Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-19
THE PRESIDENT.
CONTINUED from page ~

| ed with him in the good work done here
for the exaltation OF your race. con-
graduate all OF you On the splendid
advance made by you in the last third
OF century. You are all entitled to
all praise and to high commentator
which l am sure you receive from your
white fellow citizens In this and every
| part OF the country.
| II congratulate you upon your ac
quirement OF property. Many or your
race have large properties on the tax
lists In the several states and in thai;
way contribute 10 the support OF the
| government. / congratulate you on
what you have done in learning and
the requirement of useful knowledge
on the fact that there Is not a foot Of
ground beneath the flag OF Stars and
Stripes where every boy and girl, white
or black, cannot have an edlcat ton to
| fit them for the battle Of life.
Keep on Is the word / would leave
with you, today. Keep on in the eff
| forts upward, but remember that In ac-
quiring knowledge. there is one thing
as important as that and that is char
acter. Nothing in the whole wide
world is worth 50 much will last SO
long and serve its possessor 50 well a >
good character. 1t Is something that
no one can take from you, that no one
can give to you. You must acquire 1t
for yourselves.
There Is another thing, do not for
get the home. The home is the foun-
datic1 of good individual life and OF
good government. Cultivate gool
homes. make them pure ana sweet, ele-
yate them and other good things will
follow. / congratulate you that this
institution rs not only looking after
the head but after the hand. / con-
graduate you that 1t is mot only max
ing good orators, but good mechanics.
1t is better TO he a skilled mechanic
than a poor orator or an Indifferent
preacher Great applause). In i
word you must want to be best II
whatever you undertake. Nothing Ia
the world commands more respect tina.
skill and industry. Every avenue Is
open 10 It. / congratulate you on tn
splendid valor of your race.
My friend. the president, has made
an allusion In his speech to what many
years ago. l said in public address
told of white colonel who delivered
the flag OF our country to his black coll
or sergeant and said TO him: Ser
geant. place in your hands this sacred
nag. Fight for it. yes. die for it. but
never surrender it to the hands of al
enemy Tha, black soldier with love
OF country and pride in his heart an
swered: / will bring the flag back, IN
honor. colonel, or report to God the
reason why
In one battle in carrying the flag Of
freedom. he was stricken down. He
fell With the folds of that flag wrapped
about him, bathed in his blood. He did
not bring 1t back. but God knew the
reason why. He did all he could, all
any man could. He gave his hearts
blood for that flag. At San Juan Hill
and at Ell Caney-but Gen. Wheeler IS
here. Great applause). / know h
can tell you better than i can of thu
splendid heroism of the black regiment
which fought side by side with the
white troops en- that historic field.
Mr.. Lincoln was not far from right. |
when. speaking of the black men, he |
said: The time will come when they |
will help to keep the Jewel of liberty IL |
the hands of the human race, and in q |
third of a century since you have |
helped to give liberty in Cuba TO az
oppressed people.
Il leave with you this one word. !
Keep cn-you will solve your own prob
lem. Be patient: be progressive; be |
honest; be God-fearing and you will !
win for no effort fails that has stout |
honest heart behind it,
At the conclusion of the Presidents |
speech America was sung by all pres |
ent which possibly more vigor and |
spirit than harmony.
Gen. Joe Wheeler was introduced as |
1.-The hero of Santiago" He was given |
an ovation which lasted for several |
minutes. He spoke briefly of the hope |
and glory of the country and of the eff |
forts which We're being made by both |
white and colored people to secure |
educations. After Gen. Wheeler's |
speech he was applauded for several |
minutes.
Secretary Gage also spoke. He said |
that he had not fully realized until |
this trip South that there was any |
such thing as a negro problem and that
is was of such widespread proportions.
What he had seen, however. had OPP |
ened his eyes. There was such a prob
lem and very serious one. However,
the information derived by him at
Tuskegee and at the school he was adj
dressing, had led him to believe that
through solution of the problem had
been found and that it lay in the IN
dustrial education of colored youth. on
plans that We're being worked out at
the institutions named.
Returning from the college, the Pres
idential party passed through the camp
of the Indiana regiment, which is to
embark for Cuba on the transport Min
newaska, tomorrow morning. The
President graciously wished the officers
and men God speed and a safe return.