The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-02-27
INFIDELlTY AMONG NEGRO
BUSINESS MEN
CAS- viewed by a Newcomer.)


the success of individuals, the pros
perity of section and the bounty of
a race.
In substance, with charity toward
all men, and with malice toward no
man, is a we'll founded maxim which
needs be a real active part with every
business man, Irrespective of color, and
especially must be present with the
descendants of Ham. For if ever a
man were born to render service to
his own, the Negro business man, the
Negro professional man must render
this service to his own. Let me be
understood. do not refer to a charity
deal. Yet, charity must be, and it is
no more than right in the sight of
God and man. that all be charitably in
clined, when such is necessary. l re-
fer to the divine right of helping ones
race, when it is necessary to help that
race; not along oratorical lines,-for
oratory will not pass at par at the
grocery, at the meat market, as a
coinage for medical attention, or even
as dues at the Young Mems Christian
Association, or at any of the various
churches, or in any of the numerous
places to which a dollar must find it's
way, in order that man may merely
exist
1 refer to the Negro business men
who have business transactions to
make, and where it is probable and
where it is possible for these business
transactions to be made with equal
advantage to all parties concerned;
and with Negro business men and
women; for through this reciprocal ef-
fort alone, can it be possible for these
men, these enterprises, and the race
as a whole, to materially improve,
land material improvement must
come if any individual, any section or
any race would become a part of the
real working forces of the earth).
In other words, infidelity among Ne
gro business and professional men to-
ward one another is regretable thing,
to phrase it in drawing room rhetoric:
it is a damnable thing, to put it in
plain business parlance, it is regret
able when Negro man, no doubt well
skilled in his line of real estate, and
hood from prospective Negro clients,
that this Negro will. upon the very
beginning Of his commercial career in
Kansas City, in the form of repairs on
building and house opening, abso-
lutely ignore all Negro mechanics, and
all other Negro enterprises, when
these mechanics and these enterprises
could have creditably rendered him
service in their respective lines of
work and endeavor. 1t is regretable,
to say the least, to even have the larg-
est Negro organization for the adance-
ment of Negro youth, and for the max
ing of spiritual and physical man
hood, (not only teaching our youth to
die, but teaching the mhow to live
in body and in souD, let out large
sum for photography to a member of
another race, when, without doubt,
this work could have been done by a
member of the same race as the men
whose faces appeared upon the photo
graphic plate made by that member of
different race. These photograph
ers, mechanics, these florists, these
decorators do not ask for aims. They
merely ask for the chance to do SER
vice in their respective lines. They
ask only a fair business opportunity.
The white unions see to it, in a large
degree, that these Negro men and
women are not given this opportunity
as far as the white unions can influ.
ence. Hence opportunity must knock
at the doors of the Negro business and
professional men, in order that their
own may live; for upon business
hangs the welfare of a people a vel
fare second only to religion, when that
religion is Christianity y,-Christianity
void of all frills, fancies and dogma
but just the spirit of Christ in its pure
state.-the spirit of love.
Can you love race and not see
to 1t that any member of that race
gets the oportunity to do you service
as far as you are concerned, and as
far as his ability goes? Can you love
race, or any member of that race
aside from your kith and kin, and
purchase an abundance of floral deco
rations from florists proudly boastine
Of blood which they claim to be
superior to the life fluid which flows
in your very veins, when there are
two prominent Negro florists in your
very city, and where these two florists
product Is unexcelled, and where the
prices are even lower than those Of
their white competitors! Then, too, i:
it even good business to make pur
chases, or make transactions at &
figure which is really higher than the
figures that other firms would offer
when quality and price are equal, oil
better! Can you love the Negro wher
you invite a number of the member:
of that race to witness any social func
tion given by a member of that race
when upon all sides are the results
of white workmen, when this worl
could have been done by Negroes, anC
done creditably,. too? We, as a race
do not believe in ourselves; and-tht
strongest Of these unbelieyers, il
most instances, are the Negro bust
ness and professional men, who 81
graciously turn over the cash to tn,
white nan, even in larger amounts
than prices among Negro merchants
would necessitate
Business is reciprocal condition