Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-07-25

III CITY anu IN country WhereVei
there are any large number of ne
groes they are confronted with the
same sort of problem that confront
ed the colored workmen at the New
port News ship yard. That is the
problem of making the most of the
opportunities for working Nowhere
IN this country are the difficulties IN
securing work for colored persons as
great as the opportunities for work.
ing. No negro in the south has to be
idle because there Is no work he can
get to do. On the contrary, Jobs, .es
pecially In the trades, are continually
hunting him. II he loses his economic
hold upon the south will be because
ne has not made the most of his op,
portunities. Nevertheless there is
everywhere, as at the Newport News
always the likelihood of the Negro be
ing displaced by foreigners unless he
become reliable, a dependable work
man. Although the problem of the
shlftless, irresponsible Negro is gen.
eral, 1t can be most effectively deal
with in a local way. just as was done
mere at Newport News. The respon.
slble coiored people here have set an
example which should be followed by
the better class of colored people in
every community Led by the min
listers, teachers and parents, they
should come together and take steps
TO see that the shiftless, irresponsible
negroes stick to their jobs. This class
OF Negroes Is menace to the entire
race. 1t is from their ranks that the
chain gangs are recruited. 1t Is they
who bring discredit upon us, and
cause the whole race to be charged
with being unreliable and irrespon.
sible.-New York Age.
Men of genius have not always
been good financiers. They have
known how in many ways to make for
tunes for others INSCRIPTIONS enough
to steal their ideas or inventions, but
they have not been shrewd enough to
secure the protective copyright or
trademark and provision for royalty
and so have died and filled the pau.
per's grave. 1t is said, for instance
that the great Thomas A. Edison
knew so little about money matters
IN his early career that he did not
know what to do with the first check
he got. said to have been for 500, 900
for one of his first inventions. The
story seems incredible, but may be
true. A news dispatch in the Phila
delphia Record says that after spend.
ing all of his money to buy books
from which to gain additional knowl
edge to facilitate his work." John B.
Trusty, aged forty-four years, "a col
ored man Of unusual intelligence" has
been removed to the poorhouse, there
probably to end his. days" The Rec
ord says further: Trusty said his
money is gone and he could not afford
physician or buy medicine II he did
have doctor. His food was nearly
exhausted and he was facing starva
ton. Trusty isthe inventor of numer
GUS mechanical appliances now in use
In local plants. All Of them are re-
garded as most efficient and econom
ical machines. The inventor, how
ever, does not seem to realize what
his inventions would have meant tc
him had he had them patented, and he
never received royalty or even fail
pay for them. While he worked he
spent all his money, practically, buy
Ing books to help him work, and he
had acquired a considerable library
This country's production Of leaC