The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-11-28
WHY WORRY ABOUT sEeREeA
TON?
DENNIS S. THOMPSON.

last summer, Occasioned by the speech
of Booker T. 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..
Washington'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
out 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 ad-
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 I do not
think that 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 ONE one else.
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?
| believe if we look around us we
can find every day, in almost every
community, some step upwar that may
be gained through mediums other than
aggressiveness.
1t is good and we'll 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. It 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 l believe this trouble is
easily e%radicated 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 | 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 you
may find another type, the intelli-
gent Negro, who has acquired prop
erty, wealth and a high standing in
the world, who in many instances has
trouble residing in a white neighbor-
hood, because the whites are afraid
the other class of Negroes will try
to work their way into their midst.
In the first case we must notice
that in these populous districts just
a few years back, the Negro could
have acquired at a reasonable figure
the greater portion of the property
which he is paying rent on now, but
he did not have that insight into the
: future possibilities of the country that
the white man had.
: The thought that Booker T. Wash
ington advances is very timely, tic
quit thinking of the parts of the cities
that cant be lived in, but begin tc
beautify the parts that can be livec
in"
This will apply to many of us, boil
in the country and the cities; it il
advice that we all should heed anC
endeavor to profit thereby.
There is more progress to be made
in fighting immortality thar segrega
ton; if in these Objectionable dis
: tricts three Negroes out of every tel
would put half that they spend witt
the saloons into soap n scrul
brushes, into paint and paint brushes
we would soon see a new order o
things.
| Let us clean up and beautify thu
places where we live before wanting
: to go where some one else has cleaned
up.
Let us carry more buckets of paint
and fewer buckets of beer; let III
: plant flowers and beautify our lawns
| our back yards; let us read and stud!
| the plans of others who are success
full, and | believe we will have less
fighting to do. There ae many com
munities that would be fine places t.
. live in if they were cleaned up
houses painted, fences built, side
i walks laid, and many other improve
ments that could be made with tn
nickels that go annually into the rat
, holes"
The white people will continue t
segregate the races in certain dis
tricts; the best thing for the Negr
t to do is to continue to improve hi
t C ondition in every possible way. Tn
best course to pursue is to do tina
which is right at all times. Ever,
person knows, and must admit, tina
right will prevail; it may be slo0
sometimes but in the end it will pre-