Franklin's paper the statesman., 1911-01-28
THE sTATEsMAN-7

man VI AhtTlca-ann all otner countries,
Tor that .natter-as not being really
man Most Of them admit that he is
human being. but Of low order, an in
Terror. and destined to forever remain less
than a man.
You will readily admit, ! believe that
the spirit Of the present age is material
istic and that there is great danger of
measuring every person and everything
by the utilitarian standard. The question
with 10 per cent of the people is not how
can they help to make the colored Amer
lean d real and true man. worthy OF the
image OF God. but how can they make
him useful factor in developing the ma
terial resources of this country? Shall
the colored man In America be permitted
and assisted to rise to the full stature Of
noble and heroic manhood and be allowed
to enjoy all the rights. opportunities and
privileges accorded other men In this
country. or shall he be forced into the
position OF a serf and be permitted to
live I'm peace and safety only SO long as
he serves the material interests OF the
white man and subordinates himself TO
him In every walk OF life7
These two questions divide the white
philanthropists OF this country and also
place into two different and distinct
schools the colored men and women of
America who are laboring for the uplift
OF their fellows. Those who look upon the
colored man ''as necessary only to the
physical and material development OF the
United States say that the race problem
can only be solved by teaching the COL
ored man 10 work. to regard himself as a
necessity to the white mans business and
not to complain at his lot however hard
unjust or inhuman II may be: TO e.cheV
politics. to move along the line OF leas'
resistance and to get money and property
and his manhood. political. civil. social
and economic rights will finally come u
him OF their own accord
Those who believe that the coiored man
Is destined by God to be a man and TO
enjoy all the rights. opportunities and
privileges Of any other class OF men !.
this country and that he has an impor-
tant part 10 play In the development q,
this country and this world take the pos.
ton that the eoiored American Is nos
only entitled TO a trade. common schoo,
education and money and property. but
he needs and ought to have whatever is
required by any other race for its highest
development IN all spheres of life. and
the colorcd man viii never secure these
things without aspiring to the highest
standard and contending with all his
might all the time for everything which
any other man Is entitled TO and he must
not be satisfied with anything less"
Most white persons. and numerous col
orcd as well. who have written or spoken
upon the so called race problem have
made the sad mistake Of setting up too
low a standard for the dark skinned Amer
lean and have forgotten that the colored
man in this country is as much a man per
-.
any other continent 1t seems 10 escape
the attention OF the ma iorlty OF the STU
dents Of the race prohloIn' that the col
orcd man OF America ~ not only needed
by the white man in his business" but
ls needed by him In every other sphere OF
life
These would be solvors OF the race
problem" also forget that this country is
destined to be the meeting ground OF all
the races OF the earth and on these shores
IL to be born the ideal man. This ideal
or future man is 10 be neither distinctive
ly Shematic. Hsmitic or Jsphetic, but an
Rdmiyture OF all the races Of the world.
This being true. the white people OF this
country and those who are yet to come TO
these shores owe Il 20 the colored man
who Is already here or who may come
here In the future to see TO 1t that he Is
afforded the largest opportunity for the
highest possible development along all
right lines In order that he may contrib
ute unimpaired and unhindcrcd his share
to the formation Of the ideal or future
man.
In your travels In this country hope
you viii not allow the glamour Of mate
rial success or the magnitude of material
lstic institutions for and among the col.
orcd people TO lead you to forget these
facts Those OF us who are contendine
that the colorcd man in America be re
rsrdcd as a man in the fun scnsa OF that