CHAPTER II
IMPOSITION.
It may be conceded that the observations are synonymous, in that they express the sum and substance of the first observation under the caption Injustice. In the preceding chapter we have brought out clearly the Discriminating elements. The imposing forces expand as fast as the white population increases in the Southern States, and has developed into many Northern “quarters.” The great, the small, the rich and the poor, the high and the low, white persons, all have their way of bantering their colored brother. As a rule young white men and young colored men are at variance with each other. The same may be said of young white and colored women. The “whites” of both sexes avoid politeness with the colored to show their superiority. Children are innocent. The poor boy, whose father is the servant of a millionaire, can usually find room in the play yard of the millionaire’s children; but this is not so in the case of the white and colored boy. The white boy early learns that the colored boy must eat last, drink last, pass through the gate last, and have the last choice of the toys.
One of the most singular and inhuman habits the American white people possess, is that of shirking the colored people during luncheon. Their colored cook may have handled and even partaken of every piece in the dish; but the most refined, decent—lady or gentleman alike—colored person is extremely abhorred and debarred on this occasion. We note these facts as local condition of affairs.
The general Imposition on the colored race are—(1) Lynching, (2) Discount in wages, and (3) Immoral conduct with colored women. Before beginning to elucidate these points, it is well to determine whether the black man is worthy of any defence in this direction—is he qualified for a neighbor? or does he intrude on the rights of the Government, or on the municipal rights, or on individual rights? is he a subject of charity, as many other foreign nationalities? These vital considerations and most important questions are answered to some extent in the following clipping from the Chicago Inter-Ocean, June 26, 1894:—
“Only 46 Out of 4,200.
“Some interesting statistics have been furnished by the secretary of the School Children’s Aid Society relative to the work done during the winter of 1893-94. As is generally known, the society is an outgrowth and under the direct patronage of the Chicago Women’s Club. It was organized after the enactment of the compulsory education law of Illinois for the purpose of clothing the children of the poor who otherwise would be able to attend school. The past season will long be remembered as one of unusual suffering, and the society expended a sum amounting to $8,521.29.
“The money was chiefly spent in purchasing shoes, boys’ clothing, and material for girls’ dresses, skirts, and aprons. The matter of nationality is a most interesting item in the report. Of those aided, 1,115 were Irish, 995 German, 572 Americans, 328 Bohemians, 233 English, 184 Jews, 198 Italians, 156 Norwegians, 180 Swedes, 68 Scotch, 57 Danish, 48 French, 46 negroes, 6 Spanish, 6 Welsh, 5 Swiss. The Swiss, French, and Spanish form a comparatively small per cent. of the population of Chicago, while the thrifty and industrious Scotch and Danes are very numerous.
“The most striking feature, however,” continued the Daily Inter-Ocean, June 26, 1894, “is that but forty-six negroes received assistance, and this in the face of the truth that our colored population numbers many thousands. Of the forty-six, six were discovered accidentally and sought out by the secretary, but who themselves made no appeal for relief. The mother had come to the rooms of the society for work, and when questioned said that her husband had been a janitor in a building which had been closed, but had hope of getting work in the spring. In the meantime, she said, the children could be kept at home until then, when they could buy shoes for them and send them to school. It is gratifying to know that they were not forced to wait, but that their wants were supplied at once.