The Washington bee., 1909-07-31
Door Of Libertu Closed
THE NEGRO WITHOUT a
MOSES IN THE WILDER
NESS-GOD HAS SAID
TRUST IN HIM MR..
CUNNINGHAM
SPEAKS

through. But let us take fresh cour-
age, for God has said, IF you will
trust in me I will be cloud by day
and a pillar OF fire by nigh" These
words were spoken to the children of
Israel as they journeyed through the
wilderness. And the same holds good
today relative to the Negro in his pi-
litical bondage. 1t seems that every
thing is being done by the enemies
of Justice to impede the political
progress of the colored people of this
century in this dear home of the
brave and the land of the free( p.
Maryland. along with her other
sister states, that seem TO have for
gotten that God still lives, has closed
the door of liberty in the face of her
colored citizens. The ballot. the only
weapon of defense with which the
Negro had to fight, has been taken
from him. What then, must he do?
Look to God! Watch the pillar Of
cloud by day and the pillar of fire by
night. Let this race first be true to
God. and to itself. alike, and the
dark clouds and heavy winds will
some day give way to brighter day.
There seems to be an epidemic of
"NegrophObia," in the State of Mary
land That state has been suffering
with this terrible disease for quite a
number of years, and threatens to
grow worse, and spread into other
states, if not quarantined or put out
of business by the strong arm of
Federal Intervention. He Is = coward
that would arm himself and proceed
to attack man that he knows is not
armed and prepared to meet him.
But strange to say. to her lasting
shame, this country, in recent years.
has drifted far enough from the path
of Justice to applaud such as heroism.
Why should men strive to deny to
others the same privileges they them
selves wish to enjoy? Perhaps Mary
land can best answer that question,
since she was the last to rob her col
ored citizens of their GOd-given
rights to cast a ballot; or sit on the
jury, or ride in a decent railroad car
after having paid honest fare.
Deprived of his right to cast his
vote-a privilege that is granted to
all the foreigners from the sIums of
Europe will be many years now
before the Negro will have a chance
to stand up in the State legislatures,
or in the United States Congress. and
plead for jusice in behalf of his
much prosecuted race. George w.
White was the last Negro representa-
tive we had in the United States
Congress, and we very much fear he
used too much of his lung power in
telling how much wealth the Negroes
of this country have accumulated
since their emancipation, when he
ought to have been telling of their
need of aid from their white friends
Boosting about what the race has
gained in so short a time of freedom
had tendency to injure, rather than
help the race. and it is a pity that
the learned George White was toe
mentally blind to see it that way.
The black man. be he ever so high
ly respected by his own people, and
some of thewhites as we'll, is nothing
like respected by the white politicians
of this country as he was in years
gone by. And why? 1t is because
the laws which gave him the right to
cast his ballot have been set aside
and unjust laws prohibiting such
rights have taken their place. A
man without arms (frearms) is
never feared by the coward who is
armed to- the teeth. But even the
well armed coward is ever polite and
ready to doff his hat to the man that
he knows is prepared to meet him. Sc
it is in politics. The man, or his raCu
that is shOrn of his rights (that little
weapon. the ballot), is very little
respected by the man that has al
such privileges. The most influential
Negro in politics today can hardly
get respectful hearing by the white
politicians of his own state or in tht
national Congress. They know. anc
are glad. that the colored people have
been stripped of the ballot. their only