The Twin City star., 1912-01-06
ORGANIZATION

Extracts from the Address Of Hon.
w. T. Francis, Before the Mime
apoIis Forum, Dec. 18th, at
Bethesda Baptist Church.
In the magnificent capital building
of the State Of Minnesota, as one en-
ters the Senate Chamber, he sees In
letters Of gold which extend around
the great room, those pregnant words
of Daniel Webster:-
Let US develop the resources Of our
land, call forth its powers, build up
its institutions, promote all its great
interests, and see whether we also
in our day and generation may not
perform something worthy to be re-
membered."
To have the sense of obligation
resting upon us, to understand it's uat-
ure, to have the glorious conscious
ness Of the weight Of responsibility
upon our shoulders, In the endeavor
to achieve things that are really worth
while,-this is what transforms life
and enobles it and makes living worth
while.
If the Negro expects to accomplish
anything in the development Of real
and natural forces, it can only be
done in SO far as he has the ability
to organize,-to use his mental,
physical and moral strength in Or
ganization-and his ability to build up
the organization by a united effort.
No man lives and succeeds by him.
self alone. Back of every successful
individual stands the organization.
Behind Washington stood the rag
ged regimentals.
Behind Grant stood the Northern
soldiers.
Without "the man behind the gun"
the triumph Of Dewey at Manila may
never have been recorded.
Without the 9th Cavalry the charge
on San Juan Hill would have proved
an inglorious failure.
Without the men of means who
stand behind Booker Washington.
Tuskegee would be impossible.
What Is true Of the individual Is
true Of the organization, but the
power Of the organization is far more
reaching, it's influence wider, its pur-
poses more extensive, in that it con-
tains a collection of minds, hands and
hearts, standing together for one pur-
of purpose in organization. That
timely admonition Of Webster which
stands forth emblazened before the
eyes Of all who enter our magnificent
Capital Building Is pregnant, especial
ly SO, with value to the Negro man
and Negro woman. Let us build up
our institutions. Let US seek to do
those things which will add to the
life of them, and not the things which
tend to destroy.
We are all either builders or de-
stroyers. There is no middle ground.
Each Of us belong to either the one
class or the other. No matter what
your social position, no matter how
wealthy or how poor you may be, no
matter what your occupation, you be-
long to one of these two great armies.
BY the force Of your example, by your
attitude on moral questions, by your
honesty or dishonesty in business or
in personal or political relations, by
the interest you take In your organiza-
tions to make them stand for some
thing, by your interest in your home
and in everything with which you
come in contact you are helping to
build up this race, or you are allied
with the forces that are ever busy,
busy, busy trying to tear It down.
Everything in nature has two ele-
ments at war within 1.-THE elements
Of growth and health, and the ele-
ments Of disease. Every social or
ganization that man has devised has
in 1t, constantly working, consciously
or unconsciously, the forces that work
| IO6CthCI LII udhO
strength and growth, and the forces
that tear down and destroy.
The spirit Of unanimity should gov
ern the race in its dealings one with
another.
Whenever a Negro starts an enter.
prise Of any kind, the Negro as q
mass should be there to spur him on,
to help him in his struggle for q
livelihood, but we don't. We some
times employ white physicians. white
lawyers, white undertakers, white
butchers and bakers and candle-stick
makers. subscribe for and pay for
white news papers, and stand by and
see our own men and institutions fail
one by one, day by day, for the want
Of our support and encouragement.
Let me urge the members of this
Forum, as Negroes, to so organize
your forces that you may give to our
institutions the best service of which
you are capable.