Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-22

noted in these columns IL sent 10 Mrs.
George CT Ball. Nineteenth street. between
Tenth and Eleventh avenues. South High
lands. Telephone sSS)
For the firstsme since 1855 is the prop
er effort being made for the improvement
of the southern negro. All previous at
tempts have proven worse than futile, be-
cause undertaken by aliens, without any
comprehension of the character OF their
brothers in black or any appreciation
of their needs and surroundings. Com
Ing, as the northerners have done for so
many years, into this section with quiz
otto Ideas regarding the nations
wards, their efforts TO elevate the ne
groes into another and impossible sphere,
they only destroyed all hope of legitimate
advancement. The noftherners were
loath to acknowledge the fact that south
erners are the best and truest friends
and advisers of their former slaves; they
found 1t a difficult matter to believe that
the 'arbitrament of the sword which
had altered the property conditions or
the south. had not also created an eter-
nal animosity between former masters
and their servants. Every hing conspir-
ed to fire the minds of both parties, and
for time the southerners relinquished
all hope of Influencing and impressing
the lives of the negroes. The yankees
had made this too gigantic a task for
=
tive duties pressing hard upon us-to ac-
compIsh. Through mistaken phianthro-
by the outsiders endeavofed to engender
in the negroes minds an ambition TO
reach heights impossible for them TO
scale, and to create certain social aSpl-
rations which would not be tolerated in
any other part of the civilized world.
Political agitations were added to these
conditions, and in consequence chaotic
darkness apparently settled upon the
Cat n 10
bided our time, feeling helpless to cope
with the confusion Of yankee intemper-
ance and negro crednlity, and in the in
evitable cycling of years the. solution or
the whole matter has come about by the
present concern in the industrial educa-
ton of the negro And, this is the more
encouraging, In that, this matter Is being
largely confined to southerners, by the
persons who have the distribution or
funds donated for this purpose by chart
table people. Northern men and women
are a. last convinced that previous efforts
in other directions, and under other man
agement. have proven hopeless failures.
so they unanimously are saying 10
us You comprehend the negro as no
other race of people can; you appreciate
his needs and understand his Deculiar1-
ties so we come TO you for advice ana
suggestion as to future efforts in his be-
half"
THE exhibition of negro labor at the
"A
teresting building set aside for that pur-
pose. the tndelible impression made upon
southerner and northerner alike by the
common sense, discretion and eloquence
of Booker T. Washington, an Alabama
negro and all the possibilities that await
the race along certain lines mark an
epoch In the history of the south. Where
q negro possesses genius In any direction
he will rise to the level of his endow-
ments. no matter where he may be. north
hot zaf h Fafy nj
yankee fanatics as to social equality,
for that will not be his in any section of
this country, and the sensible ones are
fully convinced of this fact. But they
can attain certain degrees OF intelleetual
eminence, which will be more gladly ao-
corded by the descendants of slave own
ers than by any other class in this coun-
try. The negro belongs to the south,
and here he must take his rightful place
in the great march of development ana
Industrial enterprise which is going on in
this section. Schools, based upon the
same idea as that of the now famous
Tuskegee institution, must be tablished
In different parts of the south, where the
negro girls and boys can be fitted FOR use
full helpful lives and made worthy, self
respecting citizens This Is not only TO
he desired for the benefit of the white
people of the south. but 1t is the only
hope of the negro. There is an especial
place In life of the south for him,
which no one else can fill half so well.
provided he fills 1t as he should; and he
has no friends so true, or so hopeful of
his future as the genuine Southerner,
whose heart is always ready to respond
to his needs and always quick to forgive
his weaknesses
And why should it not be so? Have
we not been Graded in the soft, tender
arms of our old black nurses? Have we
not pilowed our tired young heads on
their faithful breasts? Have not they
sung us to sleep many night when the
tears trembled on our baby eyeldS,
though they had kissed them away from
our chubby cheeks?s In the silent night
watches the same dark faces peeped over
our cradles, and looked like the faces OF
angels to our baby eyes. These same
black nurses-with hearts as white as
Gods snow--guided our tottering steps
from babyhood into childhood, and many
a one has kept close to us amid all the
changes and vicissitudes OF life In
times of joy, when wedding bells chimed,
they have stood near us and mingled
their blessings with those of fathers and
mothers. and their words have sounded
down the years with sweeter cadences
than organs pealing notes They have
tended our babies as they tended rs;
they have been friend, confidant and
nurse with unfaItering faith and dsvor
ton. They have nursed our sick and
dying. and closed with gentle touch the
eyes OF those dearest on eaftn 10 u.s. ATu
when the years have come and gone,
bringing whitening haif and feeble. wa
vering steps. they still have remained
with US until they fell asleep. and welt
done good and faithful servants, was
writ above their graves. The negroes
belong To the south. here they must stay:
here they must advance, and the south
erners are their truest. best friends.
their safest and most unselfsh advisers.
The efforts toward the industrial educa-
tion of the negro is the beginning of the
brightest era in their history and IN the
history Of the entire south
When man looms up before his coun-
trymen and becomes famous in any way
II is the habit of the world to investigate
the women who are nearest him, thereby
nnconsciously acknowledging the power
full influence that women exert In shap-
ing the career of a strong man. 1t has
been well said that all great women
have not great sons. but all great men
nave had great mothers. 80 the moment
q man rises above his fellows and be-
comes conspicuous because of Intellect
ual achievements. we desire to know