Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-02-02
4 NEGRO MONOPOLY
GREAT cAILy GIVES SOUND AL
VICE WHICH MAY BE TO THE
THoUoHTLEss UNsAvoRy
IT'S GOOD MEDICINE, TAKE II

ThoUoHTLEss UNsAvoRy
IT'S GOOD MEDICINE, TAKE IT.
A better New Year greeting Gould
not be given to any people than thar
given by the Houston (Tex.) Post to
our people under the caption, "A Ne
gro Monopoly" While It's plain Ian.
guage, about q plain subject, it Ger.
tainly points out q plain duty on,
people owe both TO themselves and
those for whom they labor.
What is worth doing At all Is worth
doing well, Is Just as true today as II
ever was. He who would aspire tn
greater things must first show himseIf
more than q, match for smaller
things. If we would show our titnesa
for larger responsibilities, we must
perform completely and acceptabIy
the smaller duties or responsibilities
II we would be in demand as house
servants or statesmen we must maks
ourselves indispensable, and in this
age of brain rule" we will have to
learn that 1t Is just as necessary to
put brain in kitchen service as 1t Is to
translate Greek sentences. For any
one would prefer the service of tho
individual who can get the most out
of the thing at q less cost. Besides.
it's money in our own pockets, not
only from the increased wages such
Intelligent service would produce, but
in the management OF our own per
sonal affairs. The Star sees much
to stress in the editorial. for the Post
has spoken better than 1t knew. How.
ever, lest 1t weary you with a lengthy
article. it will stop by asking care.
full reading by its thousands OF read.
ers, high or low, of the following ar.
ticle. The thoughts uttered as well
as suggested cannot harm but may
be unto us a powerful weapon to the
destruction of the inroads being made
in this country by foreigners which
rightfully belong to the negro. It's
ours. Let's rise and take it from the
wash pot to the senate by the force
of character, cleanliness, intelligence,
reliability. honesty. efficiency. The
editorial referred to reads thus:
Whatever one may think Of mo
nopolies, it is generally true that they
strive hard to give the people the
good service and they are managed
with the maximum Of intelligence In
order that there may be no failure on
this point. The monopolist knows
that the privilege which entities him
to control any branch Of business or
industry could not avail long If he did
not give the public good service. With
out this prime essential, the privilege
would fade and the monopoly would
crumble.
Why Is it that the negroes OF tho
south are so Indifferent to the mo-
nopoly they have in the matter of t"-
nestle service? We assume they
Indifferent because SO few of them
seem to care whether they equip
thmselves for intelligent and efficient
service. The housewives of the south
on the whole prefer negro servants.
They entertain no racial prejudice
against them and It is no task for 4
good servant to win the affectionate
interest Of the southern housewife.
Character, cleanliness, intelligence,
reliability, honesty and efficiency
would guarantee to the negroes for
all time a monopoly Of this most I'M
portant field of labor. Why do not
the negro leaders stress this important
truth upon the minds of the negro
masses? 1t Is the experience OF 80
per cent of household employers that
negro servants are untidy, unreliable.
indolent, unskilful and Wasteful Why
are efforts not made to remedy these
grave deficiencies? Few servants
meet the requirements Of their en-
ployment. Most of them are indiffer-
ent cooks, and in nearly every branch
Of household work they are inefficient
There Is no good reason why this
should be true. There Is no reason
why cook should permit negro loaf
ers to infest the premises where she
Is employed. She could keep them
away easily. Instead Of doing so, she
wants them around. She feeds them
with her employers victuals and II
the employer objects, she will bundle
up her belongings and quit.
mo other branch of labor exacts
such leniency from employers, and
even II employers did not object to II
the cook ought to see that she stanos
In her own light by tolerating lazy
loafers where she is employed. That
system means waste. It means heaV'
Ter grocery bills and heavier expend'-
lures with the butcher, all OF which
tend to keep down wages. A careful
conscientious, economical cook could
reduce most of the family provision
bills by one-half and this in time
would mean better paid domestics all
1t would strengthen the mo-
nopoly of which We speak and ma
terially promote the happiness and
of tho negro people
The domestic who steals from ner
who wastes Ter employers
provisions, who is unreliable or 1mpu-
dent, who associates with the charac'
terless rufnAns who live upon INC
kitchen of the community, who does
not try to learn tho domestic arts anu
who does not care whether she pleases
her employer never remains long IN
one place and 10 not apt to get gooo
pay.
Tho point is, the negro monopov
of domestic service In the south WILL
live or fall In the measure that negro
improve the service they rem
der. II they continue Indifferent q.