The Colorado statesman., 1922-07-22

that day. Abraham Lincoln laid down
his life for America. the last and cost
liest sacrifice upon the altar of free
dom.
Today. in this inspiring presence, we
raise symbol of gratitude for all who
are blest by that sacrifice. But in all
this vast assemblage there are none
more grateful. none more reverent.
than the twelve million black Ameri-
cans. who. with their fellow-cftizens of
every race. pay devout homage to him
who was for them, more truly than for
any other group. the author of their
freedom. There is no question that
Abraham Lincoln died to save the
Union. 1t is equally true that to the
last extremity he defended the rights
of the states. But, when the last vet
eran has stacked his arms on flames
eternal camping ground; when only the
memory of high courage and deep de-
votion remains to inspire the noble
sons of valiant fathers; at such a time.
the united voice OF grateful posterity
will say: The claim of greatness for
Abraham Lincoln lies in this. that amid
doubt and distrust, against The counsel
of chosen advisers. in the hour of the
nations utter peril. he put his trust in
God and spoke the word that gave free
dom to a race and vindicated the honor
of n nation conceived in liberty and
dedicated to the proposition that all
men are created equal.
Has the Sacrifice Been Justifiedf
But someone will ask: Has such
sacrifice been justified? Has such
martyrdom produced its worthy fruits?
I speak for the Negro race. Upon us.
more perhaps than any other group of
the nation. rests the immediate obliga-
tion to justify SO dear n price for our
emancipation. In answer let me re-
view the Negro's past upon American
soil. No group has been more loyal.
Whether bond or free. the Negro has
served alike his country's need Let it
never be omitted from the nations an
nails that the blood of black man
Crispus Attucks-was the first to be
shed for this nations freedom. So
arain when the world was threatened
with disaster and the deciding hand of
America was lifted to stay the peril,
her black soldiers were among the first
to cross the treacherous sea and the
last to leave the trenches. No one is
more sensible than the Negro himself
of his incongruous position in the great
American Republic. But be it recorded.
to his everlasting credit. that no failure
to reap the full reward of his sacri-
fices has ever in the least degree quail
fled his loyalty or cooled his patriotic
fervor.
In like manner has he served his
country in the pursuits of peace. From
the first blows that won the virgin
soil from the wilderness to the sudden
marvellous expansion of our industry
that went so far to win the late war
the Negro has been the nations great
est single asset in the development of
its resources. Especially is this true
in the South where his accomplishing
toll sustained the splendors of that life
which gave to the nation Washing
ton and a Jefferson. a Jackson and
Lee. And afterwards. when devastating
war had leveled this fair structure with
the ground, the labor of the freedmen
restored it to it's present proportions
more substantial and more beautiful
than before.
While all this was going on, in spite
of limitations within and restrictions
without. he still found the way. through
industry. integrity. and thrift to acquire
$4,000, 900 acres of land, 100000 homes
and $4,000 churches. After less than
sixty years of freedom Negroes operate
rs banks. 100 insurance companies, and
$4,000 other business enterprises with
a combined capital of more than $780,
100000. Besides all this, there are
within the race 10000 professional men.
$4,000 school teachers. and 400 news
papers and magazines; while it's gen.
eral illiteracy has been reduced to 26
per cent. Still. the Negro race is but
at the beginning of it's development; so
that If anything in its history could
justify the sacrifice that has been
made, it is this: that a race possessing
such remarkable capacity for advance
ment has taken full advantage of its