Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-05-14
these colored men whether the parties
are tit or unfit?"

these colOred men whether the parties
are lit or unfit"
This Is most interesting cruz and
demands an answer. 1t depends upon
what was stipulated In the bond"
What Is tho rule and what Is the law
Of the Y. NJ. G. A. governing suc.9 ap.
pointments? Have these people over.
ridden the law II they have. then
there should be recourse to Il high.
or power or to the courts. Now It
comes to Il question or me ncy ana the
distinguished Doctor says In dealing
with this phase of the question::
In signed article appearing In
some OF our papers last week, tho
Board OF Directors assert that the
colored people have thus far contrihu.
ted S14,565.47. This is Il mischievous
half-truth. What are the facts in the
case?
When the new building was under
taken the colorcd people we're askcd
to take $45 900 az their share. This
they gladly assumed. But as we did
not have the cash, we were forced to
borrow that amount Mt the regular
rate of per cent interest. The dire,
tors assured us that we could borrow
that amount from them and this was
done. The point Is immatefiel wheth
er we borrowed the money In the open
market or from the Directors they
Ind the use paying them interest. The
Sl4,56b.47 represents merely the
amount that we have paid buck OH
the principal, leaving a balance Of
$30,434.53. Hence tho colored people
should have the credit for the whole
$4,000, which they borrowed and
have been paying interest on and
have reduced the principal by two or
three thousand each year to the pres
ent figure. In addition to this tho
board of Directors hold the 53rd street
property valued ut $4,000 or $4,000.
1t seems to us that this Is a case
where money talks Dir. Brooks seems
Ia lie weakening his case when he adj
mits virtually that the amount pntl
by he colorcd folks is (S14,565.47)
fourteen thousand, five hunderd and
siAty-five dollars and rorty.sever
cents. He explains that they have real
~ paid the full amount although this
remainder was borrowed from these
white people whom he and his associ.
ates are now antngonizing. The re.
mainder is $3.50. 434.53) thirty thour
sand. four hundred and thirty-four
dollars and fifty-three cents.
If this money had been borrowed
from outside sources. we could sec
the force OF the argument but tn tho
way 1t is stated, 1t seems to az thui
he Ia begging the question" Who hus
control Of the Secretary, tho white
folks or the colored folks? Who con.
trolls the branch. the white folks or
the Figure head" Board Of Directors,
that seemed to labor under tho i'm.
preston that 1t possessed absolute
power? The resigning members con.
stitute an Influential group of New
York leaders. They arc e. p. Roba:ts.
A. Clayton Powell, Walter L. Handy
Benjamin II. Withcrs, Charles II.
Roberts. William II. Brooks, William
p. Hayes. Frank M. Hyder, James w.
Brown, Jonah Emanuel.
1t reminds lis OF story that our
good friend, William CSstalo used t.
tell time and again with evident sntIs.
faction. He said colored man came
Tito his place of business and IN IL
tone Of disgust said as follows:
Il entered suit against the Chesn
peake and Ohio railroad vest orday
and don't you know l went down there
today and the trains are RAINING yet"
This Is about tho situation at the l35th
s.. Y. M. c. A. Branch. Thas. able gen.
u"men have resigned aud the Y. M. G..
a. Branch is functioning yet. For our
M TT, we believe in controlling ou-
own affairs by putting up the money to
operate one of our own. Talk will do
but little good in large city like New
York, The thing to do Is to raise tho
money and set UP another Y. M. G. A.
of your own with colorcl men from bot
tom to top. AS long as white men con
tribute the money, or the greater por.
ton OF 1t, white men will control it,
The distinguished gentlemen nam.
ed are presumably influential enough
to start campaign and raise one hun
dred thousand dollars for lust such Il
purpose, although they seemed L,
have failed to pay the balance on the
for'y-five thousand dollars, which
they promised to pay. 1t does not be
come ministers of the gospel to be-
making exhibition Of themselves in
windy speeches. Action Is VIVA. "a
seeded and such action as we sueg,s,
would dc lore to r,n the RESPECT and
influence and support of white and
colored people than anything else
But pardon us, 1t is none Of our
business and uo o,o