The Monmouth inquirer., 1898-04-21
NEGRO FARMERS CONFER
Unique Gathering in the BLACK Belt
OF Alabama.


of Alabama.
20 Lord, put D'y foot down in our
hearts an lif' us up, was the startling
way in which the Rev. Mr.. Jeter OF
Cowles Station began the prayer that
opened the seventh annual Tuskegee
negro conference. 1t was a remarkable
Introduction to remarkable prayer,
delivered upon a remarkable occasion,
and listened to with attention by 2,OOo
farmers and with astonishment by zO9
visitors from the North and the West,
who had never seen any such gathering
before nor listened to any such prayer.
But the Rev. Mr. Jeter was dead IN
earnest. and he was understood by all
the farmers.
Nowhere else in the country can p
900 such farmers be seen as attended
the Tuskegee negro conference. They
were the pick Of their race from almost
ali the black counties of Alabama. with
small delegations from South Carolina,
Georgia, Florida. Mississippi, and Tex
as. The delegations from States other
than Alabama indicate that the confer.
ence idea is gradually spreading and
will eventually cover all the Southern
States. Indeed the promoter OF the
conference. Booker I. Washington, IS
shaping the work to that end.
There were present educators of At
ro-American youth from all over the
Southern States. veterans in the educa-
tional work who came into the south
ern field when they were young and the
york was entirely unorganlzed and tney
aad to confront hostile white public
opInion everywhere: now they are gray
haired and have little hostile public
opinion to contend with, while the
work has grown to gigantic proportions
and requires millions of dollars annual
lv from the philanthropists Of the ma
tion to maintain it. There educators
had 2 workers conference the day after
the farmers conference.
After the Rev. Mr.. Jeter of CoWles
Station had finished his extraordinary
PRAYER. Booker T. Washington, who IS
the soul of breyity and directness In
sueech and thoroughly understands
these farmers of his race and controls
and leads them as he wills, made an
address. which will give the readers
a good idea of what this clear-headed
and strong hearted leader OF the AFRO
American race hopes to accomplish IN
these annual conferences and the local
conferences witch are rapidly growing
out of them. Mr. Washington said:
II want every one of you to come
here with the idea of getting something
to make him better on than when ne
came here Only few OF those we
want to help are here. but II each one
comes with the determination to make
himself stronger and to go nome ana
help others, he will do great good III
we come simply to have a good time
we shall fail We want you TO get tne
spirit of these meetings. Don't 1eei
that YOU have accomplished nothing II
Won do not have an opportunity to
sneak here. Get hold of two or three
central ideas.
"First-We want a general move
ment among our people to get land.
Last year a man said he had only SIX
feet of land and would have to die to
get that. / wonder if he has got that
land vet. "a voice, No, he amt got Il
Wit: he is right here yit-' Prolonged
llproar and laughter.) We are often
too ambitious and try to get too mucn
land If we can't get several hundred
acres. often we will not get any, Get
little and pay for it. Get home and
stop moving from place to place. You
do not live anywhere: many OF you
simply stay The women are gettlng
tired of being dragged about. "a voice
Yes, we is an we's gwine ter stop it,
I heard Of family that moved so Of
ten that every New Years the chickens
came to the door and crossed their legs
to be tied. Land is cheap in Alabama.
Aud there is Government land that we
can get for nothing.
Second-Get the idea that you can
have a decent home. Don't marry sim
ply to get another plough hand Stop
living in cabins with no doors or win
dows and with the chiTneyg all tuIn-
bled down. Don't live, sleep, eat and
die all in one room. Many OF you go to
town on Saturday and do a lot OF big
talk and then go home and blame your
wives because things are not as they
ought to be. You are not doing your
duty by your family. Your sons and
daughters go away from home because
you have no decent place for item to
live iii. Make home attractive and they
will not leave you.
'.Third-Raise something to eat.
You go to town every Saturday with
your wagon empty and come back with
it full. Garry your wagon full to town
and come back with something IN your
pocketbook. Some of you are farmers
and even buy watermelons and kind
ling wood in town. Raise your meat.
Raise your corn. vegetables and fruit
and you will have something ID eat.
The merchant will be glad to. see you
when you come to him with money IN
your pocket with which to buy, not
ruear. but things to make your families
coElfoi table.
Fourth-Improve your schoolhouses-
Put in blackboards. seats. and good
teacher Have the teacher stay with
you. not move from place to place.
Lengthen your school term. You must
learn to make sacrifices. These confer
i - Il. 49,.