Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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WHY THE NEEBO SHOULD STICK TG THE FARM. Read Before the Last Race Con Held in Columbia-A Splen did Paper. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle men : Tt is unfair, I claim, to ask an unpopular set of men to speak on an unpopular subject the last day of the Conference. It is to bc remembered that most of our young men want to take up some trade or profession or to go to town to live easy, therefore you can't expect us to entertain thc people. We like to follow thc white peo ple, dress fine every day and ride around. Wc never stop to think that tlie white people had our help more than two centuries before we began thc life that has counted for something. Thc Negro is. by nature, adapted lo agriculture. We were pre pared for this work on the banks of thc Nile. When the cultured white people of Virginia stood in need of farm labor a band of Ne groes were imported winch were used in thc cultivation of tobacco. The white people could not work, the Indians would not, so it was left for the people of our father land to contribute the muscle neces sary for the agricultural advance ment of the United States. For more than two centuries the majority of us spent our time on thc farm under the strict super vision of white farmers, who had been well educated, lt was in this capacity wc learned the art and habit of industry, so that when we became emancipated we bad some idea of farming from a business point of view, as well as an idea of cultivating the soil. I know of no business or trade which thc Negro had been so well prepared to make his way in life as a free man. I say it without .,any just fear of contradiction that the reason why we, as a race, have been so much more successful as farmers is due to the training we received at the hand of intelligent masters. lt is claimed that wc spend every year $f>o,ooo,ooo for medi cine and advice from practicing physicians. This could bc greatly reduced if we would go where we could live in a healthier atmos phere. Thc condition of thc masses in towns and cities is far from that which is conducive to long life. Poorly built houses in unhealthy places, eating poor and half pre pared food will shorten the life of any race, nation or individual. Statistics show that farmers live longer than any other people. Not withstanding, a farm properly con ducted requires business judgment, there is less risk, less worry, more out-of-door exercise where we can breathe more pure air and eat more pure food. lt was not till the Negro began to cuter the skilled trades and pro fessions that he became a victim of consumption. As long as he stayed in thc air he was healthy. Thc need of a practicing physician was seldom felt. A race spending two hundred years in one life and changing to another could expect no less. It takes time to become skilled in any trade or learned in any pro fession, or perfect in any business. The vast number of inventions that have facilitated ministry, thoughts that have mouled senti ment, the men who with brain held the masses in their hands, were not the efforts of a day. This being a free country, every person must meet competition in nearly every walk of life, the farm being the exception. I do not mean to be understood as meaning that the Negro is un able to compete with his white brother, because I believe the Ne gro has the ability, if properly trained, and can do anything for which he is by nature fitted. Bul wc have to contend with prejudict which has made its way into laboi unions. A race half intelligent and pov crty-stricken cannot compete witl a people superior in number, stronger intellectually, stronger financially, with the law of the country at his back'. Our success must bc along uncontested lines. While the records show that thc Negro is gaining in other occupa tions, only goes to show that thc trained Negro is gaining ground, hut not to thc point to insure sta ble success. There are 2,143,176 Negroes en gaged in agricultural pursuits or 2t and 7-10 per cent, of all persons is hy no means displeasing. There seems to he an unrest of leaving thc farm and going to town to live hy wits, hut it seems the interest is greater among white than among Negroes, blom 1900 to ly io, the increase of white farm ers was 9 1-10 per cent., that of the Negro was 19 per cent. Thc Negro farm labor decreased nu merically, while thc Negro farm ers increased. This is due to thc fact that farm work is depreciated, the masses of colored people arc made to feel that it is more honor able to move to town and follow some trade and halt starve. The poor white man has neither thc money or the brain to control Negro labor. Some leading white politicians arousing race hatred, make thc poor while man feel hu miliated working in the fields with Negroes. Thc well-to-do white man will not do manual work, at the same time prefers to live in town where lie can educate his children. Thc poor white man finds employment in cotton facto ries. This leaves thc farm to thc Negro and the nude. 11?re is a chance to buy land and live unmo lested. ( )ur white friends arc grieving over the race problem. Let us buy farm land, cultivate it intelligently and let our white friends talk poli tics and look dignified. Sell bim all that he needs, in short, let us produce while be consumes. This will solve the problem. There arc in the South several millions of acres of unimproved land which the Negro can buy and cultivate successfully, which, if we wait a few years, will be owned by some one else. The newspapers and the railroads arc advertising the South in for eign countries with ihe hope of bringing people of foreign birth, foreign ideas, people who are in lit tle or no sympathy with conditions in this country, for the sole pur pose of maintaining white supre macy. In case this country is overrun with these ignorant people thc question that ought to concern us is: where will we stand? Wc arc practically debarred from white labor unions, hence thc unimproved land is our place. Notwithstanding there is little or no inducement to the unthinking young Negro, thc Negro must take that as bis lot and thank God it i^ no worse. The National House of Repre sentatives seems to be unfavorable to thc progress of Negro agricul ture, and in no State do wc get all thc encouragement necessary for intelligent farming among Ne groes. But this is in no way due to the white people of character and ability. Anything done to discour age the Negro in his progress on ward is the work of the politician whose stock is in arousing the hat red of the poor, ignorant white people against colored people. Let it ever be remembered that the white people who have stood for progress among their own race have extended a helping hand to thc Negro struggling, the Negro who wanted to rise. There are