from
any class you desire We have num-
Der Of classes among us, from which
we select our friends and our asso-
Ciates. The Negroes who thrust them
selves upon your people, are of a
| class unrecognized by the better class
of our people. 1t is not the college
graduates whom you need to fear,
but the ignorant, uneducated ones, or
those who have a smattering of learn
ing. The Negroes of learning and
culture, who live in this city at this
time, never think of seeking to as
sociate with members of your race
They know the social customs, and
above all, they have sufficient pride
and love for their own, ever to seek
their own.
| | confess | have never heard a
friend refer to our women as ''buxOm
Negro wenches." l am sure you have
} ! never had any contact with educated
Negro women-unfortunately you
have seen only the "buxom Negro
wenches," and according to the rating
of our race, this class represents the
| Sub strata of the race. Negroes who