The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1913-04-04
DIR. WASHTNGTON'S
VIEW OF THE WEST
WRITES ENTERTAININGLY OF CON-
DITIONS AS RELATE TO NEGROES
Many Encouraging Things Reported
Does Not Come Up to south-The
Sunny Cline offers Best Induce
ments - Find Favorable Sen
timent Toward Negro
Soldiers.


North Yakima, Washington, March
14.-In my letter from Helena, l dis
cussed conditions as had found them
up to that point. | think it we'll for
me to add this additional word as
to what found in Butte and Helena.
In both of these cities one will meet
some individuals who are as wide
awake and progressive as can be
found anywhere in the country. In
Helena, especially, one finds evidence
of intelligence and culture among the
colored people that is surprising.
Their occupations, however, in most
cases do not, as l have said, compare
with their intelligence, but the fead-
ers have on foot a plan to organize
the people in each community
throughout the state in way that
will call their attention to the busi-
ness opportunities that are before the
race In both Butte and Helena as
we'll as at one or two other points,
they have already organized Negro
Business Leagues and are planning
to have the state of Montana repre-
sented at the National League meet
ing to be held in Philadelphia Au-
gust 20, 21, %, 1918.
AS one travels still further in the
direction of the Pacific Coast, con
ditions among our people change
sometimes for the better, sometimes
for the worse, but on the whole for
the better I spent three pretty busy
days in Spokane and spoke nine
times to various kinds of audiences
One piece of information which wa:
given me by both white and coloret
people, especially by whites in Spo
kane, interested me very much, anC
that was that the 25th Infantry,
Negro regiment of the United States
Army, made better record when il
camp at Fort Wright near SPOKANE
than any soldiers that have eve
camped there. One of the member
of the Chamber of Commerce told MI
that the citizens of Spokane wer
practically unanimous in their regre
that the colored soldiers were re
placed by white ones. The member
of the 25th Infantry made an excep
tional record for fine and orderly con
duct. 1t was very noticeable in SpC
kane that the reputation which thes
soldiers made had gone a long way
toward giving the white people
higher regard for the colored peopl
in that vicinity. There was anothe
occurrence in Spokane which interest
ed me, and that was to find that tn
Federation of Women's Clubs o
that city rendered me a reception, a
which time l spoke to them, that tn
colored club to be recognized in thi
told that 1t is a usual thing for tn
colered club to be recognized in thi
way.
AS one goes further West he meet
an increasing number Of persons o
our race who have taken up home
steads, or who are buying land an,
are succeeding in cultivating the sol
These almost without exception ar
doing WELL One finds in a city lik
Spokane a few colored people VIII
are succeeding in the professions ant
business, and these men are wei
thought Of The principal drawback
however, to the people in the cit
grows out of the fact that they ar
barred, as | have stated in my forme
communication, from the trades !
seems to be pretty well understood
in this part of the world that a col
ored laborer must be either a porter
a messenger, or something of tha
kind. About forty miles from Mort
Yakima there is a colony of colore
people who have bought land and ar
doing we'll as farmers. One colore
lady told me that she raised las
year over a hundred turkeys on he
ranch. Notwithstanding these farm
ers are succeeding from an economi
point of view, / can easily discove
in talking to them that they mis-
the churches and lodges which the
were accustomed to attending in tn
sections where they lived before con
ing out here.
AS | have stated, as one goes furthe
West in the direction of Seattle an
Tacoma, it is noticeable that condi
tions so far as the Negro is concerne
seem to grow better. Seattle evt
IDENTIFY has the largest colored popr
lation of any city either in Washing
ton of Oregon, and among them ar
some mighty thrifty. ambitious an
successful individuals.
While in Washington one meet
with large numbers Of white peopl
from every Southern state; as rul
they are of a pretty high type, an
many of these Southern white pee
pie are among the best and most ust
full friends the Negro has, but ther
Continued on Page 5.
MEHARRY Y. M. c. A. COMPLETE