Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-16
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THE FUTURE OF THE NEGRO.

himself and Is now one Of the quietest
boys IN the school
THE FUTURE of THE NEGRO.
"How about your work In the South
Mr.. Washington. Can you see any
material change In the condition Of the
negro as a result OF it?'
There Is a considerable change In
Alabama" was the reply. I'VE can see
the change In the character Of the APP
plicants for admission 10 the school
At first many Of those who sent their
children were anxious 10 have them
taught books, and expressly said
that they did not want them 20 be
taught to work. They had the Idea that
they should be educated only for medi-
cine, the law or the ministry. This Is
all changed The students now enter
with the idea Of learning to work, and
the boy would lose caste who refused
to work. We have already educated
about three thousand students. and
these are now scattered all over the
South"
How about the negroes generality
Are they growing better?"
II think so, said Mr.. Washington,
advancement Is along the line OF indus.
trial and personal success and not
wholly along the lines of political work
ing. They see that their future de-
pends upon themselves. The are striv-
ing TO better their conditions, and many
OF them are doing 30. | believe this
race problem will work itself out Just
in proportion as the black man, by rea-
% ply oh -
actcr. can show himself the equal OF
the white man, or can produce what
the white man wants. As our people ac-
cumulate property, you will find that
they will be respected. The negro who
has $4,000 TO lend viii not want for
friends and customers among his white
neiehbors. The black man that spends
$4,000 a year In freight charges can
secure frst-clas accommodations in a
railroad car, or the company will put
on a Pullman palace car for him. IT
Is the same with other things when our
people have elevated themselves along
Industrial lines and educational lines
they viii have improved the best.
Southern white people do not want TO
keep the negro down.
1T will be the same In all fields.
continued Booker T. Washington,
when the black man, by reason OF his
knowledge Of chemistry Of the soil and
improved methods of agriculture. can
produce forty bushels OF corn on an
acre OF land while HIS white brother
produces only twenty bushels, the white
will come 20 the black man to learn,
and they will be good friends. An in
stance Of this kind recently happened
in Alabama not far from me A black
man know produced a crop Of 26l
bushels OF sweet potatoes from single
acre OF land. This was twice as much
as any man In that community had pro-
duced, and every one Of the dozen white
men who came TO see how II was done
was ready to take off his hat to that
black man.
Il don't think the people Of the north
quite appreciate the situation OF the
colored man in the south in such re-
spects The whites there are perfect
" willing TO do business with the
blacks. They win patronize colored
grocer Just as quickly as they Will a
white grocer. Tho man who has the
best store and keeps the best goods gets
the trade. II is the same with the COLI
ored mechanic and with the colored
business man."