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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 4, 1921)
Facts of Our Race Progress Told in Type and in Pictures LOOKING BACKWARDS OVER THE PAST HALF CENTHRY A Few Observations Touching Upon The Development And Progress Of The Colored American During the Past Fifty Years. By Major John Roy Lynch, U. S. A., Retired, Ex-Congressman And Author ‘‘Facts of Reconstruction.” __ ' i No man of our time is better qualified to write on this topic than Major Lynch, whose long and unblemished public career reads almost like a fairy-land story, and should be a source of inspiration to our youth. Born a slave in Mis sissippi, by dint of industry he ed ucated himself, and rose step by step, until he became a member of Congress, Auditor of the Navy, Ma jor and Paymaster in the Pnited States Army Over seventy years young he is active in good deeds and striving by voice and pen to advance the interest of his race. He is accounted one of Chicago’s first citizens’ but he belongs to the Nation.—The Editor. ] ago. At that time it was a difficult : matter for a Colored person to secure employment In any other capacity than that of a barber, porter, servant j or common laborer. The mines, fac tories and other fields of employment were closed against them in all parts of the country. While it is true that these barriers have not been entirely eradicated, it can not be denied that they are being gradually removed, and in some localities rapidly removed. I This, in my opinion, is a most hope i ful and encouraging indication. It is a refutation, in a measure, at least, of the greatly accepted impression that race prejudice in this country is on the increase. The improvements I herein referred to, are due, in the >1A JO It JOHN liOY LYNCH, C. 8. A. (retired). I am requested to submit a few ob servations touching upon the devel opment and progress of the Colored American during the past fifty years. The subject is too comprehensive to be presented with any degree of elab oration through the medium of a brief newspaper article, The numerical growth and expan sion of the race must not be over looked since that is one of the con tributing factors in its development along other lines. I can distinctly re member that about fifty years ago the prediction was frequently made by many whose knowledge of vital ques tions no one disputed, that in about fifty years the colored or African race in the United States would be prac tically extinct because the deaths were so far in excess of the births, and fery few additions were made to the population through immigration. These predictions have not been verified. Instead of falling off in numbers it is safe to assert that there are not less than ten millions more Colored Amer icans now living upon American soil than fifty years ago, and this exclu sive of many thousands that have crossed the line—that have been merged into and absorbed by the cau casion race. This process of absorp tion is not wholly through racial amal gamation, but is largely the result of other causes to which I have given careful consideration and serious re flection, and which I hope to be able to place before the public in the course of time. Along industrial lines our progress has been wonderful and marvelous. It is safe to assert that there is more wealth among the Colored people of the city of Chicago today than was possessed by the more than four mil lions of Colored Americans fifty years main, to the action of many labor unions in wiping out the race or color line in their organizations. For the accomplishment of these purposes and the attainment of these ends 1 have advised the Colored American labor ing men to join labor unions whenever and wherever it is possible for them to do so, not because I endorse every thing that labor unions do, but be cause I want the Colored laborer to be the equal of the white laborer—be cause I want the laborers of both rac es to represent the same standard of wages and labor—that whatever an employer may be obliged to pay a white man, he should not be able to secure the services of a Colored man of equal skill, ability and experience for any less. This will do away with much of the friction which is attrib uted to race prejudice, for it is an admitted fact that most of the local outbreaks attributed to race antag onism are due, in the main, to an im pression that the Colored man stands for and represents a different and lower standard of labor and wrages than the white man. Such outbreaks are liable to occur from time to time as long as there is any foundation or ground for such an impression. The sooner it is removed the better it will be for the peace and tranquility of the country and for the stability and maintenance of our institutions. Then again, fifty years ago we had very few if any employers of labor, and those who were engaged in the various professions were few and far between. Now, many millions of dol lars are disbursed annually by Col ored employers, and as to the profes sions, we have men and women who are the equals of the finest, best and most skilled among the whites. Our pulpits, as a rule, are now occupied ■BBIHBHHI WHKEKBm _. , ,. , . „ „ . THE freedmen* hospital. Tfce Unrest hospital la the world ander the supervision of Colored management. Located near to Howard University. I Bishops and Cleryry present at the consecration of the Ht. Iter. Edward Thomas Demhy, It. It. in Ail Saints Episco pal Church, St. Louis. Mo„ September ill. lit IK. Bishop Itemhy was the first member of his race to be elevated to the Episcopate by the Episcopal Church for work In America. This event is therefore historic. by men of education, culture and re finement. The newspapers published by Colored men reflect much credit upon the publishers and consequently the race with which they are iden tified. It is the enjoyment of civil and pol itical rights in which there has been retrogression, and yet the situation along this line is not as discouraging as many have been led to believe. The so-called race problem is more myth ical than real and more political than racial. At the South it is a political question. At the North it is economic, and industrial. For reasons already given I am satisfied it will sood cease to be a