The Colorado statesman., 1914-01-31
AFRO-AMER|CAN CU[L|NCS

I In an address before the National
Conference of Race Betterment at Bat
tie Creek, Mich, DR.. Booker T. Wash
ington uttered these remarkably wise
words regarding the treatment of
the negro which are worth ponder
ing:
There are 100000 colored citi-
zens in this country, and they are
here to stay. They will help or they
will hinder. The white people can
make the negro become a better citi-
zen not only by being frank with him
with reference to his shortcomings,
but by praising him when he does
well. Greater good can be accom-
plished if the strong points of the
negro are emphasized and less stress
placed upon the weak points"
That is sound common sense We
must recognize the fact that the ne
gro is with us to stay and we must
make the best of him. He can be of
service or not, as he is treated. The
white race. being dominant numer-
ically and in civilization, must be toll
Grant and kindly.
1t is not necessary to minimize the
negro's shortcomings nor to be blind
to the fact that he has faults largely
due to conditions which surround
him But we must strive to eradi-
cate these faults by proper education
by tolerance and by broad human sym
pathy.
In the meanwhile we must remem-
Der that discriminating praise and ap-
probation constitute some of the
chief elements of incentive to bet
ter effort, and we should not be stint
ing of these when the negro deserves
them. Rather, we should seek occa-
sions to bestow them.-Exchange.
A Russian is not of age until he is
twenty-six years old. Until that time
at least four-fifths of his earnings
must go to his parents.
Southern money is flowing toward
work for negro betterment. The stu
dents of Vanderbilt university are rails
ing a fund for the industrial depart
ment of Nashville institute. A fash
ionable girls school in Nashville, long
sions, but hitherto oblivious to the
need of colored people at their very
door, has this winter given 5000 to
pay the salary of director for the
Girls of the Forward Quest" an or
ganization paralleling the negroes the
white Camp Fire Girls
Right here is shown the good faith
of the negro in claiming equal, but
not necessarily the same privileges
with the white man. 1t was the north
which took the responsibility of dis
couraging negro girls from organizing
camp fires. Mr.. and Mrs McCulloch
then set to work to devise a parallel
plan, especially suited to the needs
of negro girls, and one for boys to
be known as Boys of the Advance
Guard" The way these separate or
ganizations are welcomed marks the
difference between the spirit of the
northern and the southern negro
Good faith on the part of southern
whites is evidenced by the action of
the Federation of Labor of Tennessee,
which since the meet of the South
ern Sociological congress has opened
its membership to negroes-a step
whose industrial Importance to the
colored man it is difficult to exagger-
ate.--Philadelphia Ledger.
Egg production in the United States
increased from 450,000,000 dozen in
1880 to 1900, 100000 dozen in 1900 and
to 1,750,000,00 dozen in 1912, the ex
ports last year amounting to 10000,
900 dozen.
Social conditions in the United
States are tending to develop in the
negro a racial consciousness and to
organize a negro nationality, declared
Robert E. Park, professor of soci-
ology of the University of Chicago, be-
fore the American Sociological society
at Minneapolis.