Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-06-07

private when opposed as | thought
unjustly and unsupcrsiliously and
yet l have strircn and tsnccecded-
| hoDe~-in keeping down replies OF
light kind, and L llnowS have never
lost by it. The ability q. these three
men III question is know, everywhere
This contention. who can tell where
ii will end. Not only ,nro tho enc,
mics among us standing off and
watching them but the7 enemies o.,
the other side are doing the same.
The real future status Of the Negro
Is still unknown, in this reconstruc-
ton period the men Of thought, must
be on tho alert. This little story
might illustrate what | want to say:
probably the most Successful ap-
pcarancc ever made by anybody in
any theatre occurred ut San Francis
co some years ago. Tho place was
colony Of rough miners at that time
and women and children were seldom
seen. One evening during Il per-
formance at tho theatre Il child was
heard TO cry, whcrcupon rough
black-hearded giant lcaped upon his
scat and shouted, Stop them darn
liddlcrs and let us hear the baby
cry. That was done and there was
rejoicing"
Isn't ii Il fact that we have thousands
upon thousands Of full grown babies
physically among the Negroes OF this
country who are still drinking milk,
when they ought to DO eating strong
food? Can't you hearFthe crying all
through this country, asking FOR an
equal chance in the raep of life, cry
ing because they arc Disseminated
against and arc depYvcd OF their
rights along all lines?|
THE TRANSCENDENT QUESTION.
Would it not be VOL for these
leaders to stop these Soldiers of con-
tcntion, discord and jealousy from
playing and listen to the cry Of these
babies who arc saying come over into
tho Macedonia OF race Discrimination
and prejudice and ktlp us? The
babies Gro cryiag Spo;tfS j t5,sv, Hcople
aro being lynched and burnt to the
stake and are unable to help them
selves. II tho leaders begin to cry
and act like babies what will the
undcveloped members of the race
do?
One among the big three who have
been severely criticised Is showing
signs OF true greatness by holding
his peace. I was somewhat inclined
to criticise him because 1 thought
that It was due to lack Of manhood.
but after all while it Is lawful to
express our feelings and to defend
ourselves against unjust criticism it
Is not expedtent at this time to do so
and too much cannot be said in hon
or OF this leader who Is holding his
peace.
will close by relating an incident
OF which this contention reminds me.
THAT TAINTED MONEY.
Something ago when Andrew Car
negie offered the Methodist Church a
largo sum OF money tho church re-
fused to accept 1t upon tho ground
that it was tainted. In a show that
occurred afterwards, tho manager
asked the clown about the money
being tainted, said that the Methodist
Church refused to accept it on &C
count Of this fact. What do you
think OF it, said tho manager? He
said, "Boss, it's tainted, it's tainted
this way: faint mine, faint yours
and that's what the trouble is."
l hope the jealousy Is out OF this
thing entirely. T do not feel that
you need any advice or counsel from
me but rs q member of the race !
am especialla interested in our lead
ers and would advise just now when
the world Is turned upside down, at
a time when the Negro has shown his
efficiency as private soldier and as an
officer and had gone over the top side
by side with the southern as we'll as
tho northern white meh, and have
come nome wearing badges Of honor
side by side with the members Of the
opposite race, when the question Is
being asked not only in the South but
in the North, what shall wo do with
the Negro, would it not be we'll for
these men to lay aside contention
until the babies quit crying?
Respectfully yours,
r. SPILLER,
Pastor Mt. Vernon Baptist Church,
Durham, N. G..