The Colorado statesman., 1916-10-28
AFRO-AMER|CAN CU[[|NCS

In a communication to the New York
Times, Charles w. Thomas, president
of the Teachers Association of the
District of Columbia, makes the fol-
lowing remarks:
1t Is surprising to find the editorial
columns of the Times, usually accur-
ate, right and fair, making a vulner-
able and fiippant statement about such
social issue as is involved in "The
Colored Migration to the North"
In recent work of great merit by
Huntington, Climate and Civilization"
it is indicated how the migration of
people from warm and enervating eli
mates to cool and stimulating ones
releases pent-up energy and spells
achievement From that viewpoint
alone the migration of the colored man
to the North is to be judged, not by
Its effects upon that section or upon
the South, but by its effects upon the
colored man himself as an American
citizen, thinking to work himself to
the highest unit value in the civiliza-
ton and by its creation of social
surplus.
The facts are, in this migration, the
colored men are not being misled as on
some occasions, but they are, as stu
dents in southern schools, aiming to
complete their education by working
in the North under contract, personal
teacher-foreman supervision, and medi-
cal attendance, and, as heads of fam
lilies, they want better educational fa-
cilfties for their children with greater
security for their lives and their fam
lilies.
The Times statement that the South
knows how to manage the colored man
better than the North is the same dam
gerous half-truth which delayed the
abolition of slavery and increased the
cost. 1t seems strange that men should
be unwilling to believe in the efficiency
of contact, sympathy, and cooperation
to produce the true democracy which
they claim to want, and thus to realize
the intent of the fathers who aimed to
found a home of justice, freedom, and
opportunity for the oppressed of all
the world, yet the colored man finds
that unwillingness to prevail in some
social groups in all sections.
The fact that the colored man con-
sents to leave a section to which he is
already so well adapted and in which
he is 1.-The possessor of a near-mon-
opoly of the labor franchise" shows
his aspirations for the fullness of life
and his willingness to pay the price.
Already 100000 of Virginia's native
colored people can be found in other
states in the Union.
The North will have no regrets for
this new migration to the extent that
it continues under the auspices of So
cial agencies which aim to adjust the
colored man to his new environment so
that he may not separate opportunity
and responsibility, and so that he may
conduct himself in such manner as
to gain the respect of and live at
peace with his white neighbors.
The Fifteenth regiment of infantry,
New York National Guard, the first
Negro regiment to be organized in the
state, received its colors from Gov
ernor Whitman, and passed in review
before him in front of the Union
League club, at Fifth avenue and Thir-
ty-ninth street. Thousands of Negroes
lined the avenue above and below the
club, and applauded the marching of
the soldiers the addresses of the gov
ernor and Col. William Hayward, the
incidents of the ceremony of present
ing the colors-and Bert Williams i'm
promptu equestrian act.
The first annual session of the Ma
tional Negro Travellers Protective as
sociation was held in the parlors of
the Dunbar hotel, with G. E. Howard
of Jacksonville, acting president, In
the chair.
The session was very enthusiastic.
The action of the temporary organiza-
ton was adopted and committees were
appointed as follows: Local member
ship, r. A. Blount, ]. B. Long, Attain
ta. and r. X. Tucker of Mississippi.
On law, G. W. Powell, lr,SGeorge e. Tay-
lor. B. X. Tucker, ]. B. Long and A. l..
Green of Alabama.
An open meeting was held at First
Congregational church and among the
sneakers were: Bishop Camphor, G.
r. Howard, G. E. Taylor, and others.
Birmingham (Ala.) Age-Herald.
That the white man is wearing HIM
self out" and killing his own race off,
and soon, If the Negro will only keep