Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-11-14
AFRO-AMER|CAN CULL|NCS

Unless the mortgage now resting on
the old home of the late Frederick
Douglass in Washington is paid. the es-
tate will have to be sold. 1t was be-
Queathed, with all the furniture, books,
papers, art treasures and curios. as
well as the Is acres Of land surround
ing it, to the colored race to be main
tanned by 1t as a memorial, the same
people OF this country.
For some years heavy mortgage
has rested upon the home. The trus-
tees have no funds to meet the obi
CATION, and the home has no earning
capacity, being simply memorial.
Because of lack of funds, not only
is the mortgage pressing, but the home
is falling into decay.
The Douglass home Is large, old
southern mansion sitting at the top OF
Cedar hill, Anacostia. D. c., overlook
ing the Potomac river and Washing
ton. Anacostia, once municipality,
now Is part of Washington. The
Douglass home has enhanced in value,
because Washington has grown out
to it and around it, and it Is only
few minutes ride by street car from
the White House or the capitol.
While the colored race this year Is
celebrating the fiftieth anniversary OF
the emancipation, this old home OF
Douglass, who contributed so much
to bring about that emancipation. Is
falling into decay, and in grave danger
of passing out of the hands Of the
race by the foreclosure of the mort
gage.
The mortgage will have to be lifted
this year. Ralph w. Tyler of Wash
ington, D. c.. former auditor for the
navy department, is making strenu-
GUS effort to arouse his race to the
necessity of contributing funds to
save the home. Mr.. Tyler said today
it would be a sad reflection upon his
race If, after 80 years of freedom, it
would permit the home to pass from
the race, and the furniture, books and
art treasures which Douglass spent
life time IN collecting, to be scattered.
The Douglass home is one of the his
torical spots in Washington.
There was much of moral making,
man affection under slavery as man
aged by the southern white man. Pun
ishment there was, but there Us punish
ment for offenders under every sys-
tenn But the point is not that slavery
was morally or politically either right
or necessary, but that the black people
are amenable to training and kind.
ness. The great Christian white peo-
pie of American can not escape a
certain degree of moral responsibility
for the Negroes condition. Superior
ity can not escape being respon-
s;ble for the interiors around it. 1t
may despise these interiors and keep
them in self-defense at their distance
and in their place or sphere, but su-
periority in a Christian people can not
escape responsibility for it's interiors
just as Christianity is responsible to
send the gospel to the heather and
Just as the state must educate its
ignorant people, of whatever race.
The Negro public schools should be
brought up to state of real eff
cheney in giving a sound intelligent,
moral and manual industrial training
Every grade of every Negro school
should have its graded exercises in the
useful manual, industrial arts. The
white people have it in their hands to
mould the Negro people to greater
usefulness.-E. L. Blackshear in the
Houston Post.