The Denver star., 1916-09-02
FORTUNE FAVORS
RACE CONGRESS-
Veteran Editor Strikes Keynote
In Time.y Editorial.
NATURE Of THE GATHERING

Propossd National Convention Of COL
ersd Americans Should Reflect the
Strength Of the Manhood and Wom.
anhood Of the Rehabilitation Of q
United Stand Against National Un-
fairness.
T. Thomas Fortune, associate editor
OF the Philadelphia Tribune. veteran
editor and noted champion of the polit-
1cal and civil rights Of the colored race,
sends out in that paper a strong appeal
for united race gathering. He says:
There is no need to argue the question
~ to whether the times are ripe for a
national race congress. Such repre-
sentative gathering is Of the most ur-
gent Importance, but it would fail ut
terly Of its purpose II the best and
strongest men Of the race should not
interest themselves in 1t and do all in
their power to make the meeting a
success.
We have several organizations de-
voted to the work of looking after the
citizenship rights Of the Afro-Ameri-
can people, the most important being
the National Association for the Ad-
vancement of Colored People. 1t has
done and is doing good work, but 1t
seems to US that in some way 1t has
not met the demand for a proper race
organization, although some of our
best men and women are affiliated
with 1t.
The white friends who control it are
Of the very best in the nation, but they
do not seem to get the credit In speak
ing for the Afro-American people that
q proper organization Of race men
should be able to get. 1t is not our
disposition to say or do anything that
would affect the good work Of the As
ISOLATION for the Advancement of Col
oeed People. We only speak of this
matter in this way because 1t is our
most representative organization at
this time.
sued by DR.. Byron Gunner. president
Of the National Equal Rights league,
for the ninth annual convention Of the
league. and he will state the date and
place of the meeting within a short
time. 1t seems to US that the name Of
p1ae4 ana date should have been IN
stanced now and plenty Of time given
to work up the proper expression Of tho
races desire to have "a national race
congress on citizenship rights" DR..
Gunner sums up the reasons for such
T.. 81 III a
graphs:
TT has been wisely suggested, in
view of existing unfavorable social.
civic and political conditions confront
ing Us as n people, that the National
Equal Rights league invite and urge all
Of our people, in all sections of the
country. to unite in a great national
congress Of colored Americans and
for the special purpose of voicing the
feelings and opinions Of the race on
those unfavorable conditions now sur
rounding US in this country, and also
to decide upon the wisest and best
methods for combating color segrega-
ton and all other forms Of color dis
elimination.
after fifty years Of SO called free
dom in this country. what IS the pre-
vailing condition of our colored Ameri-
can population? Briefly stated 1t Is
this: Our civil rights have been render
ed almost futile. We are shamefully
curtailed politically. We are denied
equality before the law. We are not
allowed equal industrial opportunities.
Our property and our very lives are
not At all secure. And the black hor-
rors Of lynching' innocent colored
Americans continue unabated.
'.The federal governments indiffer
enco toward all these injustices is but
little less than the notification Of our
great war amendments. Throughout
tent in the north. the increasing mil
lions Of our fellow colored Americans
are being more and more reduced to
the pitiable condition Of political serfs
and social outcasts."
This sounds very much like the clar-
ion statement Of the races case in
equity that went out from the National
Afro-American leagues convention in
Chicago in January. 1890, when there
was q spontaneous gathering of the
hosts from NIL the states in the Union.
The league promised to be for us what
the Home Rule league under Parnell
Tas for Ireland.
George William Curtis said of it In
Harper's Weekly that 1t covered all
the needs OF the Afro-American peo-
pie and that If they failed to sustain 1t
It would throw them back fifty years
in the matter OF contention for their
civil and political rights. The great
journalist proved to be prophet. We
regret to say. in this matter.
When the meeting is regularly called
the Tribune will aid in promoting q
national congress that will reflect the