disturbing factor at the North. The same thing will be true of the South a» ..won as the masses of that section become more enlightened and more inj'lligent. Ignorance is the primary cause of the existence of such conditions. His rac;al identity is the only asset that an ignorant white man has. (Ihe office seeking demagogue, being alive to that fact, will not fail to magnify and inflate his importance in comparison witli some well known Colored man of recognized ability and superior attainments, to the detriment of the Colored man. solely upon racial difference. This is what keeps the race issue alive at the South Those who seek political distinction and of ficial recognition find it to be their best paying political asset. This is especially true of those who are devoid of any personal merit. This is the source from which all of the excesses of that section springs, such as lynch law, Jim Crow Carism and disfran chisement through a violation and evasion of the constitution and laws of the Cnited States. The ignorant white man is made to believe that these are necessary to k'ep the "Nigger in his place.” These methods have been so successfully util ized at the South for a number of years that it was thought by many that they could be Used advantageously in a Na tional election, hence an effort was made in that direction in 1920. This, of course, was presuming upon the ig norance and prejudice of masses of the white people throughout the country. The result it is hoped, will prevent a repetition of such an experiment in the future. Some white people of limited infor mation profess to believe that if the Colored Americars are allowed to en joy civil rights upon terms of equality with the whites the same will have a tendency to wipe out and destroy so cial distinction—in other words social equality. Of course, all Intelligent persons know that there can be no such thing as social equality even among people^f the same race and blood. It is impossible, for instance, for poverty and wealth, ignorance and intelligence, vice and virtue to mingle socially' upon terms of equality. Social contact is always the result of mutual and reciprocal attachment, brought about through the voluntary action and selection of the persons con cerned. In making these selections for social contact and association, it seldom happens that one will go out side of the race or group with which he Is identified, whether he be a He brew, a Frenchman, a German, an Ital ian or an African. And yet, in the en joyment of civil and political rights all of these races and groups are, or should be, equals. I’uder our form of government no social lines can be drawn or recognized in the enjoyment of civil and political rights. The fact that the Colored American of today is less docile and submissive when attacked than fifty years, or 'even twenty-five years ago, may ac | count, in some measure for the im pression that race prejudice is on the ’ increase. As the Colored American I expands and develops along lines of .wealth and intelligence, the spirit of » ‘ W (empt to take the law into their own hands, they will be supported and sus tained by the public sentiment of the country, for it is unden.ably true that the great masses of the American peo ple, of all races and groups, are law abiding and law observing and will not sanction or approve of lawless methods for the accomplishment of any purpose or the attainment of any end. They are not always demonstrative. In fact, COL. CHARLES YOUNG, U. S. A. (Ret.) A West Point irraduale with n dlstinirnlshed career, now senlnir as military attache in Liberia. His retirement by President Wilson, at outbreak of World War when he was in line for briiradier (reneral, mused Intense IndJir natlon a mom; the Colored Americans. manhood and se’.f-reliance grows in proportion, hence he appreciates more keenly, and values more highly, the sac-redness and sancity of his home and family, to defend which he is now willing, if necessary, to die. ; Of coarse no thoughtful and Intelli , gent Colored persons will ever think of waging a war of retaliation and re venge, even upon those who seek to oppress them, or curtail their rights and privileges. This would not only be unwise, but disastrous. But in de fending themselves and their homes and families against the agressions land assaults of the criminals that at a dozen criminals will attract more attention and get more notoriety than a thousand law-abiding citizens whose voice and influence can be heard and felt only at certain periods. But that silent and potential power will even tuaally be heard, and felt, and to some extent respected and obeyed. The fact that such crimes can be so frequently committed is due primarily to some serious defects in our syBtem of government. As a democratic-re public our government has not, as yet, passed the experimental stage, in spite of the many years of its existence. The original constitution was a compromise JUDGE ROBERT W. TERRELL . The distinguished Jurist now serving his nineteenth consecutive .rear on the municipal bench of the District of Columbia. between two antagonistic and conflict ing schools—one contending for and insisting upon a strong central govern ment, the other that the contemplated union should be composed of sovereign and independent states, whose right to become members of. remain in or with draw from the union was to be op tional. The final result was a com promise, and like all compromises, sus ceptible of different and conflicting interpretations. This finally desulted in the Civil War, which was believed, when it terminated, to have been a victory for National supremacy and a destruction, or at least a material and radical curtailment of the power and authority of the different states. But. unfortunately, the Supreme Court, in construing the War Amendments to the constitution and the legislation for their enforcement, construed them strictly, which had the effect of resus citating the doctrine of states-rights, thus giving it renewed health, strength and vitality. This is the primary source of all our present domestic ills and misfortunes. Kvery American citizen iB presumed to owe paramount allegiance to the parent government, and yet that gov ernment, under the present construc tion of the constitution