The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-11-14
WHY WORRY ABOUT sEeREGA.
TION7
DENNIS S. THOMPSON.

Since the meeting of the National
Negro Business League in Muskogee
last summer, occasioned by the speech
of Booker 7. Washington, to the dele
gates to that body to cease fighting
segregation measures, the Negro press
has in some parts of the country been
somewhat bitter in their denunciation
of Mr.. Washington and his doctrine.
1t would seem from reading some
of these scratching comments on Mr..
W%ashingtoD's speech that in the ma
jority of cases some misconstruction
has been placed on his real meaning
in the matter.
There is no doubt but that there
are many intelligent people through
OFT the country that would profit
through the advice of Booker T. Wash
ington, If they would work out the
plans that he outlines.
When Booker T. Washington adj
vised the delegates to the Negro Bust
ness League to stop fighting segre-
cation laws, and get more property
and more sense" it was mighty sound
doctrine, a doctrine that l do not
think hat anyone of intelligence
could scarcely be offended at. Too
many of us are too quick to take Of
Tense at the right thing where, If in
many instances we would look into,
and thoroughly analyze the question
presented, we would be greatly bene-
| fitted thereby and be enabled to speak
| the good word to some one else.
Y The matter of a people securing
their rights is something that every
man and woman of the right thought
will commend, but when we come to
view the thing from a business stand
| point, is there not many ways in
which we can improve our condition
other than by fighting?
l believe if we look around us we
can find every day, in almost every
community, some step upwar hat may
be gained through mediums other than
aggressiveness.
1t is good and well to assume the
offensive in the right thing, but too
many of us are too willing to fight
the wrong thing; if we could get it
into our minds to fight the things
that are doing us the greatest injury
we would have little time to criticize
Booker T. Washington. The Negroes
in the large cities who have comfort
| able, palatial homes did not secure
them through constant warning with
the white people, but through indus
triousness, thrift and good common
sense. 1t is true that in some cities
and different parts of the country the
progressive Negro has met with some
opposition, on the part of the white
people, but I believe this trouble is
easily eradicated when the whites see
that the Negro is all right and means
business.
In almost every city there are dis
tricts that have a large Negro popula
ton; these districts l can say here
in the Middle West was not necessar
lily forced upon the Negro, but the
Negro has forced himself upon the
district. because he likes to live there
In another quarter of the city yol
may find another type, the intelli
gent Negro, who has acquired prop
erty, wealth and a high standing IL
the world, who in many instances hal
trouble residing in a white neighboI
hood" because the whites are afrai'
the other class of Negroes will tr.
to work their way into their midst.
In the first case we must notice
that in these populous districts JUS
a few years back, the Negro coult
have acquired at a reasonable figure
the greater portion of the propert!
which he is paying rent on now, bu
he did not have that insight into thu
future possibilities of the country tina
the white man had.
The thought that Booker 7. Wash
ington advances is very timely, II
quit thinking of the parts of the cite
that can't be lived in, but begin t
beautify the parts that can be live
in"
This will apply to many OF us, DOT
in the country and the cities; 1t
advice that we all should heed an
epdeavor to profit thereby.
There is more progress to be mad
in fighting immortality than segregs
ton; if in these Objectionable oil
tricts three Negroes out Of every te
would put half that they spend wit
the saloons into soap and scru
brushes, into paint and paint brushes
we would soon see a new order
things.
Let us clean up and beaut1fy TN
nlaces where we live before wantln
to go where some one else has cleane
! up.
E Let us carry more buckets OF pain
and fewer buckets of beer; let U
plant flowers and beautify our lawn
+, our back yards; let us read and stud
; the plans of others who are success
full. and / believe we will have les
fighting to do. There ae many con
munities that would be fine places
live in if they were cleaned VI
houses painted, fences built, sid
walks laid, and many other improv
ments that could be made with II
y nickels that go annually into the "ra
holes"
The white people will continue
seeregate the races in certain d
J. tricts; the best thing for the Neg