Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1911-07-21

land. He can share IN the immense
profits of the future. IN cotton grow
Ing Cotton Is being consumed in
larger quantities every year through
out the world; that means an increase
In price. that also means nat It will
be harder IN the future to get cot
ton producing land than It is now
We must remember that the forces
of nature draw no color line. Sun.
shine and rain are as helpful TO the
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
the people that are going to grow IN
independence. grow In education.
grow In moral an religious strength.
There are millions of acres of land
in the south that can be purchased
for cotton raising. for trucking. for
dairying and for fruit growing
There are millions of acres from
which coal and iron can be gotten.
from which lumber can be manufac-
tured All these are possibilities
within the reach of the humblest
black man In America.
100000 FARMERS NEEDED.
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 10 100000 more In
telligenf, successful. independent
farmers scattered throughout this
country; and these farmers should
not be composed of the ignorant ele-
ment of our race. but should be com
posed of the educated 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 twenty-five years. the cot
ton aud manufacturing center of the
country has moved from New Eng.
land into North Carolina and South
Carolina. IL Is not necessary for the
negro TO confine himself to the mere
matter OF cotton raising. He can adj
vocate cotton manufacture In some
form.
The negro both In this and other
countries. Is n great coDsumer OF cot
ton goods On sinc2 <cale. at least.
he can become a manufacturer OF
cotton goods. Here Is another field
for the energetic. capable. pushing.
educated colored man. Heretofore,
IN too large degree. our educated
men have fsis that they must either
teach or preach. and not enter the
Geld of commerce.
ON BECOMING MANUFACTURERS.
The south Is full OF the best lumber
suited for the manufacture OF all
kinds OF furniture. The lumber In IT'S
use Is as free 10 the colored man as
10 the white man We are great con
sumers of household furniture. Why
should not our educated men begin
tho manufacture OF furniture? II we
could manufacture one tenth of the
household furniture that We. as
race. consume. We would give en-
pIoyment to thousands Of our men
and women and add immensely to our
wealth, Improvement and useful
ness.
To indicate TO you to what extent
the white man Is taking to tho fact
that within ten years Arkansas has
increased her horse-advantage OF the
natural resources of the south. have
but 10 refer to the fact that within
ten years Arkansas has Increased her
horsepower for manufacturing PA
per cent: South Carolina has In
creased her horse power for manufac-
turing purposes 220 per cent: Texas
$50 per cent. Louisiana GID per cent.
There 10 vast water power in the
south that can be used for manufac-
turing purposes. Everywhere in the
south people are using water power
for generating electricity. Examples
OF this can be found near Augusta,
Ga: near Columbus. Ca. on the Tai
lapoosa river. and near Montgomery,
Ala.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR MERCHANTS
II we do not want TO go into either
agriculture or manufacturing there Is
a vast field open for the educated
colored man In the direction OF mer-
chandising. With such q field open