The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-01-26
Some Thoughtful Words.

uGIG Is luuCu III Tue ISCUIQ VI I 10.
fesser Booker T. Washington that
justifes the prominence he has at
tanned and evidences claim to the
position that has been accorded him
as the leading man of his race today.
His work at the Tuskeegee institute
and in the general cause Of industrial
education for his race, and his efforts
to direct his peoples thoughts and
aspirations towards worthy achieve
ment in the domain of usefulness,
prove him a man of thoughts
as we'll as of action. A few days
since he made speech in Jackson
vile in which he uttered the follow
ing earnest sentiments:
"My friends of the white race: We
are one in this country The ques-
ton of the highest citizenship and
the complete education of all con.
Germs eight millions of my people
and sixty millions of yours. We rise
as you rise; when we fall you fail;
when we are strong, you are strong;
when we are weak, you are weak;
there is no power that can separate
our destiny. No member of your
race can harm the weakest or mean
est member of my race without the
proudest and bluest blood in your
civilization being degraded The
negro can afford to be wronged.
The white man cannot afford to
wrong him. Unjust laws or customs
injure the white man and inconveni
ence the negro. No race can wrong
another race simply because it has
the power, without being narrowed
aud dragged down i'll it's moral satus.
We are a patient, humble race.
There is plenty in this country for US
to do. Away up in the atmosphere
of goodness, forbearance, patience
and forgiveness. the workers are not
many or overcrowded If others
would be little, we can be great; if
others would be mean. we can be
good !; if others would push US down,
we can help push them up Charac-
ter, not circumstance, makes the
man."
These are thoughts that merit at
tention from white men as we'll as ne
groes. In the main what he Gays
will be conceded in by all right
thinking, patriotic, law abiding men
Some will agree with him altogether.
some will dissent from the view that
the dcstinies of the two races are in-
separable. In the opinion Of many
the negroes in this country are being
fitted by association with the whites
for self government in separate ma
ton, and that in the fuIlness of time
they will go to Africa to bring Up the
natives of that great continent to a
state Of civilization and free govern
ment, and Africa will be the land Of
the black man. If not Africa, then
it is believed that some southern
province or state vii! find the re
groes colonized together there, like
the Indians in the Indian territory.
and others believe the time will
come when the negro will share the
Indians fate, and be driven step by
step from the white mans territory.
That the negro race will ever be as.
Simulated by the white race, and that
through amalgama.Ion the two shall
become one people, few can believe
But all this is in the fnsure-far in
the future For the present the two
races are side by side reading the
riddle of life and working oat thei.
destinies Whether it shall be a
common destiny or whether their des
tinies shall be widely separated, the
lesson of the hour taught in the
thoughtful utterances of Professor
Washington is timely lesson, and
one that is worth pondering -Au
gusta Chronicle.