The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1916-07-29
"COLORED LEADERsH,pv
(From the Cleveland Gazot+o

,, !ne attempt on the part of certain
whlte people interested in industrial
euucatlon for our people almost tn
inc point of opposition to any Other
Alno, TO select for the race man ~
d set or men as the recognized Leader
or leaders of the race, is at least NO;
uolclal. No man or combination of
nen could so nominate Theodoro
roosevelt leader of the white race Of
america. The position Mr.. Roosevelt
occuples IN this respect came not
rom the dlctum of interested narties
out from the moral worth of tho noan
TO the nation as shown by his deeds
ana words. Even the election NJ y
i1lan 10 the presidency of this country
uoes not make him the leader of any
race: Political good fortune NAV he
national or racial calamity. Manv
wnlte persons frequently saw. onr
people should follow the dictnm of
certain men of the race whose tail
or attitude toward vital Questions
pieases them. Because of the moi.
ua1ce extant in this country AGAINST
tne race, and as this prejudice is verv
large from white opposition to orr
lneh coming on equality with them
any choice for leadership by them for
tne race smacks of the susnicion I'll 81
inc suggested leader is in Accord
VIII w1tn their prejudiced point of view
we oelleve that colored and white
men should seek the golden mean of
harmony in all things essential for
tne development of both races hu{
wnen a leadership is foisted upon anv
race and that too against the recog.
nlIed wishes of the race, that 1eader.
SNIP however backed up by money
Will be most bitterly foug ht. The a.
Tempt to make head of anv nartic,1.
lar school, the leader of a race is tn
nrlng down upon both the school and
us mead the opposition of all not in
sympathy with the leader" Certa in
qualifications leader must have if
ne ne, "ould lead, and devoid of these he
VIII ANONYMOUSLY fail. Any man
t VINO mas not keen appreciation of
me worth and rights of his race can.
not De the leader of that race. Anv
man who will surrender the funda.
mental things that belong to his race
IS unht to lead that race to vir;1o
MANHOOD and responsibility. The
more other races emphasize his AZ,
ness. the more his inacceptabilitv will,
manifest itself. No man dead mr. a1;ra
mas ever been the leader of orr raoo
IN this country. Many men 1ivino
ana dead have been the opponents of
many things that contribute 1argo1v
10 the races welfare. Besides a roay
who may be a leader in one thino
may not be a leader in all. To nro.
claim the president of Harvard col
lege as the leader of the white race
OF America is to insult that race. Not
because the president of Harvard is
hacking IN sane advices, noble nre.
cepts and manly virtues such az aro
applicable to the rise of any race hit
because the demands of the white
race are so multiplied and varied that
no one man can possibly lead in all
Inc same is true of our race. The
1nslstence by white men that all onr
men echo the policy or plan of soma
man OF the race they (the whites1
like, is very disturbing element IN
tne progress OF the race. The policy
OF placing unlimited resources in the
nands OF this leader as we'll as mete-
ing out to the race only those things
tnls white appointed leader" die
tates, is to subject the race to a
specie OF slavery that is more damna-
ole IMAM peonage, for it attempts to
reuter- the mind. All we ask of white
men, north, south, east and west is
10 allow our men to come to leader
snip in the same way others achiovo
it. Our race appreciates it's great
men. 1t is willing to give them honor
and homage, but it is unwilling tn
bow the knee to any "white mans
choice of leadership" simply because
this leader fits in with the diseased
and prejudiced mind of those opposed
to untrammeled manhood for orr
people.
crew. VIM. A. BYRD