The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-12-06
NEGROES PAY TAXES ON MILLIONS
Rapid Rise of the Coored People in This Country To-
ward Enlightenment--The Making of Good
Citizens-Symphony Concert Tonight
~ ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

~ ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.
In churches and at Socialist meet
ings you hear a good deal about the
brotherhood of man.
But 1t Is mostly talk.
On the outside they're numbering
each other, dynamiting buildings, com.
hitting suicide. trampling on each
others privileges. squeezing each 9TH
er's economic and physical life out,
crowding each other to the wall, SIAN
dering, lying. snubbing, pushing each
other aside to reach the goal and gen.
orally making life miserable for one
another.
The brotherhood of man Is a beauti.
ful ideal but it Is not fact.
And 1t never will be under the pre-
sent regime.
Take our colored friends, in in
stance.
Live and let live" does not apply
to our attitude toward them. We push
them clear outside the limits and then
denounce them II they resent total ex-
communication.
10 an exceptionally agreeable one for
colored people to live in.
What Is there for the intelligent,
respectable young colored man? Where
can he spend his leisure time? Barred
from most of the places of entertain
ment and amusement, he must either
stay In his home or wander aimlessly
about the streets.
This city needs a colored Y. M. G. A.
There happens to be. in Chicago. a
certain philanthropic gentleman who
will give $4,000 for this purpose II a
corresponding sum will be raised.
Although in some cities colored boys
and young men have the privilege of
membership in Y. M. c. AS, very few
take advantage of it. In this city
they do not have that privilege.
Wherever a special building has been
erected. or q special organization ef-
fected. 1t has been a success.
There Is an overwhelming element
OF we'll behaved, educated and am
bilious young colored men in this city.
who are as intelligent as their white
much importance to the public.
They are as much a part Of the So
cial. economic and political life Of the
community as their paler-hued broth
ers and unless given some considera-
ton will develop into a complicated
and puzzling problem.
For the intelligent element Is not
standing still.
And its members are not retrograd-
ing.
They are citizens Of this country
just as are the whites.
And they are developing activities
among themselves, fostered by their
own altrurian spirit, which are as in
teresting as they are significant.
Tuskegee Is not the only industrial
school under the direct patronage of
the colored people. This great edu-
cational institution whose directing
genius Is Booker T. Washington, one
Of the noblest personalities among the
distinguished figures of the day, is a
model for others which are springing
up in all parts OF the South.
Of greater future accomplishment than
the Niagara Ethical Industrial Insti-
tute. at Duncansby. Miss, one of
whose chief officials, that of secre-
tary and treasurer, Rev. F. M. Ovelton,
IL resident in Richmond.
This institution is under the direc-
ton of the Primitive Methodist church
and under the general supervision of
Mr.. Ovelton, who is superintendent of
Missions and secretary OF education,
having been appointed to this position
at the time Of the absorption by the
Primitive Methodists of the Free
Methodist Episcopal church in which
Mr.. Ovelton was a bishop, the former
religious body having no officials cor.
responding to the latter.
The school Is at present located in
IN old ten.room mansion Of Southern
planter, J. w. Scott, who has agreed to
give twenty acres Of land, which, add.
ed to the one hundred and sixty pur-
chased by the managers Of the school.
makes an excellent beginning.
John D. Rockefeller has agreed to
give twenty-five hundred dollars to-
ward the erection Of an industrial
building to cost five thousand. il the
county. In which the institute is To-
Gated, and the church will furnish the
other twenty-five hundred, and MIR.
Ovelton leaves in week or so to look
after the contamination of this be-
quest.
Up to this time the institute has