The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-05
G NJ CONFER.
n UNIQUE GATHERING IN THE
BLACK BELT OF ALBANIA.

startling way in which tho Rev. Mr.. Jcter OF
Cowlcs Station began the prayer that opened
the seventh annual Tuskogce negro conference
o week ago. II was n remarkable introduction
to n remarkable prayer. delivered upon q re-
markable occasion. and listened to with rapt
attention by 1000 farmers and with aston
ishment by 200 visitors from the North and tho
West, who had never seen ar, such gathering
before nor listened to any such prayer. But
the Rev. Mr.. Jeter was dead in earnest, and no
WAS understood by all the farmers.
Nowhere else in the country can 1000 such
farmers be seen as attended the Tuskegee ne.
gro conference. They were the pick Of their
race from almost oil the black counties Of Ala
bama, with small delegations from South
Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi. and
Texas. The delegations from States other than
Alabama indicate that the conference idea Is
gradually spreading and will eventually cover
all the Southern States. Indeed, the pro-
motcr Of the conference, Booker T. Washing
ton. is shaping the work to that end.
There were present educators of Afro.Ameri-
can youth from all over the Southern States,
black men and white men. young men and old
men, and women also. Some OF them were
veterans in the educational work who came
Into the Southern field when they were young
and the work was entirely unorganized and
'.' ""o =" " ho''Ao "N'' P
opinion e'erywhere' no" thev arc sray.haroo
and have little hostile public opinion to con-
tend with. while the work has grown to gigan-
tic proportions and requires millions of dollars
annually from the philanthropists OF the nation
to maintain 1t. These educators had a work.
ers' conference The day after the farmers con-
ference.
Aitor tne rev. MI. Jeter Oh Co"ies oIatiohnaa
hiisneu hhs eAtr@oruihary prayer nooA'i -
washington VINO 80 inc SOU q !. ore'i.9 IL VI
ieo'hess Ill speech anu 'horousniy UNDERSTANDS
luz iarmers U his race anu coh'roiS NV
ieaus tnenh as no "iiis' naue an aaureSs' mn,cn
VIII give inc reaoers OF IL Sun IL eoou iue"
VI wha1 TINS ciear-neaueo anu s'rone'hcar'ou
ioauer Oh inc Airo'A merican race hopes 70 ac-
complish In these annual conferences and the
local conferences which are rapidly growing
ort =, ,ho,, Ar. yyoshinn,on said.
Il want every one Of you to come here with
the idea of getting something to make him bet
tor oT tho, ynon ~. nauo bere On1v a foy ~,
those we want to help are here, but If each one
comes with the determination to make himself
stronger and to go home and help others, he
will do great good. II we como simply TO have
a good time we shall fail, We want YOU to get
81 81. .----- ~. o., IL.
the spirit Oh these meetings.. Ion ieel thae
you have accomplished nothing IL you do not
ns 80 ~ "na aans speaA N''
OF Two or three central Ideas.
"First-Wo want n general movement among
our people to get land. Last wear n man said
- - ~, g.. -. -
ne hau only BIZ ieeI OF iano ana "ouiu ha'c,o
land vet. IA voice. No. he amt got it Wit; he
20 ri,Lt horo IT,, proIonao, rnroar and Iou,h,
!S risnI mere III: froiohgeu uproar ana iausn-
teri We are often too ambitious and try to get
too much land. If we can't get several HIM.
drod acrcs oftc, g viii No, oot 49, cnt
little and pay for it. Get a home and stop NOV
ing from place to place. You do not live any
where; many OF you simply stay. The women
are getting tired of being dragged about. "A
voice. Yes, we is. an wc's gwine Ter sion IT.
1 heard OF ianiiy that moved so OFTEN that
every New Years the chickens came to the door
in Alabama. And there is Government land
that we can get for nothing. "'N
:Second-Get the idea that YOU can hive n
other plough hand. stop living in cabins with
no doors or windows and with The chinncvs ali
tumbIcd down. Don't live. slecp. eat and die
ali in one room. Many of YOU 70 to town own on
Saturday and do a lot of big talk and then 20
home and blame your wives because things are
your duty by your family. Your sons and
daughters go away from home because Won
home attractive and they will not leave YOU.
..Third-Rnisc something 10 cat. Won 90 IN
town every Saturday With your wagon empty
full TO town and come back with sSn,ethinp in
YOUR pockctbook. Some of Won arc farmers
and even buy watermeions and kindlinp wood
in town. Raise Your meat. Raise Your corn,
Vegetables and fruit and You viii have some,
thing 10 eat. The merchant will be Glad IN see
ron whom Won come tn him with money in ynur
nocket with which to buy, not meat but t6iinps
10 mako your families comforiable.
omrtbNIm your schooihouscs Put.
In h~Iackhoards seats. and n GOOD ,o,cber
Have the teacher STAY with YOU. moi move from
place to place. Lengthen your school term.
You must learn to make sacrifices. These on.
fcpcnnesare Intended to clear The wov for hiobnr
things and we are going To keen nj II until Won
ali pet Land
Tho foilowinr declarations were submitted
as n basis of Discussion. and finally ndonted o Is
the sentiment of the conference: 90
Il. Wherever our people have been reached by
outside influences We believe there ia constant
in acomiring education. buiIdins scbooilo.
houses. extending the school term. deyeloninp
character. Improving and nurifvinss
ministry, securing land, diversifying crops'
raising fruit and poultry. rcplaciny the one.
room cabin. ceasips to mortgage crons' Getting
ont nf debt and living more e~conomtcaf1 In
swing This we would NOT be mis,inderstoo5
hut Emphasize the fact that wherever the rank
fIe of our people have not been touchcd
nv some outside influence. their condition "a 70
nToncrty education. and morality il most nm,
~ W rhN h'oi",T " ,"ool uh-