The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1911-06-22

race. with uncertain employment on
that lives by picking up odd lob
mere and there; landless rae
means a non-tax paying race, an un
se'tled race thriftless race. Every
"here let us encourage our people t,
enter into the possession Of the sol
or TINS country, North and South.
throughout the South there ar,
numerous organizations that worl
every day in the form of commerci,
clupS' farmers clubs, clubs to pro
mote manufacturing and clubs tc
| promote merchandising, that have
'ol their object the control and the
| development Of the immense ma.
| Ierlal possessions of the South The
| Negro everywhere must wake ND and
follow the example OF these organi.
Zations.
| Let me be Il little more specifc
the price of cotton is increasing
| u value every year. There is only
d small territory, so far fouutI
where cotton can be protitably pro-
J duced. That territory is in orr
Southern states. The black man ,can
get this land He can share in the
Immense prchts of the present and
the still greater profits Of the future.
IN cotton growing. Cotton is being
consumed in larger quantities every
year throughout the world; that
means an increase in price; that al
SO means that it will be harder in
the future to get cotton producing
land than it is new.
I'VE must remember that the
forces of nature draw no color line
sunshine and rain are as helpful to
tile black hand that tills and owns
the soil, as the white hand that tills
and owns the soil. The history Of
the civilization of the world teaches
that the people who own the soil are
the people that are going to grow in
independence, grow in education,
grow in moral and religious strength
There are millions Of acres of
land in the South that can be pur-
chased for cotton raising, for truck
ing, for dairying and for fruit grow
ing. There are millions Of acres
from which coal and iron can be got
ten, from which lumber can be
manufactured. All these are posi-
bllltleS within the reach Of the hum
hlest black man IN America.
know Of no one influence, no
one element that would add more to
the Independence and the progress
Of the 100000 Of Negroes in the
South, than for us to have, Within
the next 20 years, 100000 to 2OO,-
600 more intelligent successful in
dependent farmers scattered through
out this country; and these farmers
should not be composed of the ig-
norant element of our race but
should be composed Of the educated
element OF our race
Our vision need not be limited
to owning and cultivating the soil
There are great opportunities in the
direction of manufacturing Within
the past 25 years, the cotton man
ufacturlng center OF the country has
moved from New England into
North Carolina and South Carolina
1T is not necessary for the Negro to
GOnfine himself to tne' mere matter
Of cotton raising. He can advocate
cotton manufacture In some form.
1.-THE Negro, both in this and
other countries, is a great consumer
Of cotton goods On a small scale,
at least, he can become a manufac-
turer ot cotton goods. Here liz an
other field for the energetic, capa-
bic, educated colored man. Here
tofore in too large a degree, our ed
ucatcd men have felt that they must
either teach or preach, and not ell
ter the field Of commerce.
THE South is full Of the best
lumber suited FOR the manufacture
Of all kinds Of furniture. The lum-
Der in It's use is as free to the color
ed man as to the white man. We
are great consumers Of household
furniture. Why should not our edu-
Gated men begin the manufacture OF
furniture? If We could manufac-
ture one tenth Of the household fur
niture that we, as q race, consume,
we would give employment to thou
sands Of our men and women and
add immensely to our wealth, I'M
provement and usefulness.
"To indicate to you to what ex.
tent the white man is taking to the
fact that within ten years Arkansas
has increased her horse advantage
Of the natural resources Of the
South, | have but to refer to the fact
that with in 10 years Arkansas has
increased her horsepower for man
ufacturing PA per cent; South
Carolina has increased her horse
power for manufacturing purposes
22O per cent; Texas 250 per cent +;
Louisiana GIG Fer cent. There Is
vast water power in the South that
can be used for manufacturing pur-
poses. Everywhere in the South peo-
pie are using water power for