The Colorado statesman., 1924-04-26
DENVER, COLORADO, SATURDAY, APRIL &C. 1924

down town district that a colored lady
or gentleman (known as such) may en-
joy Il sandwich or a refreshing drink;
that not one of the dozens of picture
and play-houses desire or accept the
patronage of colored folks and that all
other avenues of trade and accommo-
dation are similarly restrictive.
Seemingly the wheels of progress
have reversed themselves, but who
shall say that being forced to estab-
lish his own industries and furnish his
own facilities to satisfy the daily re-
quirements of pleasure and business,
is not the greatest blessing that has
come to Negro citizens of the district
since their emancipation sixty-two
years ago.
The larger and more complete bless
ing is in the hands of the Negro him
self and may be fully realized, if
broader, more intensive and an all in
elusive forward racial movement may
be builded upon the business awaken
ing of the past fifteen years. The in
spring shiboleth for this movement
might very well be Segregation and
Discrimination the Stepping-stones to
Independence" for as those manifesta-
tions of an unjust and illegal practice
are responsible for the progress al
ready made, it may reasonably be con-
cluded that further advance will de-
pend upon more intensive application
of the principle of personal as well
as racial self-dependance.
ANY number of wholesome examples
of the effectiveness of such an atti-
tude abound here ut the Capital of
the Nation. The more noticeable are
furnished by residents of jewish
Greek or Italian birth. We know that
these groups, in all essentials foster
and promote the efforts and interests
whether business, civic or social, OF
its own particular clan or connection.
With the Jew religion and race are
both powerful cementing forces ana
with the Greek and italian the tre-
mendous incentive for an absorbing
inter-racial helpfulness is found in the
sacred ties of an alien brotherhood.
There are more Negro residents OF
this district than are comprised in the
combined population of these other
three groups and yet from civic, So
cial or economic viewpoint the pro
portionate value of the former, in pres
tige and influence, is so much less than
that of the others as to be practically
lnon-eXistent.
A notable exception to this general
appraisement, however, should be
made concerning the public school
system, which though in many ways n
paradox furnishes the nearest APP
proach to that equality of status and
consideration which should be funda-
mental with all municipal govern
ment.
Doubtless our race churches should
have place with this class of creditable
exceptions. Church building and sup
port is in some respects the leading
industry of the race, albeit this
achievement has been somewhat at the
sacrifice of the great spiritual system
whose impelling motive was to build
the Kingdom of God and His Christ
into the lives and hearts of men.
In many instances the enormous out
lay for church property has been
grossly in excess of the actual needs
and represents in large measure the
unscrupulous greed of speculative
priests and laymen who have modern
lied the graft and thievery of the
money-changers who were driven
from the Temple by our Lord and
Master.
The lesson which this brief economic
survey seems to teach is the effective
value of intelligent racial solidarity
and cooperation, and the tremendous
Importance of confidence in racial
business men and institutions and that