EDITORIAL                      263

entrance to places of entertainment, or that make for the
culture of the intellect or the higher elevation of the spirit;
he may own land, but his broad acres give him no voice in
the laws under which he is taxed or in the choice of the
men who are to administer them, neither do they give him
equal standing in the courts, nor protection from the vio-
lence and fury of the mob.
    It remains to be proven that the possession of educa-
tion and wealth has yet made a people free. Admittedly,
let us have education, money and lands, but with these, "Let
justice roll down as waters and righteousness as a mighty
flood."
    Col. Roosevelt, in his recent unsuccessful effort to win
the South by betraying the Negroes into its hands, said:
The American people are a good people to lead, but a poor
people to drive. Now, who has been trying to drive them?
Certainly not the Negroes. Just the reverse, for half the
period of our freedom the doctrine of peace and good will,
of compromise and surrender, has been preached, until it
has come to be accepted (outwardly, at least) by a majority
of both races North and South. But with what result? A
growing indifference, usurpation, arrogance and contempt on
the part of white men; with a corresponding loss of self-
respect, courage, liberty, opportunity, safety and security on
the part of the Negroes.
     Mr. Villard, in an article printed elsewhere in this num-
ber, says: "The longer I am in the work for the colored
people the more sincerely do I feel that upon them rests
the chief responsibility for their own progress. * * *
     "The Proclamation freed them from frightful physical
and mental sufferings * * * but they still seem far
from free  *  *  *  and some of their chains are self-im-
posed.   *  *  *    They have an enormous latent power
for self-protection and self-advancement, which they do not
begin to exercise."
     Mr. Villard emphasizes the point that we should or-
ganize. This we should do, but to do so all jealousies must
be buried and selfish personal ambitions be put aside. We
must repudiate those Negroes who have or would gain




			

African Methodist Episcopal Church Review, Vol. 29, Num. 3

Editorials

Volume:  29
Issue Number:  03
Page Number:  260
Date:  01/1913