The broad ax., 1913-01-25

But When protests and complaints CANA
in to Congress thick and fast. If was
determined to send General Carl
Sehurtz South to investigate and 70.
port to Congress on conditions. Gen.
eral Sehurtz reported that slavery
practically existed and that the only
solution of the difficulty was enfran.
ehisement for the Negro.
1t was not until yielding to the de.
mands Of justice and necessity that the
former slave was given the right 70
vote. Starting out about As years ago
with full citizenship rights and non.
of the results Of progressive enterprise.
the Negro has surpassed in achieve
ment and development the most san.
culinary expectations of his most ar.
dent admirers. The marvellous achieve.
ment of the Negro in material wealth
and the facility with which he has
adapted himself to the requirements
of Anglo-Saxon civilization is enough
to entitle him to justice and fair treat.
ment and the favorable consideration
Of the American people. As a citizen
he has been frugal, industrious and "a.
triotie. AS a voter he has exercised
his franchise in the way he thought
best subserved the interest of his peo.
pie and in harmony with the majority
of the voters of the country. As 4
soldier he has exhibited a courage and
fOrtitude never surpassed and has new
er hesitated to offer up his life on the
altar Of his eountry's honor.
In the face of a record unparalleled in
the history of race progress, in spite
of the cheerful heart and spirit of good
will, the Negro has maintained through
all his struggles against hostile eondi.
tiOns and unfair exaetions. There has
been and is today a persistent, vicious
and insidiOus attempt on the part of
the Southern White man to humiliate
him and deprive him of his civil and
political rights. This attack starting
in the Southland had steadily spread
until every section is affected BY the
horrible propaganda of race prejudice.
This unholy work Of arousing race an
tipathy has been prosecuted with such
wantOn effrontery that today there is
more bitter feeling directed toward the
race than ever before since our eman-
eipation. There is not the least valid
excuse for their action. The same mo-
tive aetuates the leaders in this move
ment today that influenced them in
1865 and 1868. Arouse wide spread
prejudice against a race, deprive them
of their civil and political rights and
you not only expose them to the law
less element o. every community, but
you take from them all stimulous for
racial or Undivided advancement
This without doubt is the end at
which our enemies aim. And vet the
great mass of our race sit silently by
and do not even protest against such
brazen injustice. There was a time
when the Negro was loud in his prOteA
against lynehing and every attempt to
take from him his vested rights was
persistently resisted. 1t is barely pos
sible that he has listened to the song
of patience and submission until it
has lulled him to sleep. When the
children of Isreal were treated the most
cruel by those who would enslave them,
the Lord commanded Moses to agitate,
then he agitated, and the Lord came to
their rescue. 1t is fear that our re-
ligious training has tended to make Us
too humble and submissive. In these
days of oppression and injustice We
need militant religion.
1 admire the fighting courage of
Christian in "Pilgrim's Progress" He
actually dared to fight old AppOlyOn
himself, and when AppOlyon knocked
him down and was dancing with glee,
Christian cried out: "ReiOiee not over
me, o, my enemies, for if fall shall
AAse again.
Our churches seem to have stopped
singing that battle hymn. "Must
be carried to the skies on fOwery beds
of ease, which others fought to win
the prize and sail through bloody seast
Sure must fight if 1 would reign, in
crease my courage Lord" 1t is not
nearly so easy to rob a fellow who
is awake and alert and ready TO
fight and make a noise, as it is TO rob
the fellow who is asleep or is afraid to
give alarm.
Wealth alone will not check the as
saults on our rights or restore the lid
erty we have permitted to be taken
away. For what advantage is wealth
without civil and political liberty lie
is a stupid man indeed who does not
realize with Shyloek as he stands be-
fore the bar Of Christian justice and
L., L, Ianv MN