Twentieth Century Negro Literature Part 59

Why so many of our young people, educated and refined, will don white ap.r.o.ns and stand behind chairs and watch other people eat is a problem, if there is one, that needs to be solved. Many of our educated girls, when they can work on people's heads and feet, and present a card with some big word on it, as "chiropodist," which means foot-cleaner, are perfectly satisfied. All of this must be done, but it does not require a knowledge of Latin, Greek, French, German, and all the sciences to do this successfully; yet it is the highest ambition of many of our young people, while Africa invites them to higher walks.

In America cotton is the staple in many of the Southern states. The farmer plants and grows this staple to obtain clothing and the necessaries of life, and, if possible, lay by a dollar for a rainy day. In Liberia coffee holds the same relation to the farmer as cotton in America; yet it is planted like the peach tree or apple tree. It takes about five years to yield, but when it begins to yield it increases yearly, costing about five cents a pound to clean, hull and ship to market, giving a clear profit of from two to five cents on the pound, while there is no real profit in cotton growing. Liberia would yield cotton as prolifically as Arkansas or Mississippi, if cultivated. The Englishmen are turning their attention to cotton growing in West Africa.

Ca.s.sadas takes the place of the American sweet potato, but is much easier produced, as the greatest cost is the labor of planting. It produces without cultivation, and, as there is no frost in West Africa, once planted it will produce for twenty years. It is a root as is the sweet potato.

The upland rice of West Africa grows anywhere and everywhere it chances to fall upon the ground. Very little attention is given to cultivation, yet it could be made an export which would yield the farmer a most valuable income. Corn grows as prolifically in Africa as in the bottoms of Georgia and Alabama. Planting is the hardest task.

The palm tree grows as the pine in Georgia or North Carolina, and the nut which it produces is as large as, or larger than, a horse chestnut. These nuts contain an oil that answers all the purposes of bacon, lard and b.u.t.ter in America. The greatest task is to have a boy climb the tree and cut them down. This oil fries your fish, seasons your greens, shortens your bread and answers all the purposes of lard or b.u.t.ter.

There are hogs, cows, sheep and goats in West Africa, but no meat can be cured, therefore all bacon is shipped from abroad.

Rubber farms are much more profitable than turpentine farms, for the reason that it costs so much less to produce rubber and the profit is so much greater. Rubber is produced at from fifteen to twenty cents per pound and sold at from seventy-five cents to one dollar per pound.

While all of these products are used on the ground, with a few exceptions, yet all of them are profitable commodities for export.

We have presented this array of facts to sustain our position that the Negro will be benefited by returning home to Africa as fast as he is self-reliant and independent. But he must be a man; boys cannot stand the hardships of pioneer life.

TOPIC x.x.xIII.

THE NEGRO AND EDUCATION.

BY MRS. LENA MASON.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mrs. Lena Mason.]

MRS. LENA MASON.

Mrs. Lena Mason, the Evangelist, was born in Quincy, Ill., May 8th, 1864. Her parents, Relda and Vaughn Doolin, were devout Christians, and they brought up their daughter Lena, as far as they knew how, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, so that Lena became a Christian at a very early age. She attended the Dougla.s.s High School of Hannibal, Mo.

She also attended Professor Knott's School in Chicago. She married March 9th, 1883, to George Mason. Of this union six children were the result--four boys and two girls; of these only one, Bertha May, survives.

At the age of 23 Mrs. Mason entered the ministry, preaching for the first three years to white people exclusively, and later preaching to mixed congregations. She now belongs to the Colored Conference. Mrs. Mason has preached in nearly every state in the Union, and the preachers are few who can excel her in preaching. She has, since she has been preaching, been instrumental in the conversion of 1,617 souls. Her five months' work in colored and white churches in Minneapolis will never be forgotten by those who were greatly benefited by her services. Mrs. Mason possesses considerable ability as a poet, and has written several poems and songs that do not suffer by comparison with poems by the best poets. Mrs. Mason is powerful in argument and picture painting. Rev. C. L. Leonard, pastor of the Central German M. E. Church, in speaking of Mrs. Mason, says: "I desire to express my highest appreciation of Mrs. Mason's church and effective evangelical work in my church and in many others. Mrs. Mason is now making a tour of the South, and by her lectures and sermons is doing a work among the colored people that will bear good fruit in the future. One only needs to hear Mrs. Mason lecture and preach to understand how it is that one never tires listening to her."

