The Washington bee., 1911-01-07
CANNOT SUCCEED.

A prominent writer in a letter
to local contemporary last week
suggests the propriety of organ
lzlng a civic organization in this
city for the betterment of the col
Ored people. The Bee has the
highest respect for this distin-
gulshed citizen, and would call his
attention to an organization sim
liar to the one that he suggests, in
existence a few years ago, which
proved to be a gigantic failure,
and why! The organization start
ed out on a social basis, and at
tempted to black-ball respectable
citizens. The Bee recalls an in
stance where a certain prominent
journalist and a highly educated
lawyer and doctors names were
offered for membership. A certain
individual, formerly connected
with our schools but was kicked
out for drunkenness, raised an OBJ
lection to the admission of these
individuals, on the grounds of
some imaginary offenses in the
mind of this drinking blOat.
Instead of discussing matters per-
tanning to the welfare of the peo-
pie and interests to the cOmmu-
nifty, these meetings would consist
of drinking punch, with whisky
on the side, and sO-called French
dishes by some prominent caterer.
The reputation of citizens would
be discussed and a vote to keep out
the respectables. In many in
stances the men who would pass
upon the character and reputa-
ton of applicants for mem
bership came from States in
which they had no character and
reputation. 1t is ridiculous to see
how these cOcksparrOws attempt
to dictate the social functions and
the reputation of good citizens.
About five years ago a certain in
dividual of an organization called
the Mohicans entered his objec-
tiOns to an invitation being sent
to a highly respectable citizen in
this community because he, the
citizen, drank a little whisky. The
individual that made the obiec-
tion was a whisky bloat himself,
and his reputation for good
morals was doubtful. This same
individual was threatened some
time ago with being made a CO.
respondent in a divorce proceed
ing.
A civic organization composed
of substantial citizens would no
doubt succeed, and The Bee would
suggest the gentleman who has
made the suggestion for such or
ganiZatiOn to see that Negroes
are barred who want to be white
and the white people don't want
them, and men who have prop
erty interests in the community.
Keep out all tricksters, money
sharks and dead beats that would
use the organization to build
themselves up socially. There
should be a civic organization in
this city. The office-holders
should be barred, because, with
but a few exceptions, they are dis
NAL failures. This is the worst
city in the world for shams. We
have the sham politician, the sham
preacher, the sham doctor. the
sham lawyer, and worst of all, the
social sham.
The reason that organizations
fail in this city Is because there
are too many shams at the head OF
them. Take, for instance, the So
called Y. NJ. c. 4. If the shams
were eliminated the institution
would succeed. The Bee is
aware that this kind of talk
doesn't suit some people, but
nevertheless it is a fact that
Washington is a dumping ground
for society, ministerial, political
financial, official and all other
kinds of shams. and civic or
ganization cannot succeed with
sucb men connected with it. The