ith justice, will be
given the protection of the law, and will be given the recognition in
a large measure which his usefulness and ability warrant. If, fifty
years ago, any one had predicted that the Negro would have received
the recognition and honour which individuals have already received, he
would have been laughed at as an idle dreamer. Time, patience, and
constant achievement are great factors in the rise of a race.

I do not believe that the world ever takes a race seriously, in its
desire to enter into the control of the government of a nation in any
large degree, until a large number of individuals, members of that
race, have demonstrated, beyond question, their ability to control
and develop individual business enterprises. When a number of Negroes
rise to the point where they own and operate the most successful
farms, are among the largest tax-payers in their county, are moral and
intelligent, I do not believe that in many portions of the South such
men need long be denied the right of saying by their votes how they
prefer their property to be taxed and in choosing those who are to
make and administer the laws.

In a certain town in the South, recently, I was on the street in
company with the most prominent Negro in the town. While we were
together, the mayor of the town sought out the black man, and said,
"Next week we are going to vote on the question of issuing bonds to
secure water-works for this town; you must be sure to vote on the day
of election." The mayor did not suggest whether he must vote "yes" or
"no"; he knew from the very fact that this Negro man owned nearly a
block of the most valuable property in the town that he would cast a
safe, wise vote on this important proposition. This white man knew
that, because of this Negro's property interests in the city, he would
cast his vote in the way he thought would benefit every white and
black citizen in the town, and not be controlled by influences a
thousand miles away. But a short time ago I read letters from nearly
every prominent white man in Birmingham, Alabama, asking that the Rev.
W. R. Pettiford, a Negro, be appointed to a certain important federal
office. What is the explanation of this? Mr. Pettiford for nine years
has been the president of the Negro bank in Birmingham to which I have
alluded. During these nine years these white citizens have had the
opportunity of seeing that Mr. Pettiford could manage successfully a
private business, an