1. Said once a n.o.ble ruler, Thomas Jefferson by name, "All men are created equal.

All men are born the same."

G.o.d made the Negro equal To any race above the grave, Although once made a captive And sold to man a slave.

2. Of all the crimes recorded Our histories do not tell Of a single crime more brutal, Or e'en a parallel.

It was said by men of wisdom (?) "No knowledge shall they have, For if you educate a Negro You unfit him for a slave."

3. Fred Dougla.s.s' young mistress, Moved by a power divine, Determined she would let the rays Of knowledge on him shine, But her husband said, "'Twill never do, 'Twill his way to freedom pave, For if you educate a Negro You unfit him for a slave."

4. But there is no mortal being Who can the wheels of progress stay; An all-wise G.o.d intended He should see the light of day.

G.o.d drew back the sable curtains That shut out wisdom's rays, He did give unto him knowledge And unfit him for a slave.

5. But G.o.d's works were not completed, For he had made decree, Since all men are born equal, Then all men shall be free.

He removed the yoke of bondage, And unto him freedom gave; He did educate the Negro And unfit him for a slave.

6. When the Negro gained his freedom Of body and of soul, He caught the wheels of progress, Gave them another roll.

He was held near three long centuries In slavery's dismal cave, But now he is educated And unfitted for a slave.

7. He's able to fill any place On this terrestrial ball, All the way from country teacher To the legislative hall.

He has proved himself a hero, A soldier true and brave, And now he's educated And unfit to be a slave.

8. We have lawyers and we've doctors, Teachers and preachers brave, And a host of n.o.ble women, Who have safely crossed the wave.

We are pressing on and upward, And for education crave, For it's written now in history, We shall never more be slaves.

TOPIC x.x.xIV.

A NEGRO IN IT.

BY MRS. LENA MASON.

1. In the last civil war, The white folks, they began it, But before it could close, The Negro had to be in it.

2. At the battle of San Juan hill, The rough-riders they began it; But before victory could be won The Negro had to be in it.

3. The Negro shot the Spaniard from the tree, And never did regret it; The rough-riders would have been dead to-day Had the Negro not been in it.

4. To Buffalo, McKinley went, To welcome people in it; The prayer was prayed, the speech made, The Negro, he was in it.

5. September sixth, in Music Hall, With thousands, thousands in it, McKinley fell, from the a.s.sa.s.sin's ball, And the Negro, he got in it.

6. He knocked the murderer to the floor, He struck his nose, the blood did flow; He held him fast, all nearby saw, When for the right, the Negro in it.

7. J. B. Parker is his name, He from the state of Georgia came; He worked in Buffalo, for his bread, And there he saw McKinley dead.

8. They bought his clothes for souvenirs, And may they ever tell it, That when the President was shot A brave Negro was in it.

9. He saved him from the third ball, That would have taken life with it; He held the foreigner fast and tight, The Negro sure was in it.

10. McKinley now in heaven rests, Where he will ne'er regret it; And well he knows, that in all his joys There was a Negro in it.

11. White man, stop lynching and burning This black race, trying to thin it, For if you go to heaven or h.e.l.l You will find some Negroes in it.

12. Parker knocked the a.s.sa.s.sin down, And to beat him, he began it; In order to save the President's life, Yes, the Negro truly was in it.

13. You may try to shut the Negro out, The courts, they have begun it; But when we meet at the judgment bar G.o.d will tell you the Negro is in it.

14. Pay them to swear a lie in court, Both whites and blacks will do it; Truth will shine, to the end of time, And you will find the Negro in it.

TOPIC x.x.xV.