Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-11-12
PROF. DU B0Is ADDRESS.

PRcF. w. E. BuRGHARpr DUBOIS. Phi.
d delivered remarkable address at
the last commencement of Fisk Uni
versity. 1t before us in pamphlet
form. In perusing the pages. we find
much that deserves the att ntion of
the thoughtful and the study of those
racially inclined.
He said:
1.-The German works for Germany.
the X nglishman serves England, anu 1t
is the duty OF the Negro TO serve his
blood and lineage, and so working,
each for each, and all for each. we real
ize the goal of each for ALL"
And again:
THE concrete question is What part
can / best take in the striving of the
| eight million men and womes who are
bound TO me by q common sorrow and
a common hope, that through the
striving of the Negro people this land
of our fathers may live and thrive?"
lie sounded the keynote when he
said:
1.-The most useful and universal
| work, AMI the type of ali other work, is
that of the servant ans common labor
er. The ordinary, unskilled part of
this work / pass overt is useful, it is
honorable, bat you have been trained
for skilled work, and it is throwing
away the money of this institution il
It's oOii5so graduates are 10 beeome
Pullman porters. Even the higher
branches of house-service, as cooking
and nur sing, and the great field OF
skilled labor, are rather for different
training, and you will rightly leave
them to the skilled graduates of our
great industrial schools, with the sin.
Icere hope that so useful and promising
avenues will soon be filled by able ano
honest artisans"
And again:
"The first field that opens itself Il
Iyou is the calling of the farmer IdC
not mean the farm hand or the milk
maid, nor even the agricultural scient.
list. mean the man who, by rationa
methods and business sense, with 8
knowledge Of the world market, the
methods of transportation. and the
possibilities OF the soil, will make this
land of the South bloom and blossom
like Belgium and Holland, France anc
Germany who will transform the slip
shod, wasteiuI, happy go-lucky farm
ing OF the South into the scientific
business methods of New England anc
the West. There is little more reason fol
leaving farming to The people without
brains or culture than there would be
in thus abandoning the other greai
1 fields OF industry. Especially, how
ever, do the Negro people need the
lcountry conference.-the man OF al
and health and home and morals anC
to-day we have an unparalleled cnanc'
to supply such an aristocracy
: Throughout Tennessee and Georgi,
and Virginia, where the young peoplI
are hurrying &c the industries OF tn,
, cities. stand the fine old abandoned
farms and decaying mansions OF u gen
try that has passed. You are the one
3 to buy these farms at nominal price
. start g new agriculture, and balenct
for the sickly crowding of cities and {,
furnish the food and material which
these cities increasingly demand. ant
: thus help to solve some of the most in
tr: cate OF our social problems.
D He spoke truly when he remarked:
"rhose Negroes who urge the bligh
= of color prejudice rs q barrier to thei
2 entering mercantile pursuits, gait
I .forget that they have before them Al
undeveloped market OF eight million
souls, and that these millions spen,
I every year $3.50, OCo .O00 to $500, 600 90
7. and shat q part of this expenditure, a
least, could be made through Negr
merchants, If well trained, educated
: active men would only enter this & ID
j sld cultivate it. OF course the tran
ing OF slavery was most unfortunat
for business qualities There ii ge
among the freedmen's sons habits @
Z Ia ziness. of being perpetually FIVE min
o utes behind time, OF inastention to de