The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-12-23

TREAT IN EVERY RESPECT.
The comparatively small audience as
semhled in the Opera House last night,
heard one Of the best lectures ever de-
lIvered in this city. The speaker,
Booker T. Washington, principal OF the
Tuskegee, Ala, Normal and Industrial
Institute, might be termed the Moses of
his race, so much has his theory of in
dustrial education tended toward the
progress of the colored race. His theme
was "The Negro Problem in the South"
and his lecture was treat to the white
people in the audience, as 1t undoubted-
ly was to the eolored people.
Mr., WashlngtoR}s rise to national
prominence was almist sudden, yet de-
served, His efforts have been appre-
cIated by all familiar with the race
problem, and Harvard University has
conferred on him the degree Of Master
OF Arts He is not certain whether he
is thirty-seven or thirty-elght years
old, having been born III slavery when
no account was made OF the exact date
of his birth, He was reared in West
Virginia, and worked In 4 coal mine in
Kanawha county until about sixteen
years ago,
He was the guest OF Rev, Il. II.
Bunny during his short stay here,
Seated on the stage last night We're
Bishop w, r. Wilson, of Cleveland. Rev.
Mr.. Jones, OF Martins Ferry, and Prin-
clpal j. McHenry Jones Of Lincoln
school The latter presided, and intro
dueed Mr., Washington In Il few happy
remarks.
lie entered Into his subject without
delay, After a happy reference to the
pleasure it gave him to be In West Vir-
glnla after a number of years, he began
discussion OF the race problem" He
said that much was heard Of that prob
lem, When shlpload Of 200 negroes
left Savannah for Liberia, the cry went
forth that Il solution was at hand An
other solution offered WIS the donation
OF large tract Of land in the west by
the government, set aside exclusively
for the black man. But" said the
speaker there would have to be built
wall around that territory to keep the
black man in, and n higher one TO keep
the white man out"
ThOre is no way but Gods way said
he, TO settle the question, y All the coll
orcd man wants is TO be treated as
Christian gentleman; no more, no less.
II was argued that the white race would
soon ass!milate the c0lored This
couldn't be true, the speaker added, be-
cause 1t takes 100 per cent, of white
blood TO be a white man, while II there
Is one ner cent. OF negro blood In man,
he must be known as a negro. Thus,
you see" he humorously remarked, I'VE
are more generous than our white
brothers; we don't require so much"
Then he briefly sketchcl his career,
from child born on n Virginia plapta-
ton. to his removal with his mother TO
Maiden, Kanawha county, West Viz
Einia, where he first secured work In Il
coal mine Afterward he was educated
at the Hampton Institute Hampton,
Va. He left this institution and worked
his way on vessel bound south, and
landed in Alabama with only fifty cents
In his pocket He became connected
with the Tuskegee industrial school,
and his time since has been spent try
ing to get his race to improve by prac-
teal methods. In our methods to Gle
vac the race" he said, we must get
doy . to common sense and brush aside
all lrtiflcialties."
In support Of this statement Mr.,
Washington took occasion to score the
vain ambitions OF some OF his race to
be doctors and professional men, when
efforts in this line We're III advised, GER
tain facts being considered. Nature
should be followed 10 keep abreast OF
the times. The theory OF education
should be the application OF mind to
matter. All the education the pocket
book could stand should be aimed at.
He didn't believe In less education for
his people. but he believed in more Of
II on certain lines. They should study
only what they could use. 1t Is not o
problem any more that the black man
cant receive mental discipline. The
problem Is what to do with that knowl-
edge poured into the cnlorcd youths
head. The speakers story about the
young colorcd graduates return to his
fathers cornheld, and his inability to
do anything but loaf around and spend
the old mans money, provoked laugh
Ter.
He spoke along this line for some
time. pouring hot shot into those VINO
strive TO get education merely. An ed
ucated mar who didn't do anything
was lnore costly to society and better In
no respect than an ignorant man, who
stands on the corners with his hands IN
his pockets, he argued. Some Of the
speakers sallleS were extremely anus
ing. Speaking OF the popular walls
about the starving Armenlans' starH-
ing Russians, etc, he said there was
never anything heard Of the starving
colored man. The latter always secs TO
II that he doesn't starYc. Another re-
mark that created laughter was the
speakers remark that he felt lonesome
in the north, because mules were COM
patatiyely scarce In the north; and
somehow, said he, 1t seems natural to
associate the negro with the mule. He
once received n reply from young man
as to how many there were IN the lat
ter's family: OARS four oh us; three
OBJ us nm n mule"
What the black man needs is SKIN,
coupled with brains, to compete Win
the white man In manufacturing. The
black man In the Carolina rice swnmps,
IN the Alabama cotton fields. or In the
Louisiana sugar bottoms, tolls on from
day TO day. The product OF MS hand
Is left at the factories, but when ne
attempts TO enter the factory the door
rs slammed In his face. 10 teach the
youth OF his race trades was his object
IN life, and for this purpose was cro-
atcd aud is maintained the TupkcFoc
Industrial school Tho negro is the la
borcr Of the south, but the time has
come when he must dignity hls labor.
Tho negro must como 10 roo the dlg-
nifty Of labor. and the audience ohccrcd
the speaker when he sad' I'm not an
Old man. but have BCcn an old culorcd
woman bending over tho washtub, over
the heat Of n Kitchen stove, boiling
Hs.N az NFF