The Colorado statesman., 1912-06-22

We were present recently at a
meeting in which one of the speakers,
an old friend of ours, discussed some
phases of Murrays Race Ideals"
and objected in his own vigorous way
TO certain conclusions reached by
that author. Seeing us in the audi
ence. he stated that he objected to
our own position on the same phase of
that subject. The doctrine or idea to
which our friend objected so siren
uously was that of building up race
enterprises by race patronage He
took the ground that in advocating
the patronage of these enterprises by
negroes we are likely to stir up race
prejudice, or at least that We would
be construed as doing SO; and that
when the negro boy or girl is taught
or urged to spend money with the
negro in business, that boy or girl is
more than likely to feel hatred to-
wards the white man who is not get
ting that trade. 1t is a vital argu-
ment and because it may possibly
represent the ideas and thoughts of
hundreds of others who habitually
give negro enterprises absent treat
ment," We purpose to examine the
argument and see II 1t has its founda-
ton in fact or fancy. And we do so,
not out of any spirit OF i'll will, for
we concede to every man the same
right that we claim for ourselves
the right to examine any subject fear
lessly and to derive from 1t any con-
clusion that may seem to be warrant
ed by the facts In hand, and this
without worrying a moment as to
whether that conclusion does or does
not coincide with that of the major
ity. The situation that confronts us
as a race today is this: We are very
largely a race without jobs We are
preparing thousands of boys and girls
for jobs which-so far as they and we
are concerned-do not now exist, but
must be created. The Jobs must be
supplied by the race or these boys
and girls must remain out of such
Jobs, and the race must content it.
self by trying to rise only by remain
ing "hewers of wood and drawers of
water" The white man has jobs in
abundance, but as long as human ma
ture remains as it Is he is going to
give the best of those jobs to his own
people, and we don't blame him a bit
Our contention has always been that
instead of expecting the white man to
furnish these Jobs for us and of get
ting riled at him because he doesn't
do so, the best thing for us to do is
to set to work Systematically to Gre
ate and develop these jobs. There is
only one way to do this and that Is
by our supporting them. Until about
two decades ago we were laboring un-
der an impression similar to that un-
der which many young converts la
Dor: they get converted, join the
church and figure that in six months
thereafter they will be in heaven 1t
used to be thought by many of us that
education would solve all of our diff
culties. Instead it has added to our
difficulties, just as 1t has done with
all other people. AS education in
creases We find that Hills peep over
hills, and Alps on Alps arise" We
must scale them or remain in the val
ley. Some of us have our faces turn
ed to the east-to sunrise, not sun
set-and our gaze fixed on the hori-
zon in the purple distance There
are hundreds of young men and wom-
en- In various schools who are study
ing pharmacy, stenography, bookkeep-
ing, journalism, etc. Is there any like
lihood that they can find employment
In the white mans business enter
prises suitable to their talents? They
have about as much show for that as
they have of becoming president of
the United States. 1t is just prob
ahla that 10 pf1 1oY IN,,t tb,
negro causes prejudice on the part
of some white people. Shall we quit
buying land? And If 1t be true that
advocating the patronage of negro en-
terprises by negroes causes race pre-
judice shall everybody become silent
and not say a mumbling word? What
crime does a man commit when he so
advises? Is It any crime for a boy
to be taught that If he ever expects
to hold a job as a clerk, bookkeeper,
journalist, bank cashier, ETC., he will
have to look to his own people for
the same, and that he must contrib
ute his share now in helping to build
up enterprises of that sort and make
place for himself? Is he likely to
conceive any hatred toward the white
man on that account? And isn't II
better that he should be shown the
situation now, rather than make prep
aration and then become "soured" be-
cause the white man won't give him
any such place II my friend is right
In his argument, then the idea that
gave existence to the National Negro
Business league is dead wrong and
when black man establishes little
grocery store one among the negroes
the logical method will be for every
body to play mum" both with tongue
and money! And further-and we
press this point-if one is stirring up
race hatred by advocating the sup