Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-22

real and personal, without limit as to
amount in any state of the United
States, and in foreign countries.
THE company proposes to purchase
land and erect dwellings, bungalows,
and cottages on it. The demand for
suitable dwellings, and houses in de-
sirable localities is great and the sup
ply little to nothing.
Holdings of Negroes.
"When Thomas Jefferson wrote into
the Declaration of Independence that
All men are born free and equal he
laid the foundation stone of American
liberty and citizenship. Nevertheless
there is today an unreasonable antagon-
ism commonly called race prejudice
and this prejudice seems to be directed
more to the negro than to any other
race 1t has been acknowledged that it
grew out of a false economic condition,
and we appreciate that it is the most
subtle and persistent of all preJudices,
but as it is most unnatural condition
of mind it must of necessity give way IN
the face of education and race co-opera-
ton. Poverty has been one OF the
strongest factors in keeping alive the
prejudice that exists between certain
members of our commonwealth and the
negro. His thrift, perseverance, and
faith has enabled him to accumulate in
personal and real property throughout
the length and breadth estimated at
nearly 100000.
This has been the lever which has
lifted many of the burdens of the colored
citizens of this country, and we believe
that as soon as the man of color enters
all of the fields of commercial activity,
especially that large and substantial
field in which the holding of land is the
primal incentive he will begin to open
to himself the doors of opportunity that
are now so tightly closed against him.
To this end The Hannibal Realty and
Improvement Company of America, Inc,
has been organized.
THE charter granted to this company
by the State Of New York is most lib
eral one. To say that 1t permits us to
deal in real estate is expressing the
limits of the charter in very narrow
terms. There is nothing that can be or
is connected with the holding, buying,
selling, transferring, assigning, or build
ing of any kind of real or personal prop
erty that we cannot dou nder our char
ter. 1t is wholly due to thes pirit OF lib
crafty on the part of the Government
of New York that We received such
charter. and our bylaws are so framed
that this spirit of liberality shall in no
way be curtailed.
There are numerous reasons why
corporation, as we have established,
should receive the approval and enthu-
siastic support of all predetermined per-
sons, especially those of the colored
race, for 1t is indeed they whom we
wish to place upon the same plane of
commercial activity as their white breth-
rem. However, we will but mention the
more important reasons briefly.
Those of you who have ever dealt
in real estate in and about New York
city know that the title companies have
shown extraordinary discrimination in
their business dealings. They have re-
fused to accept loans on real estate
owend by colored people, and in in
stances where they hold mortgages on
property held by colored people through
purchase, have demanded the uncondi-
tional payment of such Indebtedness, or
demanded large installment payments on
the mortgage.
Nothing is more noticeable In our prl-
vate everyday life than that, which is
the earmark of the lowiy civilization
of former ages, race prejudice. Espec-
tally is this so when one wishes to se-
cure a home in desirable localities or to
rent homes in sections of the city suited
to his station of life. Respectable col
ored citizens need not be told the enor-
nous hardshps they encounter in
searching for home in the various de-
sirable sections of this city. for bitter
experience has made them fully ac-
quainted with the lamentable situation
and they justly rebel at the very recol-
lection thereof. No barrier is so great
that it cannot be overcome, and this We
are bound to prove by reforming the
present state OF affairs as they actually
exist. Cooperation is the only thing
necessarily to accomplish our purpose. -