counting house and large business enterprises. This will be so as long as we have no counting house and business of our own. We have the labor we must get the business when we get business, our professions will mean more to us.
There are 12,000,000 Negroes in this country—think of it—and as many million mouths to be fed, and sheltered. This large number is to wear shoes, or in short, that many persons are to be provided with the necessities of life. On streets and highways is a surging tide of sable sons and daughters every Saturday night purchasing from everybody else, from a shoe string to the most costly garment, together with food and luxuries of every kind, with scarcely any business of our own. Can we continue in this way and gain the respect of others? There is no use to gloss it over.
From the beginning of time until Gabriel blows his trumpet ignorance and poverty will never rule intelligence and wealth. Then let us wake up, shew ourselves the man and make a heroic dash for economic and political freedom throughout the length of our fair land.
