Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-08-16
AFRO-AMER|CAN CULL|NCS

II may or may not be generally
<nown. but - nevertheless true. that
the lowest form OF negro life tmor-
ally) u found on large plantations
whore hundreds Of negroes are group
ed and worked from generation to gen.
| Grafton Conditions on many such
farms indicate that the great mass OF
negroes there are not only immoral,
but immoral. Our uplift leaders find
1t more convenient TO collect money
to send 70 Africa than TO attack these
little Africas" right at our doors.
Occasionally some preacher finds
himsel! sent out to some OF these big
plantations. and is afraid to cry aloud
against the corrupt LIE be finds there
we have never produced any pulpit
martyrs. Hence, the problem re-
mains untouched. The Interstate Re-
porter. touches upon this phase OF
negro life In a recent issue. and shows
how the negro IL protected in this
sort OF living. II says:
"On some plantations owned by rich
white men, a negro can DO anything
he wants. II he is good hand. and
the plantation owner will see 10 II
that be is not molested. This kind
OF thing is as much against the best
interest OF the negro race as any other
evil that exists within the race; that
Is not the way to protect him. when
he 10 wrong; he should be allowed to
pay the penalty OF his wrong-doing.
The negroes on some OF these farms
are allowed to shoot one another. sepa~
rate one another from ,he.E wives or
husbands, and II the one who IL guilty
of this kind OF crime Is good hand
be IL allowed to go unpublished. This
kind OF protection is keeping the race
down and making criminals OF them.
But, the kind OF protection the negro
needs IL to give him fair and Impair
tai trial when he Is accused, the same
as the law demands for white men.
and II be Is found guilty according
to tbs law and evidence. let him SUI.
fer the penalty ut the law. and not
protect him just because he 10 a good
hand"
Despite the fact that Chicago ts q
wide open" city. there are hundreds
and hundreds OF young men here that
are living decent and clean lives and
are not going on daily blindfolded into
the pits OF immortality. There are ten
or more social clubs here that have for
their aim the moral. social and intel.
lectual beiterment Of their lives. They
are members OF the various Sunday
schools, Y. NJ. c. A. and churches.
They are business and professional
men, clerks, carriers. and others an-
gagged In other walks of life that re-
quire honesty. sobriety and intelli-
gence. There II no doubt about the
shiftlsss class that hang around the
corners and in bar rooms-thsy arc
here, too, in great numbers, mucn 70
our regret.-Illinots Chronicle.
The first annual meeting Of the
negro business leagues OF the state Of
Kansas was held ut Topeka. conven-
ing at St. John A. M. E. church. The
following officers were elected: John
NJ Wright, Topeka. president; w, H.
Cole. Newton. vice-president; William
Armstrong. Garrett, treasurer; Fred
Koundtree. Topeka, auditor: L F. By
ron, Newton, secretary. Executive
committee-Charles Whitney. Topeka;
w. c. Brown. Lawrence; J. G. Groves.
Edwardsville; e. p Blakemere, WI
chita; T. w. Bell, Leavenworth: Prof.
H. T. Heating. Quindare; FOSTER Will
Jams, Coffeyville; W. w. shobe, sa-
lima
The next meeting of the state body
will be In February. 1913. at Topeka.
Booker T. Washington returned to
his Tuskegee school after delivering
addresses In cities In Massachusetts,
Maine and New jersey. During
the course Of his trip. he spoke under
the following auspices: On January
II, at st. Johns Congregational
church. a colored congregation, and
at Unity church, a white congrega-
ton. Springfield, Mass; on January
20, before the Hampton club, Spring
field, Mass; at the Friends church,
Roxbury, Mass; on January %. at the
Robert Gould Shaw Colored Settle.
ment house. Boston; on January "a.
at the meeting Of the Boston Local
Negro Business Mems league; on
January rs, before the Mems club Of
the Congregational church. West New.
ton, Mass; on January rs, at Bowdoin
college. Brunswick. Me-, and Bates
college, Lewiston. Me-; on January %.
at United church, white congregation,
and also st. Marks Methodist Episco
pal church. a colored congregation. at
Montclair. N. ia busy program for
q week.
Sleeping in q bed Of papsies might
be q dowery bed OF ease. and then
again 1t mightn't.
Discussing the gloomy outlook for a
white mans hope In the pugilistic
world. . London paper says:
I'VE want real good man. too. and
We want him badly. With Sam Nc
iVey making an almost even break OF
II with Langford, the four top places
must be readily conceded to the repre-
sentstives of the colored race-Jack
Johnson, Sam Langford.. Sam Mcvey
and Joe Jeanette. Langford would
appear, from the reports OF his recent
fixht In Paris. to have been far below