Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-22
STATE Of COUNTRY
Report to the Conference of A. NJ. E.
Zion Church.
CHANGES WROUGHT BY RECENT War
The Committee on Education Sub
mits an Exhibit.
THE CONCLUDING SESSION

| The session yesterday of the Zion Church
conference was presided over by Bishop G.
W. Clinton. This was the closing day Of
| the conference. and much important work
| was done. The committee on education
| made a report indorsing the work Of the
| several schools under the auspices OF the
| church. Considerable discussion arose over
| the establishment of a new school in Mo-
bile. Ala, which finally resulted in the
adoption of the venture and the giving of
financial aid for its support.
At last nights session the report on the
state of the country was made the order
\ of the evening. large audience was pres
| ent to witness the closing scenes of the
| conference. The speakers were specially
selected for the occasion. and 7. Thos. For
tune of New York the principal speak
| er. Mr.. Fortune was especially severe on
Senator Tillman of South Carolina, whom
| he scored for the remarks he was reported
| to have made in the Senate to the erect
| that the whites of the south had stuHed
| the ballot boxes and shot the niggers
He discussed the Montgomery conference AT
| length and paid his respects also to DR..
Barringer of the University Of Virginia,
| whose recent utterances have lncensed the
| colored people throughout the country in
| the claim that the race was going back into
| Savagery.
Prot R. H. Terrell Mr.. A. L. Manley
| and Prof. s. g. Atkins also made interest
| ing speeches.
State of the Country.
| The report on the state Of the country
| was In part as follows:
| ITO the Bishops and Members Of the Cen
| eral Conferences:
| 1.-The past has been an eventful four
| years-eventful for the church, the coun-
nd he
| which the nation has not hitherto been
| called upon to deal have, by force of cir
| cumstances over which 1t had no control.
| forced themselves for settlement by an
| appeal to the dread arbitrament OF war
and the exercise of a diplomacy at the
same time unexcelIed in the history of
| nations. The subsequent events growing
out of that blunder on the part of sub
| jects of the Spanish government or Off
| GERS of the government are familiar to US
| all. The destruction of the Spanish fleet
| at Manila by Dewey, the further destruc-
| ton of another fleet of the same govern.
| ment by Samson and the conquering of
| Cuba by the able charges of Roosevelt and
| the Rough Riders, backed up by the best
| fighters in the American army, the ebony
| hued braves of the 9th and 10th Cavalry,
| and of the oath and 18th Regiments-the
| heroes of the war, the pride of the army,
| who drove the SpaniardS In utter rout
| from their proud position on the summit
| of San Juan Hill.
| at is not to be wondered at that victory
| brought to this government duties and re-
| sponsibiitles of which the less studiouS
| never dreamed. In fixing upon the terms
| of peace new and veXatious issues natur-
! ally arose. and the highest craftsmanship
| has been brought into requisition in order
| to reach their wise and patriotic settlement
| The political parties have each had diV1s-
| ions in their own ranks as to the wisdom
| of expansion, especially If it included the
| idea of Imperialism.
Duty as to Expansion.
| without entering into discussion OF
| the expediency or inexpediency of expan-
| sion as the duty of the nation or the con-
| stitutionality of the policy, we face the
| naked fact that we have expansion. and 1t
becomes our bounden duty to harmonic
our own future action in whatever mis-
| sionary effort we may make to the policy
| of government, whose sovereignty Is
| recognized in this newly acquired terri
| tory by all the governments of the world.
| The opport unity comes to us, therefore, to
| plant under own flag the standard of
| our church, and thus extend our organ1za-
| ton to our own people suffering for the
| bread of life. sympathy our love and
| our more effectual prayers.
I've rejoice that neither war, famine,
nor pestilence has affected our country SO
| seriously as to threaten dire consequences.
| Crops have been Notwithstanding fair
| prces-steady employment is securable for
| nearly all who are willing to labor well
| nigh everywhere and kind providence
| has SO tempered the seasons that but few
| can complain of the harvests annually
| reaped. The hum of industry In the fac
] tories and mines and foundrieS and the ac-
| tivity observed in the banks and CONNER
| cial places, all attest the fact that the
| whole country is enjoying period of pros
| perity that Is consoling and cheering alike
| to us all. The mariner cheers his whole
| crew when he weighs anchor and sets sail
! for another port. There Is equal delight
| when he casts anchor in some safe haven.
having outweathered terrible storm.
| The negro in America needs to
| weigh anchor not necessarily with view
| to a change of domciie. but rather with
| view of discovering the true condition Of
| his ship, and learning whether or not she
| Is fit for the severe gales which may await
| her.
Industrial Development.
1--WE rejoice in our Industrial develop
| ment. The Coleman cotton factory at
| Concord, N. c., sets the pace as an indus
| trial movement. The building has been
| completed at a cost of $4,000 and the ma
| chinery all put in-the total cost being $780,
| 900. The stockholders and directors are
| nearly all colored men, while the opera
| tives will be exclusively Of our race, at
| fording employment to more than hun
| bred young men and women. The silk
| factory at Fayetteville. n. c., with opera
| tives OF our own race, composed of educat-
| ed young men and women, opens another
| and finer field for the industria,ly inclined
| Of the race. The Inauguration of mechani-
| cal and trade schools, and schools giving
| training in technology, and the recognized
! disposition to go into the trades as a means
| of providing and insuring a livelihood, sug-
| gests a departure along right lines which
means much for in the future. II we
succeed along these lines-and the 1ndfca-
| tons are that we will--we will have taken
| another step in the solution Of our great
problem.
| "In professional life. too, the race Is max
| ing wonderful strides. In the medical pro-