hundreds of farmers here and else where whose success has opened the way for Negroes to stick to the farm, and whose career stands as possibilities. They owe their suc cess to the kindly advice and finan cial Ifelp of their white friends. But we must not let any of these prove barriers in our way. To be : sure, we must go the faster. ! We must bear in mind that w< * are no longer slaves, but free men walking and thinking as other peo . pie. 1 We. like the other people whon ( ?od made, ow e something to so ciety. Wc arc not herc just to stay until wc die. God made us for something. We can best serve the cud for w hich wc were created by doing that which we arc best pre pared tn do. I believe that wc can better leach our people thc habits of in dustry and honesty on thc farm. There arc no tricks to bc learned1 nor practiced on thc farm. . lhere arc hundreds of Negro tanners who arc making good.' What they arc doing others can do. Why remain in crowded tenement houses in cities, half starve, suffer from contagious diseases, and in a place where employment is hard to get. when in thc rural districts la bor is wanted and needed and must he had if material progress con tinues ? In thc South thc people arc wak ing up truck farming and cattle raising. The South is now thc garden spot of the country. Peo ple from oilier sections are coming here finding fortunes in our unim proved land. Thc I "tuted Stales ( ?overument is spending thousands of dollars every year to eradicate the cattle tick and boll weevil. Wc must not let thc opportunity slip now. To he sure, town property will en hance in value or depreciate as thc town builds up or goes down. In thc country, property enhances in proportion as we build up our in dividual property. A man in town builds a city home for six thousand dollars. A man in thc country buys a farm for three thousand dollars. Thc man in thc city can do nothing with his home hut live in it. In case bc loses out I lie home becomes worthless prop erly. The man in thc country in vests just half thc amount-three thousand dollars-has room for stock, for chickens, at thc same time makes a good living. If you will pardon me for per sonal reference, I own both city and country property. Taking into con sideration', insurance and taxes, country property is thc cheapest you can buy. I ask ni)" friends to leave the towns and c.'ties, come to thc coun try and help us clear thc woods and make things go. Puttier General. RAGE RELATIONS DISCUSSED AT MEMPHIS. From (Benedict) College Journa' Memphis, Tenn., May 7,-The co- operation of the races for the purpose of bettering conditions in the South, as discussed by Bishop Theodore D. Bratton, of Jackson, Miss., and Booker T. Washington, attracted large crowds at the afternoon session of the Southern Sociological con gress here to-day, Bishop Bratton pointed out the necessity of race cooperation in church work as a contributory factor in laying the foundation for the solution of the race prob lem. "The first point of cooperation for the two races, in this" he said, "is the example of a solid religious faith and justice; the second is the points of contact in their churches and schools and sharing with them the benefits of our great public school system. But above all is to live the Gos pel." The Bishop took to task PX tremistg of both races. Following the address of Bish Bratton, former Gov. Mann, who occupied a seat on the platform, called on R. R. Moton, a leading Negro of Virginia, to lead the colored portion of the audience in singing "Climb, Climb Up Higher, " and "Down on the Suwanee River," brought rounds of applause. Booker Washington discussing race cooperation in securing law and order, pointed to the socio logical congress as the best means of bringing the two races to a better understanding of each other, as well as the needs and aspirations of the Negro. His subject was "How can the Ne gro in the South do his part in using this Congress to bring a bout better conditions." He said: "We can use this organization to spread an influence among our people for the prevention of World's Best Pianos And PL?YER-PI?NQS SOLD AND GUARANTEED BY ^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^ ?3 WALLACE ? sgS PIANO CO. ?ft QUAL'tV [Established 1910j ogje 1271 Main St. - Phone 1316 crime.. In spite of all that may be said, in palliation, there is too nmch crime committed by. our people in all parts of the country. We should let the world under stand weare not going-(to hide crime because it is committed by black people." To Von, Mr. Stock Owner Would you own a horse and let him suffer and besatisned? Why the horse needs a dentist as well as the human being- does. If you have his teeth kept up it will save other trouble on the horse. When this is done the animal will eat better and give you bet ter service. Do you know that you give away better stock than what you buy every year because you don't call a veterinary sur geon and ask his opinion about it. As long as you do so it will keep you buying stock. Our business is to take care of the stock and his owner. The white people have us to work the same ones over again and then they sell them right back to you for the same price you first paid. Why can't you do the same thing and save the price of another horse or mule ? We are called all over this county todo so for the white people and you are paying for it. It is time to wake up and get busy. We will do the same thing for you. Yours truly, DR. J. H. SIMS. Veterinary Surgeon and Animal Dentist, 1518 "'illiams Street, Columoia, S. C. Phone 2677. Small Farms Five acres and up with dwelling Productive Soil Will rent, Sell or Exchange for other property. A Few New Lots and Houses Low PriceB Easy Terroa Martin Storks 1544 Main Street, Columbia DR. L. M. DANIELS PHYSICIAN & SURGEON Office Hours: 9 to 10 A. M. ; 1 to 2 P.M. ; 3 to 4 p. M. ; 7 to 8 p. M. Residence 1010 Sumter Street, Office, 1100 Washington Street. PHONE 1420. : : Columbia, S. C, I. L. BAILEY Licensed Architect & Buildei I Plans and Specifications gotten out for Residences, Churches etc. "?.330 PINE ST. - COLUMBIA, S. C Mail Orders No need send to the mail order houses for what you want. We have it here at the same price, if not cheaper. You owe us a trial anyway. Send a list of what you require and let us figure on it. We have specially laid ourselves out to execute mail orders and you may rely on prompt attention. Our PAINT de? partment is unexcelled in this country. L?rick Sn Lowrance (INCORPORATED i Columbia, South Carolina. Palmetto Meat Market J. S. DENT, Prop'r. Butcher and Green Grocer, Fish* Oysters and Game in season, 1330 Assembly St. Phone 172. Columbia N. H. Collin's Big Department Store THIS is the store that gets the new things first. We are now showing many new and stylish STETSON HATS-a Hat for every face-for every taste. 1125 Washington Street, - Columbia