Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-07
Negro "Rights" Again.

III Npblu haAfsNr
could ascertain how Lincoln would have
regarded the addresses delivered at the
fifty-ninth anniversary of the tmanclpa-
tion Proclamation held by the colored
people here on Sunday last, could he have
been an auditor at the celebration. Bishop
Jones of Ohio, the chief speaker, COM
mended the Negroes on their fighting rec
ord and warned them that wars are net
vet over and that the blacks are still being
mistreated and are likely to be called on
to fight again.
This colored prelate from the Middle
West, who may be classed rs n militant,
declared that Lincoln not only freed four
million Negroes, but the proclamation
freed the whites as well, 'fcr sooner or
later the Negroes would have risen IN
might, backed by right. and freed them
selves"
Other defiant and >,innammable talk
game from DR. Marion +. Sydes, OF New
England. who declared "the Negroes OF
Wilmington and Delaware could obtain
Justly what belongs to them by fighting
every inch Of the ground, and urged his
hearers to stand by their old political
friends, admonshing them that wheEover
the Republicans needed their votes TO go
TO them.
II would seem that the Negroes missed
the spirit of the occasion entirely ana
turned the celebration into political
meeting. The addresses show how gross
" they misiudge conditions at this mo-
ment There seems to be no Likelihood
of the blacks of this country rising in arms
against the whites The Negro himself
exceptprofessional stump speakers s-recog-
nize in the whites their best friends, hut
for whose aid and cooperation their prog
ress and advancement would nave peeh
slow indeed. Left to themselves ana
their own resources, the colOred oeonle
would have had little TO report IN the way
Of material or intellectual growth after
fifty-seven years of freedom, and IT Is
question at this moment that is beng DIS
cussed in every section where-colored peo-
ple live in any considerable numbers, as
to how much the masses Of them have
lifted their heads out Of the darkness and
how much they have prohtcd by their
present-day opportunities. They were
busy, faithful. self-respectinR people n the
earlier days, performed willing service,
and stood high in the esteem Of their en-
ployers. Can the same be said Of them
today? True, advancement is noted n
small percentage Of the favored few, but
the masses the great malority-of
them have hardly kept abreast Of the
opportunities opportunities afforded
through the genuine interest in their vel
fare manifested by their white friends.
Their greatest mistake has been the
readiness with which they have followed
the advice Of such agitators as the Ohio
bishop and sneered az the sterling counsel
Of the late Booker II Washington. who
urged and insisted and reiterated TIC
necessity Of the Negro turning e work
instead of idlencss. Of acquiring some use
ful vocation and sticking 70 It, of making
himself fit and worthy Of advancement
when he would find that it would come
without being forced In other words
this Moses Of the African race urged and
pleaded with the black man 10 shun poii-
tics ard. above all, not n 20 into the mar
ket place with his vote and sell IT, OF vote
al all unintellgently and without under
standing
We d. po- believe there IS single
Negro In Delaware who would follow the
advice q this race aCltator and re-
sort to violence or 10 an uprising TO
obtain his rights Tie rights Of the Ne
gro and of every other people are already
established. and the most that will he
asked 81 him IS tha, he shall be self
! respecting, reliable responsible. and that
he shall do whatever task he may set
himself to do 10 the best of his ability
This viii be the shortest and quickest road
4 by which he can attain the right 70 be
/ respected ard 10 be recognized as useful
unit in the community.
The community has never withheld ITS
respect or its willingness 70 cooperate with
any self-respectinP colored men or women
/ One might cite score Of instances In sup
port Of this claim, even recalling such
colored man as Robert Graves and such
women as Mrs Shadd, who lived here IN
the earlier DAYS and were held IN the
highest esteem. They did not have 10
threaten an uprising Of their racial friends
to enforce their rights" but they lived
their lives along lines afterward empha-
sized by Booker Washington and are still
most pleasantly remembered by many OF
our oldest people.
The Negro misleaders make too many
demands for rights when il fact nobody
Is seeking to withhold a single one from
the race, and the Negroes will find then
right place in the community when they
gain an increased measure Of selfrespect
for themselves and cease selling Their vote:
on election day TO any party, and Y
employ themselves in some useful voca
ton or work. as Booker Washington s.
we'll advised them And lastly, to steer
clear Of the political propagandlst, ever
! though he come in the garb Of sheer
wether. for after all they may prove th,
wolves Of their race.