The Denver star., 1916-05-27
NEGRO Interests
Must Come First
Common Sense and Principle to Harmonic
(By James W. johnson in The New York Age

(By James w. johnson ! he New York AgeD
There when the course of action which is
ticabe which is expeent, which is counter
to princpe then be excused for hesitatng
what he should do But when thing which must be
DONE and the thing which ought be done lie in the
direction. it sheer folly take other
This we believe the question of what of
action the American Negro should take Here and there
Of doubt arising whether or not we should con-
tinue and perform the obligations anil duties of
citizenship if full rights and privileges of that
citizenship accorded to Now, without eny cant
about patriotism love Of country without
other sentimental let If cannot
at the
1t is generally acceped. BY anarchists that the
performance Of national duties is right in principle Then
let if for the American Negro, the performance of
these duties only right thing but also the practic
able the expedient the necessArysthne Let see if it
the thing which only ought be done but also the
thing which be done If is both, there be
for doubt hesitation 10 what Of acron
the should follow. 81
There and only ends before the American
Negro and of them he finally arrive. One is
1.-The of other condition OF
serfdom. There middle ground IT the Negro in
continues work and fight ne will finally reach
the former When he working and fighting he will
lily sink 1t question of full ct
zenshp civil death Should the Negro either from dis
couragement bitterness there hope and
work and fight he would surely making the choice OF civil
death.
is clear that the practicable thing the expeden thing
the necessary thing before the Negro the gaining Of full
American citizenship AMI he has got to use every means
within his achieve his purpose 1t takes onl\
common that this never be done he him
self his claim title citizenship, and accepts
the position that this white mans country.
He continue perform his duties while he still
tends for all the rights. For him and
form duties and demand the righs would be pusla
inmous the other hand to demand the rights. and de-
cline b- foolish. SO long the Negro
continues do BOTH he has clean and he is
bound. sooner or later. to win the decision.
The writer does with those visionary opti
mss who beve that things vii! all right because
them right The position he takes
lis upon opmi~m based upon study of h,
forces work and ub>ervatior OF the
which the race is max ing.
Those who grow discouraged and bitter inf
bv the fact that 'ce to increase The,
the Of m ,kng If it is to be met only
bv stronger oprostior2 1t is that opposition
ogress grow stronger; remember that the
speed of progress constantly increasing. We
meeting with evidences OF pr-judce; but must
member that daily Knocking at OF
tuntv If begin drifting backward the oppos
Ii,ion will! grow less ne thing that
increased opposition has able to lessen speed
Today cities passing attempting pass
regation ordinances; VIII such thing thought
of thirty years ago. The that today thousands
and increasing ,n,is of Negroes living in homes
that the Whites while thrty
the aud cottages ,Ieys the back
did arouse any Now does be
ieve that these ord stand
torever2 Such five wonl have
believed that slavery going stand forever Nothing
based wrong has b--n able and forever.
We know that rot of progress made by the Ne
gro has been fought how the Of battle
has shifte.,. Two hundred ago the fight to
whether not he really human being with all the at