Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-08-26
Driving Negroes Out OF Work

| Address of Rev. DR.. James w. Lee,
Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church
Atlanta-An educational mass-meet,
ing was held in Big Bethel church.
Atlanta, few days ago. While the
audience were mainly negroes, there
was a large number of prominent
white people present; and the Con
stltutlon says: Equal industrial op-
portunities for the negro was the KEY
note of the meeting and a perfect
understanding of the social suprem
acy of the white man was carefully
stressed Addresses were given by
both white and black men, amons
them by Ex-Governor w. ]. Northern,
j. 0. Ross, president of the Negro
savings bank of Atlanta, and Rabbi
David Marx of the Jewish temple,
We have met this afternoon I'M
der the auspices of the industrial de-
partment of Morris Brown college.
1t has been justly claimed by the
southern white people, ever since.
the close of the war, that they were
the best friends to the negro he had
on the earth The basis of this claim
has been that in The South the negro
enjoyed more industrial equality than
in any other section of this country.
l had very instructive illustration
OF this in my own experience. Dur
Ing my pastorate in Rome. Ga. the
first Methodist church of that CITY
was built. The foreman of the brick
work was a negro. The several white
men who worked under his direction
did not seem to think that it was
not entirely proper for the most cap
able, efficient brick mason among
them to be the foreman of the work.
During my passionate in st. Louis,
s.. Johns Methodist church was
built. In the construction of that
building not a negro was permitted
even to carry mortar up to the stone
masons engaged in carrying up the
walls. The difference is. one church
was constructed in a southern city,
while the other was built in north
ern city.
Those of US who grew up on the
plantations in the South were accus-
toned to work side by side with the
negroes from the time we were aple
to go to the field. So when the war
was over there was not the slight
est opposition to working with ne,
grOes in any field or shop or any.
where else. Thus where the people
of the North said to us thai we were
not giving to the negro political
equality, while they did not.
The difference between the two
sections Of the country, in their at,
titude toward the negro, was about
this: Our friends in the North were
deeply concerned about the negro's
civil rights, while the Saath@rvp -n,ao-
pie were more concerned abo%g lasl2z.
industrial rights. One section dfu
not seem to care whether the negro
ate or not, just so he voted. The
southern section was not so exceed,
ngly anxious whether he voted or
not, but was concerned about his
having something to eat. 1t seemed
to the southern people, therefore, as
it was necessary for the negro to
eat 1895 times a year, and vote only
once or twice, that those who were
mainly concerned about giving him
the right to eat, with no emphasis
on voting, were better friends to him
than those concerned mainly about
giving him the right to vote. with
no emphasis on eating.
What the negro most needs is
equality in the department of the
practical life, where his bread and
meat are involved It is clear to
those who know the facts that the
negro has enjoyed more equality in
the realm of carpentry, engineering,
agriculture and every other line OF
industrial activity in the South than
he has in the North. Our southern
white folks have believed that ne
groes should be permitted to work