Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1917-09-22
THERE IS ALWAYS A FIELD
BY II. p. LawhOrn

Agents Ill lHe 4\OfluWeSt, W WHlCH ldNO
always answered Yes.
Being the pioneer Colored Real Estate
Agent in the Northwest, l have had the
opportunity Of studying the question and
the requirements of the agent at close
range | am one who believes that there
is So eld' for coOred men, in all lines
of business, if he will properly prepare and
fit himself for the business, whether it be
selling real estate, banking, merchandise
ing, commercial, editing newspaper doc
toring the sick or in any other field of en-
deavor where the human family is engaged.
They make a serious mistake, who assume
and proclaim, that the bushes and profess
sional work Of the world can only be done
by the dominant race and that the Neg
rOes place in the world is a mental one,
1.-The drawing of water and the hewing of
wood" During the so years of freedom,
the Negro has proven his ability to enter
the professional, trades, business, educa-
tional and financial fields and hold his own
against great odds. The Negro who enters
business or profession, must prepare him
self and possess the knack of readily adj
justing himself to the changes and pecu-
liar conditions that arises in his business or
profession. He must possess tact, perse-
verance and a desire to serve the public in
an honest and business-lke way He must
be honest, truthful and reliable, always
guarding zealously the interest of those he
represents. It is said that, F'honesty al
ways pays" and this is true in all lines
but L believe it produces a larger dividen
in the real estate business, than in most
other business. The agent should know
the property, location, value, the surround
mgs and the probable future developments.
The agent must have natural or acquired
ability to know how to present business
proposition to the investors. All of the ac-
qurements and conditions can be met and
possessed by the Colored agent, if he will
diligently apply himself to the task of
studying the best methods to succeed in his
business. Yes, he will be confronted by
that ever present evil prejudice, a thing
that all agents, no matter what their ma
tlonality or conditions are, have to con-
tend with in one form or another.
Prejudice, like death, els no respector of
PERSONS therefore the rich and the poor,
the high and the low, the black and the
WHITE the red and the yellow, all have
their prejudices against one another, which
like the laws Of Meads and Persians,
changes not He will soon learn to treat
prejudice like any other obstacle, and fig
ure out way to get over, under or
around it. Since [ have been in the bust
ness, many prominent agents and large
realty firms have had to close their Offices
because of the inactivity in the realty mar
ket: | am still in the game The large
majority of my clients are While people,
who like to do business with me because
l have given them "square deal.''
take pride in saying that I have sold
thousands of dollars worth Of property to
my people in Tacoma Seattle, the North
and South. [ have tried to the best of
my ability to protect them in every way
and II | have failed, it was an error of
the head and not Of the heart I conduct
my business on business principles, and I
90 not ask my people to deal with me be-
cause OF sentiment or sympathy but be-
cause l can and will do better by them
IMAM the other fellow will do. All ask of
the people when they want to buy home
or make loan, ETC., is to give me chance
and IT | cannot get the property as cheap
as the other agent, then buy from him. I