Franklin's paper the statesman., 1911-11-18
Instances of Injustice.

NV
Desperate diseases require despef-
ate remedies. We confess that our
declaration last week that from TINS
time on we were going to fight Tor
the Negro race, be it right or wrong,
was not logical, but we belleVe that
the unfortunate position IN Whlcn we
are placed needs some such desperate
remedy. There is no logic in the op-
position to us, and we need none IN
defending ourselves.
The governor of South Carolina
will find plenty of supporters IN MS at
tempt to hold his office at the same
time that he is giving open encour-
agement to persons who break the
law bv lynching. Christians have so
long withheld the benefits OF their re-
Hgious work from Negroes, that 1t no
longer is considered hypocritical TO
talk of the fatherhood of God and
brotherhood of man, and at the same
time exclude Negroes from religious
organizations. The Sunday SchooI
workers, the worldwide missionary
movement among laymen, the y. M
C. A.. and similar Christian organlza-
lions play the Pharisee toward Ne
groes.
Public school officials, who boast
that the American public school takes
the children of a hundred races, melts
their racial characteristics in its cru
chile of education and turn out Amer
leans. Yet the great majority OF Ne
groes are denied equal opportunity TO
be thus educated. And when they do
acquire education over Obstacles
these same white school officials VINO
think a colored woman good enough
to nurse their children "a hours IN
the day at home, do not think a col
ored teacher good enough TO nstrucl
them six hours a day at school. Inc
one NAV be uneducated, full of super
stition or what not. In fact the Ole
.mammv" has a halo on her brow Il
their way of thinking. But the TWEEN
tieth century Negro woman, equipped
TO do a teachers work, willing to bt
measured beside any woman OF tn
more favored race, is not goo'
enough.
The Boy Scouts is an organi@atlo
that originated in England, deslgne
10 make OF the enervated clty-Dre
English boy, a fit scion of the might
race the tight little isle once held.
was transplanted into America. 1t
fair to presume that its purpose her
is to make boys manlier, stronge
more self-reliant, better lovers of NJ
ture. We cannot see how these u
sirable qualities will be any less e
fective for white boys if colored boA
also are trained in scouting. Yet
steeped in prejudice are the DehV'
officials of the boy scout moVemel
that they are not willing that colort
bows be enrolled, even in palrol
their own. Surely the great Great
of the Universe must be appalled,
His work now that He has Great
men so selfish, so narrow, that IN
feel the JOY and sunshine VIM
comes into their lives, is lessened |
cause a few poor Negroes also ha
them.
We might go on indefinitely givi
Illustrations of the workings OF ra
prejudice just as hypocritical, just
senseless, just as surely destrucu
of the manhood of the people tn
practice them. For thanks be
God not on the one against whom
is directed does injustice act mo
but against the doer.
No man can say that he will go
far in wrong doing and stop.
undermines his character, he dWa1
his Judgment. he increases his cup
ity, until retribution comes. I
tarring of the young woman teach
the other day; the wanton destrl
ton of property and taking of life
labor riots; the night riders Of kf
lucky; the hundreds Of murde
which go unpunished; the downrie
immortality betrayed by the recor
of the divorce courts; the pitiful 81
serviency of the courts to money 6
the legitimate outcome of the iyn
ing of Negroes; the destruction
our property and taking of our liN
by whitecaps; the Klukluk klar
the concubinage of slavery days. a
the injustice of the present-day cou
which legalize the taking of the
ero's rights by any white man.
We confess again that we are
logical, but we believe that since
few men are found great-hear1
enough to be our friends even WI
we are right, we should rally to
assistance of every Negro who
right and consider him wrong OF
after he has been tried and fou
guilty to the satisfaction Of our o
consciences.
MY race, may it always be right
But my race, right or wrong!