Arkansas State press., 1945-07-06
Editorials
NEGRO AN ECONOMIC ASSET
BY S. S. TAYLOR

The Negro is thought of as an economic liability to
America Considered this way the important consideration
is practcng charity toward him.
The Negro himself has growing tendency to consider
himself an asset he feels that he is contributor to the
progress Of the worlds greatest republic well recip
lent of its justice and generosity
Senator Blbo has stated that Negro and the White
man must compete for bread and that what gains the
other must lose This is surface view and looks all right
till analysed 1t never true really and its faseness
becoming increasingly apparent comparison of the cost
OF the Negro with his contribution would show financial
balance on the contribution side
Even slavery the Negro paid more than he cost That
what made slavery possible first and permanent
last The free aborer lost but the slave aboer did gain
not financially The financial profit went to the slave
owner If the War between the States had freed the
slaves trouble would have evenuaed between the free
laborers and the slave owners No read Hinton
Rowan Helpers IMPENDING CRISIS OF THE SOUTH, a
book written around 1857 by North Carolina Poor White"
indicating slavery, without getting this insight
White jobs would not be increased by the absence of the
Negro they would be decreased The Negro increases white
jobs both directly and indirectly He has high standard
living In general what he makes goes back circulation
His earnings spent arkey with white establishments
which hire white workers.
There are white groceries in Little Rock which would
close If they depended white patrons There white
insurance agents. who would have jobs if they visited
only white people, There are white LIQUOR stores which de-
rive much of their profits from Negro trade There are
white restaurants located in Negro districts and catering
Negro trade There other white restaurants providing
Accommodations for both because profitable those
restaurants All of this would be lost to the white
if the Negro not here
The furniture and clothes of 13 and a half million
Negroes in this nation principally from white stores
There isn't rural community where Negroes do thumb
through the cataogs of half dozen white malorder
Germs and order goods from them There Negro dress
shop in Little Rock and good but does not get
hrtieh of the spendngs of the than 10000 Negroes
in Greater Little Rock
The Negro worker back little to "help the race
OUT by spending few nickes and dimes in race" eSab
hshmens But the Negro drug store grocery, tailoring
shops and exist off the dregs in the coin purses of
Negroes after the contents of the bos have been spent
white establishments In addition the Negro furnishes more
than fifth of the population of Arkansas therefore more
than fifth of the jobs which white public officials hold
The proportion is much greater in Mississippi Many white
official would have no job he had Negroes to
The fact that the Negro considers himself American
He does not think African He does not think AroAmercan
He is aoutAmerican He spends his money with anyone
who gives him what he wants and he wants lot That
is one reason the American white likes to keep him
around You Negro boarding his money to send
1t back to Africa to help up poor black He spends
1t in America to help hire poor white Well yes he
does it to help hire few Negroes too
BY his labor his loyalty his residence and his undivided
interest the Negro has earned the right to be called an
American The American white mans hates his hates
The American white mans loves his loves He is so
far removed in time and distance from African culture that
has to be osered researched rescovered for him He
knows about it only he reads about it
He is interested in American culture He does not mind
receiving from America and he doesn't hold anything back