and laws, is powerless to protect ony one of them against domestic violence. It may be conceded that the parent government has the constitutional authority to adopt the necessary measures to pro tect and perpetuate Its own National existence, but if so that authority has never been exerted. The President ! and Senators and Representatives are I presumed to be the chosen representa tives of the masses of the people of the different states, and yet there is no federal machinery through which the choice of the people can be ascer tained. The state machinery is not only utilized in National as well as state elections, but the State pre scribes the qualifications of electors, subject, to certain constitutional limi tations, which limitations are, in some states, diregarded and ignored. Through the enforcement of such methods, two presidents, since the Civil War, Cleveland in 188-1 and Wtl sno in 1!)16. were elected according to the forms of law who would have oth erwise been defeated. Through the same methods the political complexion of several Congresses has been deter mined. These are grave and serious defects which should and eventually will be remedied. Already the ten dencies are in the right direction. As the evils growing out of existing con ditions become more apparent, public sentiment will eventually become fixed and crystallized in demanding that there be a stronger central govern ment to insure the maintenance and perpetuation of our republican insti tutions. In the meantime let us be patient and cheerful. In politics let us be more patriotic than partisan. I jet us, in cooperation with the whites who are in harmony with us, make Na tional supremacy, civil and political rights, a square deal and fair play for every one, the vital and paramount questions, all others to be secondary and subordinate. Let us do all in our power to secure the election of those who may be in harmony with us, and defeat those who are not, regardless of their party affiliations. In this way we will be contributing to the creation of a popular sentiment which will re sult in the accomplishment of the pur poses desired. JOHN R. LYNCH. 1 I MECHANIC’S SAVINGS BANK Richmond, Va. One of Ihe first hanks to he organized by raw. John Mitchell Jr„ resi dent, Is the only one of oar group who Is a member of the American Bank ers’ Association. O. . .. . ... .... OVER BILLION DOLLARS INCREASE IN FARMS Colored Farmers in Sixteen Southern States Add Almost Fabulous Sum of $1,365,569,784) to Holding* in Lands nnd Building* Bur- * Ing Last Deeade In a release on June the 15th, from the agricultural depart ment of the bureau of census, the col ored farmers of the 16 southern states are shown to have increased their valuation on lanil and buildings in the ten-year period from 1910 to 1920, by $1,365,569,780.00 This report covers the entire num ber of farms owned, managed and rented by colored farmers. The tatal number is given as 920,976. Farms operated by colored tenants number 702,215, leaving 218,761 as owned. In an interview with Mr. Cbas, E, Hall who has charge of the section from which this release emanated, he said that he found the value of owned farms, by colored people, to be about one-fourth of the total. Uslug these figure then, we have the increased valuation of actual property owned in the 16 southern states, about 1559 765,697,-50 or nearly 200 per cent In the ten-year period. From 1900 to 1910 there was an increase In number of farms of 31,669. During 1910 to 1920 there was an In crease of only 6,484 farms owned. This was caused by and is one of the | lessons of, the great migration from the Routh during the war period for seven of the 16 states actually lost 30,222 farms operated by colored farmers. Alabama was the heaviest loser with 15,137 less than in 1910. Mississippi was second and Florida third. The total number owned and rented, increased 40,152. The total acreage increased by 62,567 acres; the i improved land increased by 535,963 acres. While Georgia ranks first in acre age, Mississippi ranks first in number of farms and in valuation, and Vir ginia takes first place in number owned by colored farmers. The total j number operated bp colored farmers I and their valuation arc as follows: ' Mississippi 161,001 $402,438,836 J Georgia 130,176 322,755,409 S. Carolina 109,105 292,703,775 f Texas 78,664 227,757,850 N. Carolina 74.849 223,666,166 Arkansas 72,275 195,837,739 Alabama 95,200 116,894,016 ' Louisiana 62,036 107,615,718 Virginia 47,690 101,218,768 Tennessee 38,181 90,427,645 Oklahoma 18,737 77,853,160 Kentucky 12,624 36,067,878 Maryland 6,208 21,651,121 Florida 12,954 17,561,378 Delaware 872 2.885,445 West Virginia 504 1,727,890 Total 920,976 $2,239,062,790 The total acreage operated is 41, 346,943 acres. This Is a remarkable showing in number of farms operated, in acres controlled and in valuation of proper ty actually under colored farmers' control, as owners and tenants. This , shows that the production of the south is practically In the hands of colored people. J. BIGHIA ! i * GROCERIES VEGETABLES MEATS 5131 S. 26th St. Market 1945 ; | For Painting, Repairing I !; and Window Washing f Call STEPHENS I 2720 Corby Wrbater 6977 § I i An Institution That Grows By j Hel. g Omaha Grow i ' II i ______ r v i 1 HE AIM AND PURPOSE of the Omaha Loan and Building Associ- ^ ", ation is to encourage thrift by the saving of small sums, and provide means whereby every family in Omaha may procure a home. It is a mutual and cooperative savings institution under the supervision of the State Banking Board, whose members have associated themselves for their mutual benefit and financial advantage. There are no pre ferred stockholders. All members share alike in the profits. For the six months ending July 1st this Association earned for its < i members dividends amounting to $430,668.46. Resources $19,696,964.72—Reserve Fund $460,000.00 Savings accounts may be opened at any time in any amount from One Dollar up to $6,000.00. j ^ OMAHA LOAN AND BUILDING ASSOCIATION i I The oldest saving institution in Omaha. W. R. Adair, President 4^ J. T. Helgren, Vice President—A. A. Allwine, Secy. & Treas. Office: Association Building, Northwest comer Dodge & 16th Sts. South side Office: 4733 South 24th St. J. H. Kopictz, Agent 5.I