Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-08-20

millions of colored people and speak
ing OF the Southern States where the
lgreat bulk of the race lives. | would
lremind you that We have the adyan.
tage of having plenty of labor for the
masses. For the most part, labor
seeks the man instead of the man
having to seek labor. As compared
with any ten millions of people in
the old world. the price received for
our labor is three and four times
higher than that received in many
of the old countries.
Let us never forget that the sue
cess of the man in business is de
pendent upon the success. the happi-
mess and prosperity OF the laboring
classes. Let US advertise, then. the
fact that the Negro is in demand as
| a labOrer rather than place too much
stress upon the exceptional cases
where the Negro cannot get work
for here again my text applies For
to him that hath shall be given. ="
for no one wants TO employ the man
who cannot get work. The world is
not in search of the lazy man. No one
cares to employ the lawyer who has
no clients or the physician who has
no patients.
Again. 90 the Negro in business.
especially in the Southland. in the
matter of freedom of trade there is
a golden opportunity. While in other
directions there are restrictions. In
the business world there is a free
dom and an opportunity that have
rarely come 20 any race so recently
out of slavery. The Negro retail mer-
chant can buy his goods from the
wholesale dealer on as favorable
terms as the white retail merchant
can. The Negro business man can
borrow money at the local bank just
as readily as the white business man
can. The best white people in the
South are just as ready to purchase
from the Negro merchant as from
the white merchant.
with all that I have mentioned i'm
this country the Negro enjoys free
dom OF opportunity 20 get education.
freedom of religious worship, 20 a
degree not afforded any similar group
OF our people in the world.
With all of these fundamental Gle
ments favorable toward our indus
trial and business success. as a race
I'm the United States let us not.
repeat. make the mistake of dwelling
over much upon the things that we
have not. but rather glory in the OPP
portunities that we possess, for the
making OF the most OF these oppor.
tunities will bring. us more openings
and more opportunities. The more We
advertise 90 the world that discrlm-
nations are made against us. the
more will determinations multiply.
Let us as I'm some degree repre-
senung the present prosperity and
the future hope of our race. go out
from this meeting determined that
each individual shall be a missionary
In his community missionary in
teaching the masses to get property.
TO be more thrifty, more economical.
and resolved TO establish an indus
trial or business enterprise whenever
a possibility presents itself.
ITO him that hath shall be given. "
To him that hath influence will be
given more influence. To him that
hath power will be given more pow
er. To him that hath credit in the
financial world will be given more
credit. To him that hath money will
be given more money. To him that
hath land will be given more land.
To him that hath houses will be given
more houses. To him that hath stores
and banks Will be given more stores
and banks To the race that hath
many business enterprises will be
given more enterprises. Let Us 20
out, then. TO start everywhere the
doctrine OF getting. not with the idea
OF selhshly keeping. but with the
idea that Ia proportion as We secure
the substantials OF life we shall be
in position 10 add much 20 the larger
life OF our race.
! have referred 10 the Importance
Of keeping the bright side OF our
race before the public. In what
now say i may be guilty OF seeming
/ contradiction, nevertheless the mat
ter is so important and so funda-
mental 20 industrial and business
success that l cannot fail TO call at.
tention of the public 20 IT,
l have referred frankly and plain
ny to the duty of the ten millions
of colored people in fitting themselves
for Industrial and commercial use
fulneSs. I want TO be equally plain
and frank in referring 10 the respon.
sihility resting upon those whose
duty Il is to enforce the law-to pro
tect life and property. for there can
be little progress in securing prop
erty or in business unless life and
property are safe in every part of
the Nation.
/ cali attention 10 the numbering
of colored people at this time be-
cause the habit has SO grown upon
the nation that a murder or lynch
ing of this kind attracts little at
tention. BE il remembered. too. in
connection with these recent muir
ders. that not one In ten has any con
nectiOn with alleged assaults upon
woman.
/ I speak with sorrow and with a
sense of shame and humiliation when
I call attention to the fact that with
in a period of thirty days during the
present summer no less than twenty
six colored men were wantonly muir
dered by mobs-shot down or hang
ed as If they had been so many wild
beasts. In one case, that near Pales-
tine. Texas. the sheriff of the county
a Southern white man, says: Men
We're going out killing Negroes as
fast as they could find them, and so