The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-05-05


words of another:
That which 1 am. am. I did not ask
For life, nor did l make myself.
The infinite. all wise creator, your
Heavenly Father and my God-who
makes the shifty clouds of fleecy
whiteness. and OF stygian blackness.
and clothing his arm with the thunder
bolts Of omnifc power-hurls them
forth upon sea of aZure-that God
whose plastic hands gave to the arch
ed rainbow its symmetry of form and
variety of beautiful colors. has made
man after his own image in his own
likeness, regardless of whether the
body OF the men is bound in sheep
skin or Morocco.
The character. the soul. the mind is
the measure of the man. It is trans
cendently more commendable and
worthy OF high honor TO be a man than
il is to be a red man, black man or
even white man.
David the aged patriarch and king.
when he was about 10 die. called his
son. Solomon. and said 10 him: Ny
son. l go the way of all the earth. be
strong. therefore and show myself d
Hi'tH- II IL not SiLc" ll4NStll a mig III
warrior. a wise king or great ruler,
but show myself a man.
Bird. If l We're a white man. feeling
as l do feel and knowing what / do
know about the acquired superiority
OF my race. l believe that / would ac-
cord 10 my negroes the same kind Of
rights and privileges that / reserve for
myself and my race-nothing more and
w II t,,er L.. I I
You negroes understand that this is q
white mans country. and We white
men Will rule it, but I would allow you
all representation according to YOUR
Intelligence. virtue and ability IN ev-
cry branch OF the service Of this great
government. Because there are about
country and nearly seventy millions
Of US white people. l would have no
fear of negro dominion.
l would not lose any sleep nor would
1 worry myself at all about the ques-
! ton Of social equality with negroes. ]
would settle the question for myself
according to my own social ideas and
methods. l would select my own as
sociates. and none OF them would be
negro men or women.
tell you. if I were white man, al
the threshold of my house. around my
! fireside. in my bed room. in my parloI
and dining room I would draw a line
| of demarkatiOn which any black ras-
cal or white scoundrel had better not
cross. How appropriate are the words
Of Lowell:
He IS true TO God. who is true to man
whatever wrong is done
| To the humblest and the weakest
| meath all beholding sun.
That wrong i also done to Us and they
are slaves most base.
Whose love Of might is for themselve!
and not for all the race
| Now. in conclusion, ladies and gen.
| tlemen. YOU know I am not a white
man. ! am a negro. \ negro by crea
ton AMI compulsion: man hy char
acter and aspiration. and a hearty Ode
Fellow by voluntary choice and the
favor Of the fraternity. As such I &C
cept for this organization the splendid
welcome which Mayor Robertson o
this city has so grandly extended. You
honor. please express our gratitude =
your people. May you live long an'
your fame extend far and wide. lie
there be no strife between your PEG
pie and my people.
Your honor:
If I knew YOU and you knew me,
# both Of Us could clearly see.
And with an inner sight divine
The meanings OF your heart and mine.
I'm sure that We would differ less
and clasp our hands in friedliness.
Our thoughts would pleasantly agree.