The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1917-07-13
GOOD SAMARITANS OF GEORGIA
DEDICATE NEW BUILDING

Athens, Ga. July 10.-Five thousand
Negroes were here today to attend
dedication OF new headquarters build
ing or the Improved Order of Samar.
ltans which is just completed at a
cost of $4,000 all of which is paid
IL is a modern office building OF
brick with two stores on first floor
twelve suites of offices on the second
floor and an auditorium on the third
floor and was designed and construct.
ed by Negroes.
b. j. Davis, of Atlanta, well known
IN Negro fraternal circles, delivered
the principal address and urged the
white people to give his race better
treatment and referred to lynching
and insufficient school facilities as
some Of the causes negro migra
ton
Some Negroes said Davis, "thinl,
that God is better to the white man
than he is to the colored man. That
rs not true. The white man works
narder than we do. God gives hin,
health and STRENGTH Just as he gives
us, but the white man works and
makes every lick count. | have more
respect for the man who owne his
nome or farm and has bank ac
count than j have for some bare
headed empty-pocketed philosophe,
VINO sits on the street corner ant
Whines about his rights"
Continuing, Mr. Davis said:
. | ho
disloyal He is going to do his duty
rs the highest evidence Of his wortI
ana or what he deserves at the hands
OF the government. Our government
cannot enter the world war demand
ing freedom for Ireland freedom for
I Russians, freedom for Belgians under
the voFe of aristocracy and despotism
as long as ten million loyal citizens
at 7cme are denied industrial and DO.
ntlcal freedom: so long as we are
denied the right to iovte and the
rlght to have a say-so about who
shall wake the laws and who shall
execute them. Before the law all men
are equal. There is nothing wrong in
the law. There is nothing wrong in
the genius of our institutions. The
wrong is in the executors and ad-
m'nistrators of the statutes on the
books.
IN every state in which subterfuges
nave been invoked to cut down the
Negro vote, to modest and intimidate
! MN INTO that degree of physical fear
where he will not present himself TO
state is not democratic, and its gov.
eminent is unjust. The Negroes OF
exercise his manhood rights, that
ms country, owning a billion dollars
v rth OF property, are without a rep
reS'0tatlve in any legislature or con-
sress, or filling any representative
function in this great republic Ten
ml'non neonle are governed without
their representative participation
Laws are made for them, and they
have no voice in their enactment
THESE are the rights for which we
must fight. These are the blessings
OF democracy which are now denied
us, and let us get together for the
| common betterment of all, forgetting
rre1udice within the race; forgetting
UNCONVENTIONAL, religious and racial
strife and fight for the right to sit
upon the jury, for equal and fair sui.
rage laws, for free ballot and a
fair count. for equal Accommodations
on the railroads, for better. broader
and higher educational facilities. Let
us tell the white man that his distri
button of the public school funds IS
little less than a misrepresentation
that any system of education or dis
tribution of public funds that pro
vides ample and modern school
houses for the education and upIif,
OF white children and affords star
walton salaries for Negro teachers
and provides no house at all for the
NEGRO children is a misuse of public
funds and is inconsistent with the
democracy for which We fight.
The preliminary address was de
livered by Or. S. Melville Pitt, Of
Blberton, Georgia, prominent mem
her Of the Order, and he said in part:
"It is significant that we should ded
icate this magnificent building on this
the nation's birthday. This order
stands for progress, for advancement
and for growth in community spirit
and race consciousness. This build
ing stands as a monument to the
indomitable will and answering per
severance of DR.. W.. H. Harris"
The building which was dedicated
is beautiful brick structure with
two large stores on the first floor and
twelve suites Of offices on the second
floor with spacious auditorium on
the third. 1t is thoroughly modern
office building with taraze flooring
metal ceiling and is fitted with gas
and electric lights and hot and cold
| running water The officers of the