The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1916-02-12
THE IMPORTANCE
T OF ORGANIZATION
United Action For Welfare Of
Race Is Urged.
MUST FIGHT own BATTLES

view OF OoIn9 moro 6HeCtiVe
Work-NatlonaI Segregation Based
on Color Reaches LImlt-LynehIno
on the Increase In the South.
BY N. BARNETT DODsON.
Judging from the efforts and achieve
ments of the colOred people during
1915 who are connected with the vari
GUS organized bodies for business, edu-
cation, philanthropy. legal rights un-
der the laws Of the country. religious
adherence, home ownership and peace
full relationship with the other races,
greater progress should be made by
them in 1916. If up through difficult
ties is the way to success the leaders
In the many movements for uplift
should be well qualified by past expert
ence to avoid former mistakes and in
spire their co-workers.
However dark the way. however diff
hcult the task, let the race press on
Half heartedness never wins battles
nor does cowardice force an enemy to
retreat. Courage, endurance, patience
these are the tests by which we have
already maintained our equilibrium up
from slavery to our present status as
citizens Of republic the like OF which
In its benefits to mankind the light Of
civilization has not yet revealed.
With the lynching Of colored citizens
on the increase in the south, Clarence
Poe of North Carolina advocating race
segregation on the farm and in cities
and with the head Of the nation refus.
ing to appoint competent cOlOred
man to the office Of recorder of deeds
In the District Of Columbia solely be.
cause of color, is 1t not high time that
the race should organize more thor
Oughly for self preservation? Surely
this Is not the time for Indifference
nor a weak and halting attitude on
questions Of citizenship rights. The
right Of petition. lawful agitation and
self defense are still extant. Let us
use them for our own and the good of
humanity In general.
The honorable Albert q. Pillsbury
Of Boston was right when he said In
an address at Faneuil hall:
"The fate Of the colOred race is In
its own hands. You will get your
rights when you are fit to have them
for when you are fit to have them you
will take them, and until you take
them you are not fit to have them.
There is fatal lack OF what may be
called the faculty of organization. the
get together and stand together. Do
you suppose that two millions of Irish
men or Hebrews could be treated in
this country as the Negro Is treated ?
When you have learned that union
Is Indispensable and division Is fatal
your cause is wOn."
Speaking through It's stalwart CORE
spending secretary the National Equal
Rights league takes up the same line
Of thought as Mr.. Pillsbury has enun-
ciated and says:
"The history Of man in civil society
has been to a considerable extent the
history of such prejudice and maltreat-
ing by the stronger against the weaker.
The progress Of what, for better
name, we call civilization has been
largely the struggle of races and classes
against oppression, injustice, prOscrip-
ton, and then overcoming race and
class discrimination. Especially have
races and classes Of individuals been
deprived Of freedom, self government
and equality Of rights.
"Human progress has been written
In terms Of the struggles, the fights.
which oppressed races and classes
have made with ultimate success to
secure to the individuals thereof free
dom and equal rights with the indi
viduals of the dominating races or
classes. Human beings have been
shown to possess an instinct for lib
erty and a passion for free and equal
government The people with these
attributes are rated the highest and
are the most respected.
Search the history Of these strug-
giles of races and classes, whether for
| q national existence or for relief from
race and class prescription and for pos
session Of full freedom, equal citizen
ship, Industrial rights, and you will
And history records In nearly every
case where the race or class has over
come oppression and held its ground
one great fact That fact Is that these
members Of a race or class have had
to win by organization to that end.
"They have united on the ground Of
common unfavorable treatment and,
organized among themselves, have ex-
tended the organization throughout the
whole prescribed element have chosen