The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-12-09
mystical romance. The story is founded upon
the highest sources. Boston 81 Little, Brown

He is easily the foremost and a.blest man of
f:olor living He lisa brai1y, scholarly man,
practical in all Of bis methods. He is a
natural organizer, who, amid such discourage
ments as would have enervated most men, yet
has persevered until he has built up an In
stitution which has been q blessing to his race
and more, by his able public addresses. he has
nodded public sentiment, wide reaching In
Its good effect. He has SO d6meaned him
self and so shaped his course as to merit and
receive the thanks Of his own people and the
applause of thoughtful white citizens. Am
bilious politicians and sensationalists among
the col0red population have assailed him; but
be stands unmoved. What Mr.. Washington
has to say about Reconstruction" will fail
to please many, but who can doubt the sound,
good sense of these words?
From 1866 10 1876 constituted what perhaps
may be termed the days IT reconstruction.
This was the period when the Southern states
which had withdrawn from the Union were
making an effort to reinstate themselves and
to establish permanent system of state gov
ernment AT the close OF the war, both the
Southern white man and the negro found
themselves in the midst of poverty. The sex-
master returned from the war to find his
slave property gone, his farms and other in
dustr:es in a state Of collapse, and the whole
industrial o. economic system upon which
he had depended for years entirely disorgan-
ized. As<w review calmly and disposition
ately the period of reconstruction, we must
use a. great deal of sympathy and generosity.
The weak point, to my mind, In the recon
struction era was that no strong force WAS
the negro to become an intelligent, reliable
citizen and voter. The main effort seems to
tave been in the direction of controlling his
vote for the time being, regardless of future
interests. hardly believe that any race of
people with similar preparation and similar
surroundings would have acted more wisely
mr. ~ fr0y, \ 4 Eay
acted during the period Of reconstruction
Without experience. without preparation,
and In most cases without ordinary inteIIi-
gence, he was encouraged to leave the field
and shop and enter politics. That under such
circumstances he should have made mis-
takes is very natural do not believe that
the negro was so much a. fault for entering
so largely into politics, and for the mistakes
that were made In too many cases, as were the
interruptions white leaders who got the
ne gro's confidence and secured their support.
In a word, too much stress was placed Upon
che mere matter of voting and holding polit
ical office rather than upon the preparation
for the highest citizenship. In saying that
have, do not mean to convey the impression
that the whole: period of reconstruction was
barren Of fruitful results. While 1T is not a
very encouraging chapter In the history of
our country, believe that this period did
serve to point out many weak points In our
effort, to elevate.the negro, and that we are
now taking advantage Of the mistakes that
were made. The period Of reconstruction
served at least to show the world that with
proper preparation and with sufficient four-
of which men Of the highest character and
usefulness can I've developed" : d..
Speaking of ta,sr IDEAS of education, Mr.
Washington says: sJ
"One Of the weakest points In connection
with the present development Of the race Is
~ 49, / ANN
of the head with a knowledge Of mathematics,
the sciences, and literature, means success In
life. Let 1t be understood, in every. corner Of
the South, among the negro youth at least,
that knowledge will benefit little except as it
is harnessed, and except as its poweris point
ed in direction that will bear upon the pres
emit needs and condition OF the race"
He calls for larger industrial training. that
Will fit the colored race to enter upon the
trades. He says that politics has little OF
nothing in it for the colored man. while tn.
honest acquisition Of practical education and
home have much. His maxim is, Educate
and apply education to material and practical
uses. In fine, he studies the negro question
from every standpoint His book will be
belpful to both races Small & Maynard
company, Bostun.)
*@Father Goose; His Book''-By L. Frank
Baum. Mr.. Baum was Hecoctous boy, but.
IN age. When 10 years old he became editor,
typesetter, and pressman of the Rose Lawn
Home Journal, near Syracuse, N: Y. When
IA he Joined Governor Alvord's son, and they
launched the Empire. Four years later we
find him reporter on a New York city paper.
branched of into play writing several Of hi.
dramas proving successful. He then moved
West to- grow up with the country" and he
bought the Pioneer Of Aberdeen, S. D. But
he loved change and we find him soon in
Chicago and the editor Of the Show Window.
But his real forte seems to be Juvenile STORY
writing: His Father Goose: His Book has
proved great hit and seems likely to coin for
BIN more money than any of his previous lit
erary products. It Is artistteany Illustrated.
BY William w. Denslow, who is aurly as
much Of a character as Mr.. Baum The book
will not fail to pc prime favorite with the
little folk Chicago: George NJ. Hill & Cor
The Armstrong Publishing company, DIS
Moines, Iowa. send out neatly printed
brochure of poems by Miss Lillian G. Cobleigh
Of Evanston, I'LL. They are poems Of the heart
and home, which find their Inspiration in real
life. Lifting the Mortgage and tDorls
and Her Wheel" are excellent. The writer
compares Doris with maid of the olden
time. 49,
The maidens OF the olden time were. dilgent at
f spinning: e.. . ~ ! - : :
Ard gracefully they turned the vince, with speech
demure and winning. = :.
And when some courty sutton came, they wound
the skein together; - =
While hearts were SHARED in skillful mesh that
death alone could sever.
The maiden of cur modern time Is also fond Of
spinning, =. =
But she no snowy liner weaves- that day has had
its inning. III - - -.
Yet she's devoted to her wheel her face is flushed.
When with some swain she takes a spin, a.,e