The Colorado statesman., 1912-01-20
AFRO-AMER|CAN CU[[|NCS

A recent issue OF the Montgomery
(Ala) Advertiser calls attention to
speech made by Gov. Emmett O'Neal
before the conference of the A. M. f.
church recently in session at Mont
gomery, Ala.
1t is interesting to use to note how
these colored people in the south get
on with leading officials. Seldom or
never does one read of the governor
of a northern state attending any OF
the conferences OF our people, nor do
we read OF any of them Offering
words of advice which will help to
encourage colored people to better liV-
ing. AS a rule, northern governors
are never to be found around colored
people except when they are seeking
their votes. The report of this Incl
dent in the far south, however, Is so
interesting that we are publishing 1t
herewith just as 1t appears in the Ad-
vertiser:
The fourth days session OF the A.
NJ. E. conference, which is in session
at the Madison Avenue church, was
state. The principal feature of the
day being an address by Gov. Emmett
O'Neal, who had been invited to speak
before the conference.
AT high noon all available space
in the auditorium was filled by ne
groes who had turned out to do honor
to the chief magistrate OF Alabama.
A committee headed by Rev. r. l..
Pope, the pastor of the church, met
the governor in front of the church
and escorted him to the platform. DIR.
w. H. Nixon of Selma, Ala, made the
address in presenting him to Rt. Rev.
H. B. Parks. the presiding bishop, who
introduced the governor to the con-
ference. A ChautauQua salute was
given, amid long applause. Governor
O'Neal assured the conference of his
sympathy for and interest in the ne
gro ministry. He said:
No class counts for SO much in
the uplift and advancement of your
people as does the negro ministry. 1t
is for the interest Of the white man
as well as the black man to have the
negro educated in the sciences and
handicrafts of our civilization. To al
low the negro to remain among us
ignorant and vile may prove to be
weight about our necks to drag us
down. While in New York some
weeks ago, l was interviewed by the
New York Journal. In answer to the
question, was the negro's uncontrolla-
BILE thirst for strong drink responsible
for the failure of prohibition in the
south, l said emphatically, no. | was
born and reared among negroes and
for twenty-five years | practiced at
the bar in Lauderdale county, yet l
do not recall two negroes who were
confirmed drunkards. l can never
forget the loyalty OF your race during
the Civil war. History does not re-
count another instance where a serv-
ant race exhibited such loyalty to the
master as has been exhibited by the
American negro. l can never forget
you. And SO long as / occupy the
governors chair / shall do all in my
power to see that even-handed justice
is meted out to every citizen of this
commonwealth. be he rich or poor,
black or white
Bishop Parks replied to the gov
ernor's address.
AT the close of the reply a reso-
luton of thanks was offered the gov
ernor."
When strong men like Governor
O'Neal are willing to speak out open
ly in praise of the loyalty of negroes
and in determined assurance OF his
intention to mete out even-handed
Justice to blacks and whites alike
they are entitled to our thanks. For
one. The Age intends to give proper
report 10 all such incidents. 1t is the
kind OF thing for which We publish
this newspaper.-New York Age.