Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-05-05
IAEssoEs ARE OPTIMISTIC

WIUOULO HnI VI llWllOllU
PEssiMisM 10 PRACTICALLY AN
UNKNOWN FORCE AMONG
AFRo-AMERIcANs.
The Prairie View Standard says in
. recent issue:
1.-THE negro pessimist has long
been with US. though he has not
known himself by that name. The
negro psssimist has no faith in any
undertaking Of his own race: he Is
always criticising or denouncing the
preachers and the churches Of his
race. because 1t Is safe thing to do.
He never takes stock In any negro
enterprise. He never subscribes for
negro newspaper. When any enter
prise IL started he Immediately pre-
diets its failure, and does all he can
to make It fail. But the influence Of
the negro pessimist 10 waning"
Commenting upon this. State Press
Of the Dallas News says:
This Is new view of the negro.
1t has been generally understood here
tofore. at least among the white folks.
that there were no negro pessimists.
Optimism has been the colored mans
best asset, according to the Caucasian
idea. Through drought and food.
through IRE and famine, the black
man has gone his way. serenely con-
fident Of the future. to all appear
ances. and wholly contented with the
present. Many men Of the other color
have envied the Afro-American his
easy mental attitude in times OF
stress. Millionaires in gilded carriages
have looked through their French
plate glass at the happy black man
welding pick in the streets and
wished that the laborer's fine freedom
from carping care might be trans
planted into their own bosoms. The
mistress Of many palatial home has
longed for the restful philosophy that
characterized the black nanny In
the kitchen. II the negro Is begin.
ming to be a pessimist, then he Is
losing his birthright."
Pessimism Is practically an unknown
force among negroes.
The Standard evidently mistakes
criticism for pessimism. During the
past few years good many things,
long regarded as too sacred for ad'
verse comment, have been subjected
to fearless but Well-intentioned criti'
cism among negroes. Here and there
it win be admitted we have a few
q very ew-preachers who have had
no more preparation for their work
than mule. and who make up In
clatter for what they lack In matter
who substitute sound FOR sense-thun'
der for lightning, and under whose
teaching the race Isl not getting any.
where morally, spiritually or intellec.
tually-and somebody has had the
hardihood to say 50. Here and there
few men Of God have shown more
eagerness for the dollar than for
souls--and somebody has said so.
Here and there colored man has
gone into bushes and hoped to sue.
coed by virtue Of his color. He has
been urged to revise his business
creed and to get In the game, leaving
his color out Of the question. That's
the sort Of pessimism that is now
prevalent.
Thinking men have seen that the
race Ii long on church building. but
is decidedly short on factory building.
And somebody has said 80.
Here and there few secret orders,
useful in themselves, have been used
by designing men to enrich them
selves at the expense Of the many
and somebody has had the nerve to
say so.
Here and there people have thought
that when men organize a bank or
other commercial enterprise and bid
for public support, the organizers
ought to have some money, some
business capacity and some-honesty.
These things have been voiced by
fearless critics-men who were look.
ing for no ONCE ard who were in
different alike to applause or blame.
That's the kind Of pessimism that our
contemporary has in mind. and 1t is
as different from tho real article as
night is from day.
The negro Is not losing his optim-
ism. He's more Of IN optimist now
than ever, because he needs to be-.
But along with that optimism he's
becoming sufficiently keen sighted to
know that every sermon Is not
great" every speech is not grand; "
every enterprise or scheme originated
by negroes Is not necessarily founded
on strict business principles; every
public uplifter is not necessarily an
angel, and that every appeal made
In the name Of race pride" 10 not
necessarily unselhsh.
The critics who have been radiating
this sort Of "pessimism'' have been
making conditions better for every
negro OF brains and worth, and for
every honest enterprise an dendeavor
/ struggling for recognition and a
foundation upon which to stand. They
have simply tried q
ITO prune the luxuriant, the uncouth
refine. 5..
But show no mercy to an empty
mind"
and still less to tho fellow who re-
CARDS the race as his particular and
lawful prey.
The atmosphere Is becoming less
and less favorable to the fellow whose
chief ability is to blunder and to
plumber. And that's the result Of the
''pessimism" that 10 now frightening
n,,r hnnasf cont en- nnrary What2 The