The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-13
WILL SETTLE 1T RIGHT HERE.
BOOKER WASHINGTON ON THE Ne
GRO AND HIS PROBLEMS.

Not Want Him to Leave-Industry
the keynote TO success and Indus
trial Education 10 Play n Great
Part in the Uplifting of the Negro.
Prof. Washington Talks Freely
and Kindly TO CoIOred Audiences,
and Points out the FOIIies Which
Retard the Progress of the Race.
Booker T Washington, the head Of the
/ famous negro industrial school at Tuske-
/ gee. Ala. and VINO is known far and wide
/ for The great impetus he has given to in
! dustr.aI education among the negroes of
/ this country, with his wife, spent yester-
day in Savannah.
/ Prot Washington is regarded by many
as the ablest member of his race, ard the
movement which he has inaugurated for
their uplifting promises to establish his
reputation as such. His wife. who accom-
panies him, is also a highly educated wo-
man and an able assistant of her husband
in the work which he has undertaken.
Prof Washington and wife have been en-
gagged by the trustees of the Slater fund
to visit a number of the principal centers
Of population of the South for the pur-
pose of addressing their people, and
making known to them their ideas for
the Improvement and development Of the
race Both Prof. and Mrs. Washington
made several addresses yesterday at the
colored churches to large audiences of col
ored people there being a few white in
attendance a so.
At the Second African Baptist Church
on Greene Square last night, Prof. Wash
ngton addressed a very large audience
! for fully an hour His address was
marked by its sound common sense and
plain speaking. mingled with much good
humor and holding out much encourage
ment to the race. Washington is man
of medium build, with light complexion
and slightly Ethiopian features His face
is square. the jaw being very square and
firm, and the lines strongly marked, de-
noting ability, determination and self
| control. He speaks in an even well mod
ulated voice, and easily commands at
tention. The few white persons who were
| present last night, strongly indorsed
! every word uttered. and the audience fire.
quently manifested its pleasure and sp-
prevail.
! In Introducing the speaker, Rev. J. J.
Durham, the pastor, said:
1T is my very pleasant. but rather en-
| barrassing, duty to introduce to you at
this hour a man who needs no intro
! duction to any audience on the American
continent Wherever the swift-winged
| press has found its way. and men read
and hear and think, there the name of
Booker T. Washington is known, respect
| ed and honored The most humble dweller
in the log cabin. the most learned in our
schools and colleges, and the most ex-
allied officials of this great country have
united in doing him honor.
Broad and catholic in thought and SEN
timent, devoted to the moral, industrial
and educational interests of his people,
honored and respected by all classes and
| races, he stands the most prominent,
| honored and foremost member of his race
in the eyes of this great nation to-day.
He stands to-day the great representa-
tive-the apostle of the industrial idea in
education. So interviewer and identified
is he with industrial education that any
discussion of that subject with Booker T.
Washington left out, is like discussing
the national platform of the Democratic
party with 16 to left out. I is there
fore my very pleasant duty and privilege
10 present TO you at this moment one of
the most splendid demonstrations of the
capabilities and possibilities of the negro
race, Prof Booker T. Washington. the
founder and president of the great Tus-
kegee Normal and Industrial Institute.
Prof Washington began bv saving that
he wished to hold a conversation with his
aud!enc concerning the interests of the
race. He did not believe that the black
man is going backward but that the CON
trary is the case. 1t is true, he said, there
are difficulties and obstacles to b. over
come, but with strength and confidence
success is assured-not otherwise. He il
lustrated this idea of overcoming
obstacles and difficulties by a
story of two frogs who had the misfor-
tune to fan into jar of milk one night.
One frog soon grew dependent and gave
up the struggle, The other frog being
of a more determined disposition, decided
to keep on kicking if he could do nothing
more. The result was that after kicking
nearly all night he chulned the milk into
butter and was able to hop out on dry
land. This was the course for the negro
to pursue he declared. No matter how
discouraging The outlook may appear. he
must continue the struggle and results
will be bound TO come.
Prof. Washington discussed briefly the
several solutions of the negro problem
Liberia, colonization in a separate state,
amalgamation and others, dismissing them
all as not only lmpraCtlcdDle nut 1mpOSSi-
Bile. "A cargo of 600 negroes was shipped
from Savannah TO Liberia a few years
ago, he said. and that same morning be-
fore breakfast over 600 negro babies had
been born in the black districts Of Ala
bama and Mississippi" As for colonial
ton in this country with a separate state
a wall would have to be built around the
state 100 feet high 10 keep the negro
l in and another twice as high 10 keep the
white man out. Amalgamation won't do
for TIE reason that l per cent of negro
blood makes man a negro while 100 per
cent of good white blood is required to
make an Anglo-Saxon. The negro race
would outgrow the white at that rate, he
| declared.
None of these solutions will do" the
speaker declared. THE problem will be
settled right here in America just as It is
Icing settled to-day by the law-abldnc
and God-fear!n9 men and women of both
races and the successful solution of the
question depends in large measure upon
the negro himself"
The black man." said Prof. Washing
ton, has special right to be here His
is the only race now living here which
came here because of a special, pressing
and urgent invitation. Men of other races
came here because they were not want
ed where they were, or because they want
ed to get away from there. The black
| man had no such motive. He was well
satisfied where he was. White men had
some difficulties in getting here, and
even to-day the Irishman and the Ger