The Denver star., 1915-09-18
GIVE CREDIT WHERE 1T is
MERlTED.

Did it ever appear to you how COM
pletely isolated you are? Did you
ever stop to consider when you eager
ly read your big daily paper how lit
tie mention is given the Negro? Did
you ever notice that what few lines
you may chance to find relates in the
greater part to the fallacies and short
comings of few of our race? Petty
thefts, murders and misdemeanors of
various kinds are given prominent
headings 1t is perfectly right to give
mention to such happenings, for we
do not approve of them; we too be-
lieve in giving man or woman
what's due them-let it be what 1t
may-if it's their due. But when 1t
comes to overlooking all the good in
a race and holding up to the public
that which is not only Objectionable
but detrimental to people, then we
deem it time to awaken to what con-
fronts us. 1t seems to us that 1t
would be as easy to mention the ele-
waiting things that the Negro is doing
as to mention in particular the de-
grading 1t seems that it would be
just as easy to point to the deeds OF
the more self-respecting, law-abiding
Negro, as to center all thought on the
degenerate The Negro race is not
more inflicted with this specimen OF
humanity than the white race. Neith-
er do those of our race who have no
self-respect or care nothing for the
consequences of crime stOop to do
more heinous crimes than those of
the white race, in proportion to pop
ulation. The whole community does
not suffer for the wrongs of one white
citizen! Then, how unfair to the
Negro that all in community must
suffer for the iniquities of one who
drops down to the lowest rank Of hui
manity!
Now, to satify your own curiosity
in this matter, start out and see how
little you find in the big dailies-
which contain a great variety OF news
concerning the advancement and
achievements of the Negro. He ap-
parently has no place within it's col
umns, save to mention only the bad
deeds. Some papers censure them in
the strongest terms-in way that
the average intelligent reader is
caused to judge the Negro as being
so far inferior that it is a waste OF
time to attempt to better his condi-
ton. In every hamlet and village and
country surrounding are Negroes who
are making good" in their chosen
vocations-whether it be lawyer, doc
tor, business man, farmer, teacher,
preacher, common laborer or janitor
and they no doubt deserve some
mention of their achievements. Oc-
casionally in the country papers he
gets a deserved mention, but more
frequently more space is given to
misdemeanor than to commencing
him for his thrift and endeavor to ac-
complish something for himself and
his poster1ty.
The writer for some time past has
devoted much time looking over the
dailies to find interesting bits of news
concerning the Negro, but our search
has been almost in vain. Column af-
ter column have been given in "air-
ing" a scandal, murder, or what-not,
but it's seldom you find the same
amount of space given in encouraging
him to do his best
Are we not a part of this great
commonwealt Have we no good
traits that are worthy of commenda-
ton by the press? With its ten mil
lion or more Negro citizens, cannot
the press of this country find more
commendable things to herald to an
eager public? With the great prog
ress he is making-morally and finan-
cially-how can the Negro thus be so
isolated? When we see things as
they really exist we can but exclaim,
How long, o Lord" must we endure
this unjust intolerance? Would it not
create better feeling if we could
only behold our good deeds in print
in excess of our bad ones?
In view of these facts it behooves
YOU to look well to those things
wherein you may have the desired
recognition-your race papers ana
magazines-those periodicals which
delight in giving space to whatsoever
is commendable-give you credit for
what you do. Those periodicals merit
your unrestricted cooperation, your
support and encouragement.
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