The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1896-10-15
BOOKER WASHINGTON
SPOKE MERE YESTERDAY Az
TERNoON.

ii
Complimented on aiiSides. AShort
sketch Given.
Booker T. Washington, Of Tnskegee,
Ala, founder and president Of the Tus-
legee University for ccloied men and
women, and the greatest coored man on
the American continent today, spoke al
the court house yesterday afternoon at I
o'clock TO crowded house.
When the great leader q his race en-.
tered the house he was given hearty
applause.
Prof w. G. Pearson made the an
nonncements. There was music by the
choir, prayer BY Rev. A, p. Eaton and
then more music.
Miss Pherobe Ray recited poem and
Prof. w. G. Pearson introduced Or. ]
i. Shepherd, who introduced the speak
er OF the day.
Prof Washington Is fine speaker and
his speech yesterday wasprononnced by
those who heard il as one OF the best
ever delivered here. He spoke in part
as follows:
The negro race is divided today, per
laps into two classes-the one is Of the
opinion that We cannot redeem ourselves
in this country, aud especially III the
South and inst as well give up all hope
or leave this country; the other class be-
licyes that effort and struggle will enable
III to overcome every seeming obstacle.
We have made mistakes. ! fear, IN not
constantly keeping IN our mind our ad.
vantages. We have had any number OF
conventions whose object has been 70
seek redress for some grievance. This
Il right md proper, but Il i with q race
III with an individual, Il will begin 70
make progress backward II II Is CONSTANT
IL dwelling on the dark side, IS constant
II grumbling and finding fault, Is con-
linnally finding way not to succeed. II
requires a man WITH no special gltt OF
brain power 10 find fault with an iiidiyid-
uai. Organization or state Of things. After
Ill what VIC want, and il is what America
honors, Is the man who can teach bis
fellows how 10 overcome obstacles, how
ito find way Or u make one
III much that we have attempted,
fear that VIC have failed to get down to
ilrst principles, to reach bed rock on
which LAY q foundation. We have spent
much time iii discussing the national
debt that night have been better spent
III finding 4 way to pay the debt due the
man inst across the street. We have
spent time in discussing the value OF the
nations keeping on friendly terms with
France and the Sandwich Islands and
have failed too often TO cultivate in every
manly way, friendly relations with oni
next door neighbor, even though he IS q
Southern white man. We have spent
time asid energy in trying 20 go to con.
grcss and II the legislature, that wofiid
have zen better spent IN trying TO be
CONE TIE leading builder, or contractor
or real estate dealer in our town or city
We have spent time and mcuey IN max.
ing stump srcechcs and attending ppiitt
cal conventions that could have beer
better spent In becoming tic leading
truck farmer or merchant, OF IN starting
steam laundry Or dairy farm.
People tell me that the young colores
man i cmmpcd AMI after nc gets ~
education there arc \ few chances 70
him to use Il. have little patience Will
such argument. Heretofore VIC have hat
too much 81 the idea that an cdncatet
coiorcd man must either teach, preach
bc clerk o. follow q profession. Gu
educated men, more and more, must q
TO the farms, into the trades, start hriel
yards, saw mills, factories, open COS
mines. They must apply their educatloi
Ii conquer the forces Of nature. Edmca
ton within itself is nothing except as
= used iii way 10 make tie world bet
ter and more useful; unless II Is used u
way to produce something. An edu
Gated man standing on the streets Will
his hands IN his pockets y 81 no NOR
value to the world than M Ignorant mai
doing the same thing
In the present condition Of our race
our educution for the next fifty or
hundred years should he especially u
rcctcl along industrial and scientiii
lines. The trouble with large propoi
ton OF tie negro race Is that Il u hungr
and Il Is impossible for any race to MAX
satisfactory progress along chucauuna
moral and religious lines whoa IN th
condition, in other words, II Is a haf
TO make a good Christian out Of a hung
man.
/ have heard Il over and over tina II
negro Knows how 70 work and docs III
need trimming In industrial cducatioi
There was never greater mistake. u
me illustrate: Sometime ago while ira
cling through the state of Indiana ] $,
man engaged in planting corn. lnste'
III walking lie was seated upon q lafl
machine which he termed cultivate
Hitrhed to this were two fine horst
The inan was only sitting down, but v
holding large umbrella over him, Al
al the strength he had 10 cxpcnd wis
holding the horses back 10 prevent ths
working themselves 10 death. III
machine piowed up the ground, laid
the burrows, dropped the corn aud CO
cred ii. Besides. instead Of planting o
row al i time, two rows " corn vs.
planted Another time while tfaNeil
through Alabama ! saw . niau plant
corn. Instead Of his using the culti'
tor, saw an old pillow that WIS looss
patched together aud about four incl
wide. Hitelicd 70 this plow was ati
mule.that Mas going 70 the rate oi aDs
two miles 80 houf. Instead Of the q
riding along on the culliyalor, this fell
was follow NIX the pillow, bafciooied, 6
rying with him d long pole, which
occasionally laid on the back ol
wcary-loeking mule. Nearly every II
he reached the end Of a iurrow he wo
have 10 stop and repair the pillow,
,rry often tic harness, which was &
posed partly 81 rags aud partly Of lcasl
Ia addition 20 blowing the ground,
had 10 10 over Il again with tic 81
old mule and lay of The rows, and y
another man came along dropping
coin and another followed 70 cover II.