The colored American., 1900-01-13


profitable and underpin the entire so
ciaI fabric. Booker washington saw
that our weakness lay in our lack OF
industrial teaIning, and that the menace
to our liberties resided III the encreas
ing hostility between the white mar
and his black neighbor on account CT
an ili-balanced political system Ii
find remedy became the mission Of
of his life.
In this spirit the Tuskegee IndustrIa
Institute was founded In 1881. Il start
I'd out In shanty, With one teacher
and thirty students. Less than twenty
years of sturdy agitation, unflagging
Zeal, and rigid adherence to original
principles, finds Booker L. Washing
toms propaganda more than vindlcaU'
ed is enthusiastically Endorsed. The
IusKegee Institute of today Is a minla'
ture city It has nearly 1900 students,
altered from % states aud territories,
and England, Porto Rico, Cuba, Jamsl'
ca and Africa. 1t owns 2267 acres OF
land, 800 head of live stuck, 50 vehicles,
46 buildings, the plant being valued at
fully $3.50, 900. Together with this, and
the proceeOs resulting from the great
endowment fund OF $500, 900 snow be
Ing rapidly subscribed, iuskegee's
properly valuation and equipment will
shortly be quoted at more than
of a million dollars. Ii 1s the jolnt
work OF Negroes and humanItarians of
Jne Caucasian race. Thus mas Booker
L. Washington realized the ambition
Of his youth. Thus has he faithfully
served his struggling people. Thus has
he cemeLted the needed DOnd of sym
pathy between the blacks and whites
ON the strong plea that tnat the inter.
est Of each was bound up IN
the other. The boy who thirty
years ago walked out of the
little West Virginls town to make
mis- way in the great world, has not
lived in vain. Nothing was more fit
ting, nor yet more pathetic i'll sentl-
men, nor dramatic 10 effect, than the
royal reception tendered M Washing
ton last fail upon his return from Eu
rope, participated in by lne dlgnltaries
OF the State, from the Governor down.
A happy home coming! A glorious
climax of thirty years of trial and tri-
umph.
Booker T. Was hington's work is not
finished, but the principles of mdustri-
allsm so firmly imbedded In the lnteili-
gence and affection OF the nation that
the storms of prejudice ana shafts of
Criticism are Without power to injure. |
Iuskegee long ago passed the expert
stage. 1t is an enduring mOnu |
ment to the industry, sagacity and high |
moral purpose Of it's eminent founder. |
Mr.. Washington has grown upon the |
American people by mingling With |
them. In turn he has excited amaze.
mcnt, Distraction, envy, hslr-belief, and
finally, as his ideals have gradually bGen
reached, unslinted commendatiOn Is
his portion. One of Mr.. Washington
most noticeable characteristics ls bis
patience. He never ceases to work and
never gives up in the face of difficulty,
however great or exasperating. Gentle
as woman In demeanor, he IS Ie.
onine in his contention for right prin-
clples. Cautious and deliberate in
forming opinions, he is fearless when
his heart and judgment are enlisted in
a cause He is never an apologist for
wrong doing, and while upholding the
good that Is in the South, he is relent
less in condemnation of the bad He is
.he champion of the worthy members
of his race, but refuses to array him
self in support oithe bad He has sym
pathy aud help to offer the vicious but
not the semblance Of indors ement. He z
g loyal to his friends and generous 10 !
lis enemies. While hurting thunder
oolts of eloquence against the faults of :
he Caucasian, he is not blind to the
oibles of the Negro, and seeks to eradi. /