Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-18

Addfess Delivered by Booker t.
Washington.
| ATLANTA, Ga, September 1S.-Mr. Book
er I. Washington said, on behalf Of the col
ored race at the exposition opening exercises
| today:"M President, gentlemen of the board
of directors and citizens: One-half of the
population of the south is of the negro race.
No enterprise seeking the material, civil or
moral welfare of this section can disregard
this element of our population and reach the
highest success. 1 but convey to you, Mr..
President and directors. the sentiment of the
masses of my race, when I say that in no
way have the value and manhood of the
American negro been more tittingly and gen.
erously recognized than by the managers OF
this magnificent exposition at every stage of
It's progress. 1t Is recognition which will
DO more to cement the friendship of the two
races than any occurrence since the dawn of
our freedom.
Not only this. hpt the opportunity here
afforded will awaken among us a new era of
industrial progress. Ignorant and inexperi-
enced, 1t Is not strange that in the first years
OF our new life we began at the top instead
OF the bottom; that seat in Congress or the
state legislature was more sought than real
estate or Industrial skill; that the political
| convention or stump speaking had more at
| garden.
"A ship lost at sea for many days sud-
denly sighted friendly vessel From the
mast Of the unfortunate vessel was seen
me signal, Water, water; we die of
thirst! The answer from the friendly YES
sci at once came back, Cast down your
bucket where you are A second time the
slenai, water, water, send US water ran
up from the distressed vessel and was
answered; cast down your bucket where
you are The captain of the distressed
| vessel. at last needing the Injunction, cast
down his bucket, and it came up full of
iesn, sparkling water from the mouth of
tn of
| VINO depend on lettering their condition in
foreign land, or who underestimate the
Importance of cultivating friendly rela-
! tions with the southern white man who is
their next-door neighbor, / would say cast
down your bucket where you are, cast it
| down In making friends in every manly
way of the people of all races by whom we
are surrounded Cast it down in agricul-
| ture, In mechanics in commerce. in domes-
TIC service and in the professions. And In
this connection it is we'll to bear in mind
| that whatever other sins the south may be
| called upon to bear when it comes to bus
mess pure and simple, 1t is in the south
that the negro is given a mans chance in
| the commercial world, and in nothing is
TINS exposition more eloquent than in en-
phasiZing this chance. Our greatest danger
| Is that in the great leap from slavery to
| freedom We may overlook the fact that the
| masses of us are to live by the produc lions
OF our hands, and fail to keep in mind that
| we shall prosper in proportion as we learn
| to dignity and glorify common labor and
| put brains and skill into the common occu-
| pations of life: shall prosper in proportion
| as We learn to draw the line between the
| superficial and the substantial the 6rna-
| mental gewgaws of life and the useful No
| race can prosper until it learns that there
Is as much dignity in tilling a field as in
| writing poem. 1t is at the bottom of life
| we must begin and not at the tip Nor
| should we permit our grievances to over
| shadow our opportunities.
Gentlemen Of the exposition, as we pre-
| sent to you our humble effort at an exhi-
| bltion OF our progress, you must not ex-
| pect cvermuch; starting thirty years ago
| with the ownership here and there in a
few quilts and pumpkins and chickens
| gathered from miscellaneous sources), re-
member that the path that has led us from
| these to the invention and production of
| agricultural implements, buggies, steam
| engines. newspapers. books. statuary, cary
| ing. paintings, and the management of
| drug stores and banks has not been trod-
| den without contact with thorns and
thistles. While we take just pride in what
| We exhibit as a result of our independent
| efforts, We do not for moment forget that
| our part in this exhibition would fall far
short of our expectations but for the con-
| slant help that has ccme to our educational
| life not only from the southern states, but
especially from northern philanthropists
| who have made their gifts a constant
stream of blessing and encouragement"