Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-11-19
Race Leaders,
Address.
Confined From First Page)

Continued From First Page)
under present conditions. and who
have no reason. and refuse TO accept
reasons. for silence. can substauiate
this unanimous testimony.
Our people were omaucipated I'm
whirl of passion. and then left naked
/ 90 the mercios of their euraged and
/ Impoverished cX-mastcrs. AS our
sole means of defence we were given
the ballot. and VIE used DO SO as 90
secure the real fruits of the War.
/ Without &C. we would have returned
T Co slavery. with 10 we struggled to-
ward freedom. so sooner. however.
had we rid ourselves OF nearly two
I thirds OF our iWteracy. and accumu-
/ lated 5000. 100000 worth OF proper
| ty in % generation than this ballot
which haj become Increasingly ncCes-
sary 90 the defence of our civil and
property rights. was taken from MS
10y force and fraud.
To-day in eight States where the
| bulk OF the Ncgroes i've. Black men
of property and university training
can be. and usually are. by law de-
MED the ballot. while the most ig-
norant White man votes. This att
tempt 20 put the personal and pro-
perry rights of the best of the Blacks
at the absolute political mercy OF the
worst OF Che Whites is spreading
each day.
Along with this has gone a syste-
matte attempt TO curtail the educa-
tion OF the BLACK race. Under
widely advertised system Of "univer-
saT' education. not one Black boy IN
three to-day has in the United States
% chance 90 learn 90 read and write.
The proportion OF school funds due
/ 20 Black children is often spent on
Whites. and the burden on private
charity Go support education. which
is a public duty, has become almost
+ intolerable.
In every walk of life we meet dis
/ termination based solely ON race and
/ colour. but continually and persist
Iently misrepresonted 90 the world as
/ the natural difference due TO condi-
ton.
We are, for Instance. usually fore
\ ed TO live in the worst quarters and
\ our consequent death-rate is noted as
la race trait, and reason for further
/ discrimination. When we seek to
/ buy property in better quarters we
are sometimes In danger OF mob vio-
/ lencc. or. as now in Baltimore. of
actual legislation 90 prevent
We are forced TO take lower wa
gos for equal work, and our standard
OF living Is then criticised. Fully
half the labour unions refuse us ad-
mittance. and then claim that as
'scabs" we lower the price of labOur.
A persistent caste prescription
seeks 10 force us and confne US to
mental occupations where the condi-
lions of work are worst
Our women in the South are with
out protection in law and custom
land are then dirided as lewd A
widespread system of deliberate pub
lie insult is customary. which makes
it difficult. if not impossible, 10 Sc
cure decent accommodation in hotels
railway trains, restaurants and the
Church we are in most cases given
b TO understand that we are unwel
come unless segregated.
Worse than all this is the wilfu
miscarriage Of justice in the courts
Not only have 500 BLACK men beer
lynched publicly by mobs in the last
twenty-five years without semblanct
or pretence OF trial, but regularly
every day throughout the South the
machinery OF the courts is used, mo-
TO prevent crime and correct the
hayward among Negroes, but Il
! wreak public dislike and ven
p geaEce, and TO raise public funds
This dealing in crime as
means OF public revenue is a system
well-nigh universal in the South. anC
r while its glaring brutality through
private lease has been checked. tn
underlying principle is still unchang
J ed.
T. Everywhere in the United State
the old democratic doctrine OF recog
nizing fitness wherever IT occurs 4
losing ground before a reactionar,
policy Of denying preferment in poll
ical or industrial life TO competen
men If they have a trace OF Negr,
blood, and OF using the weapons o
public insult and humiliation to kee
such men down. 1t Is to-day a IN
. versal demand in the South that OF
2 all occasions social courtesies shall
, be denied any person of known Ne
gro descent even to the extent O
refusing 20 apply the titles of Mr..
Mrs" and Miss
Against this dominant tendenc,