The Colorado statesman., 1915-04-24
AFRO-AMER|CAN CU[[|NCS

Loyalty to the United States and
Stars and Stripes with expressions
for the future welfare of ten millions
of Negro people was proclaimed by
the National Negro Press association
at its last session at Nashville, Tenn,
when the representatives from 126
publications, through their organiza-
tons, issued an address to the Ameri-
can people.
The facts concerning the address
were given out by the corresponding
secretary, Henry A. Boyd, who states
that this address was prepared by
committee consisting of c. V. Roman.
chairman. Nashville, Tenn; w. E.
King of Dallas, Tex; Joseph L. Jones
of Cincinnati, Ohio; Emmett ]. Scott
of Tuskegee Institute, Ala, and T. G.
Stewart of Wilberforce, Ohio. This
document. which made up the report
of the committee, says, in part:
The National Negro Press associa-
ton in convention assembled takes
this opportunity to consider the con-
dition of the country, especially in so
far as it concerns the Negro.
The student of history is alive to
the fact that for the past fifty years
the Afro-American element has been
by law made a part of the citizenry
of the republic. The National Negro
Press association believes that there
are many evidepces everywhere COW
ering every walk of life to show that
the Christian white element is doing
much to advance the civilization and
progress of the Negro peoples.
In the fields of Journalism we are
gratified to bear witness to the grow
ing liberality of a large element of
the white press, not confined to any
section of the country
In the field of religious effort there
has been no time when white Chris
tians showed a higher respect for the
great doctrine of the Fatherhood of
God and the brotherhood of man than
now.
In the field OF education we make
haste TO bear testimony to the great
and growing philanthropy which is
laying itself upon the educational al
tar of the race. There is unmistak-
able evidence that white America is
coming to the unalterable opinion that
the strength of the nation is not in
Its armies and navies and embattled
cities. but rather in the virtue and
intelligence of the people.
We call specially upon those who
are charged with the Interpretation
and enforcement of the law to attend
Its benefits without bias to us, to the
end that the struggling millions of the
colored race may continue to hope for
that governmental encouragement
which should be the heritage of the
humblest American citizen.
The strong need the restrictions of
the law and the weak need its pro-
lection. When the former lose respect
for the law and despise its restric-
tons, or the latter lose faith in its
fairness and doubt the justice of its
execution, then popular government is
in danger. Fitness and not race is
the only safe test for citizenship if our
country is to become in reality the
1ano of the free and the home of the
brave AS we can best serve the ma
ton by faithful service to our own
cultural unity, so the national welfare
will be best promoted by the general
acceptance of the good old demo-
cratic doctrine of equal and exact JUS
tice 10 all and special privilege to
none
we appreciate the growing liberal
ity of the American press and wish to
assure it that we will not disappoint
1t if it will only play us up empha-