Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-18
LECTURE oN 'TNDUsTRIAL FORCE"
Prof. Washington Addresses
Large CoIored Audience.

handled it nuently and very entertain
ingly.
r.. Y. Hnl president Of the col0rcd
Young Mems Christian Association
under the auspices Of which the meeting
was held. presided and after some APP
propriate music the lecturer was intro
duced by Rev. ". Il. Graham. Professor
Washington began by saying that the
negro race I'm the Socth was divided into
two classcs-one which believed that Il
could never redeem itself and the other,
which believed that struggle and effort
would enable it 10 overcome every seem
ing obstacle. He spoke Of the mistakes
the colored race had made and OF the
conventions held seeking redress for its
grievances.
Getting into his argument, Professor
Washington said:
I'm much that we have attempted
fear that We have failed 10 get down TO
first principles, 10 reach bedrock on
which 10 lay a foundation. We have
spent much time in discussing the ma
t.onal debt that might have better been
spent in finding a way 20 pay the debt due
the man just across the street. We have
spent time In discussing the value OF the
nations keeping on friendly terms with
France and the Sandwich Islands, ana
have failed too often TO cultivate in every
manly way friendly relations with our
LeXt-doOr neighbOr. even though he Is q
southern white man. We have spent time
and energy ia trying 10 80 20 Congress
and the Legislature that would have bet
ter been spent in becoming the leading
truck gardener or merchant, or IN start
ing a steam laundry or dairy farm"
MUST GO INTO ENTERPRISES.
People tell me that the young colored
man is cramped. and after he gets ms
education there are few chances for MIN
10 use il. i have little patience with
such argument. Heretofore, We have had
too much of the idea that an educated
c0lOred man must either teach. preach
be clerk, or follow a profession. Our
educated men, more and more, must 90
10 the farms. into the trades, start brick
yards saw-mil.s. factories, open coal
mines They must apply their education
10 conquer the forces of nature. bduca-
ton within itself Is nothing except as IL
is used in j. way 10 produce something
an educated man standing on the streets
with mis- hands in his pockets is OF no
more value TO the world than an lsno-
rant man doing the same thing
I'm the present condition Of our race
o,,r education fer the next fifty or num-
dred years should be especially dHecleh
along Industrial and scientific lines. Inc
trouble with a large proportion OF lhe
nero race is that 1t is hungry. and IL
IS impossible lor any race TO make salls-
factory progress along educational
moral and religious lines when IN this
oordftion-in other words, IL is a nara
roltfar 10 make good Christian out OF a
hungry man.
{ Al \
Tho sneaker argued at great length the
ir,perattve need of the negro for lnuus-
trial education. He gave one or Two
arst-class illustrations 10 back ms polH',
and proceeding. he said. Ihe plaih' mar u
fact OF the matter is, the SCUM is caAel
,,oa q, compete with the world, ana
when q sames down TO PAM h4iu Ou9'-
,,ess uroDo-yTIon, the businessman Is go
,,,e, 80 bnv ms corn from the man VINO
eciis a. cheapest. whether the corn be
,ro7,,oed I'm Indiana or Alabama, and just
"a long as the man I'm Indiana is able 10
do nc much work with his cultivator ana
one workman in one day as four men ana
d mule can do in three or four DAYS ~
Alabama just SO long VIII he continue
fo buv corn OF the Indiana producer.
eve must bring oar education down 10
the plain. practical. hard, everyday iacts'
AS "A race We are very emotional we
are inclined to spend more OF our tune
nr.oaring to live in Heaven than on
earth. we Ike 10 talk about living IN
The white mansions In the upper
world and at the same time live in
one-room log cabins here. we shouiu
never grow discouraged. In due time
every right now enjoyed BY every other
citizen Will toe ours.
IS TO SOCIAL EQUALITY.
"vrben il comes to social equality"
continued Professor Washington no one
Inn a, Ul-lnformed person gives himself
,,,,,cb CONCERN regarding that 1t viii be
with us as with all other people. The
matter Of social recognition viii take
care OF itself No power can force
man TO recognize another as MS sociai
equal unless both agree. You VIII ma
that friction between the two races VIII
PASS away just In proportion as the biacN
man prOcures something that the white
man wants or respects. our present
trouble IS. we are empty handed, and no.
ho4v spends great deal or Tune
with an empty-handed and hungry man.
Ana when YOU come TO analyze the ques-
tior YOU will find that one white man
docs not care a great deal for another
white man. except as the one has some
thing that the other wants; he either mas
rronertv culture. or influence something
every time that the other wants. and
that brings the two together and makes
then friendly In their business. social. ana
POLITICAL relations, and the same Is true
ne regards races and nations.
I'm proportion 20 Is opportunity the
race has done Well concluded the speak
or ."rhat 10 may DO better There
must be a more vital and practical con-
recfion between the Negroes educated
brains and his means Of earning his daily
bread.
al the Tuskegoe Institute we are not
savine that the education In the classics
~ ministers. lawyers. and doctors Is not
,.cessary and important, but We are say
t,g with every atom Of our being, that,
enc. % per cent. Of the black race de-
nends al present on the common occu-
rations. and that since s. per cent de-
ncnas on agriculture for living. II Is
- the utmost Importance that We supply
tben as fast as possible with educated
leaders with tho highest training In agri-
culture. dairying. horticulture, and the
MECHANICAL arts With US, as a race.
MS a a question OF growth or decay
life or death
Mr. Richardson. OF Providence Forge.
Va gave a most delightful entertainment
A. lis home last night In celebration OF
Inc 2ist birthday OF his daughter. MISS