Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-02-19

4 ". lAey AuNAN u 4NthAoto IN the luuu6
trial affairs of life.
Mr.. Stemons says that we are
forced TO remain in the South and
submit 70 any injustices which the
lower elements are pleased TO in
hict upon them. In many sections OF
the Southland. this is true. but n
We are TO accept aud believe the
lurid pictures that Mr.. Stemons has
conjured up and which have caused
him TO lead a crusade in the interest
OF the industrial advancement OF
the northern Negroes, then we might
use the words Of Hamlet. when he
muses.:
For who would bear the whips and
scorns of time.
The oppressor's wrong, the proud
mans cOntumely.
The pangs Of despis'd love. the laws
delay.
The insOlence Of Office. and the
That patient merit of the unworthy
takes.
When he himself might his quietus
make
With a bare bodkin? who would
fardels bear.
To grunt and sweat under "a u,asr,
life.
But that the dread of something
after death
The undiscovered country from
whose bourn
NO traveller returns-puzzles the
will.
And makes us rather bear those ills
we have.
Than ny 60 others that we know not
Off"
Mr. Stemons speaks Of the fact
that entire communities Of Negroes
are sometimes driven from their
homes, like beasts He tells the trut.
and we have protested against this
species and form Of persecution OF
our people. We have been Joined I'm
our crusade by liberal minded
white men, who have taken ND the
cudgel in our behalf. We. who are
down here though are fighting Il out
by peaceful means when we can. and
by violent means when we must
Mr.. Stemons must have eyes that
see not. and ears that hear not. ~ ne
has not read OF many instances wnero
coiored men have defended them.
selves with shotguns and rides
against lawless white men and then
gone shouting home TO glory"
Those of us who are brave and who
believe In God. are not towards. We
are not running away from trouble.
We are running towards Il. for we
know that by the surmoununr OF
difficulties. We can achieve perma-
nent success. We have lived here in
Virginia an OF our life and we have
had narrow escapes. but we are here
yet and here we expect 10 stay and
Doe buried beneath the sod OF the
commonwealth. which we love SO
well.
What colored men in the South
land need do IS 90 buy more Win
chester rifles and own more shot
guns and then practice themselves
in the use OF these weapons. They
viii prove valuable substitutes for
Insurance policies. IL Is the coward
ly, shiftless white hoodlums. who
often incite others 10 bIood-shed and
violence. When It is known that
these outbreaks Will be attended by
the certain death OF some OF the
members OF the lynching parties.
much OF this anti-Negro ardor will
cool
The good feeling between the bet
ter class Of white men and the bet
ter class OF colored men Is on the
Increase. One sympathizes with the
other and the day Of rancor against
us on the part OF all the white men
in the South has passed. Mr.. Stemons
pleads that colored men cannot en-
gage in business from a lack of
capital This argument is childish.
The very walters 20 whom he refers
have been making from forty 20
seventy FIVE dollars per month, and
the majority OF them do not know
where FIVE dollars OF this money can
be found within a week after they
make IT,
Couple this with the fact that
there are cooks and dining room ser
wants and buffers in the Southland.
who make from eight to sixteen dol
lars per month and who own their
own homes and who pay taxes on
much Of the property which we cited
in our statistics Of a recent issue.
Italians and Cinnamon live on five
cents a day and there are coIored
men, who find IL a dificult task to
live on two dollars a day. II seems
Mr.. Stemons' case is analogous TO a
quotation from King John in Shakes
peare, when he says: