The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1913-10-03
FIFTY YEARS 0! FREEDOM
From the Speech Of Hon. 7. c.
Nutter at Wheeling on Eman-
eipation Day.

The prcgrs~s of the sour million of sonls
liberated over fifty years sgo stands with
nut parallel I'm the worlds civilization,
and l. a most gloriO'is chapter i'm oar ma
tons p-rgreSs. No servient race ha.
ever made the progr,-ss of the America.
Negro I'M the same space OF time. No
raoe has approSimateSi i'm fifty years tn
progress OF the emancipated slave of this
,ountry. The Russian Serfs who werr
'nsnciPated two years before the Amer.
'csn Negro j. still grauping in darknes>
md Ignorance. While only thirty pe,
INT OF the Rnssian Serfs can read ami
write, seventy per cent cf tn. Negro racs
m this country can read and write.
IN hify years lf.oOo.U0 of Russian
'eris have accumulated S.JOo. 900, ,ODworth
4 property. or 81 per capita. an aver
srr Of -" per family. In the ~ame
~lacs. "f time. the American Negro has
i'r'HHin ats~i S7,1.uel.UO worth ..f prop
'''y "r ahont 80 per capita, and svrrar~
"i 'i'F' per family.
The N"grn liberated fifty years ago in
all OF his ignorance, SUI e tition and
poverty has steadily made his Way Tor
wand until t''lay his ilIiteracy has BEEN
"~i"e'N' from ninety seven pc cent to
little over thirty per cent. In that shost
space OF time lac has become the Owner
If a,."s'.Wn acres of land, or 3i.u0.nn
mikes, which II organiz,d into STATES would
ne ~ large - tlse whole Of New England
excepting Maine.
In that short space of time he has he
como the OWNER "f 3u.uDO grocery store-
l'n insurance c'mpanies, 3n drug -for,--.
80 banks, capitalized az about 81 ,oOo.Un
and doing an annual business Of $50.
ED.WO.
lie has contributed n his education in
the Way of taNes Sij j,0o0,Oro, and thru
his churrhcS he has expended over SIS.
i-rl,tsD for hi> own education. lie owrs
over SO.WD homes while over al. on ofI
his racr are engaged in the various pro-
i'-~-i"ns. AMI :Sl."o occupied i'm some
l'isiiics~ enterprise. !
The negro has but % develop self con
iiJenee. hut TO belicve. in the possibilities
Of himself and his rare. The white -msn
has gone from one degree of grace to all
pth~r and conqnred and mastered what
over lac has come in contact with. simply
i~'causs. of his implicit confidence in him
~''lf To arhleve, To accomplish, 10 do or
lie. Ii - Impossible to keep the man
down who has faith i'm himself and his
tod. There are no limits To- the pos-i-
bilIt.rs of a people who believe m them
selves All of the power bctween the
heavens above and the earth beneath
cann"t keep the nan down who says 81
WIZ and means Il will" 20 many Of
our people have Isecoune discouraged and
believe that the dpors Gf opportunity arr
close u them berau-e of their color. Not
30 The door Of opportunity il open o.
every man and cannot he closed unless
be wills that il be- clo-si
Opportunity t. n horse brid!ed ard
~addied. ~hich stops at every man s,ioor
once in a life time. Be ready. mount.
be carriS~ y"p - 10 victory Pau-e bnt
q moment. BE- j. gone, and the clatter Of
ii- iron hoof' cchoing down the corri-
'i"rs Of time forever remind you Of what
Won have iost. Let the Negro take al
vantage Of the opportunities presented to
him. Let him prepare hin-s.lf o. give
honest and profitable service To tie worlI.
and the door 81 opportunity will staad
"jar. and be- has - but enter and po-.4--s
the Promised Land.