The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-07-21
THE NEGRO AND THE SOUTH.

fore the National Educational Associ-
 ation at Charleston.
 Following is the address delivered by Booker T. Washington before the Ma tional Educational association He said:
 In the south both races have had to contend with problems and difficulties such as no other people have had to meet When we disarm ourselves Of passions and prejudice we must ac- knowledge that the south owes much
 to the negro. The negro owes much to the south The black man is bound to the history the customs, the people of the south by ties which few can under stand or appreciate. Here it was that we came three centuries ago in our heathenism, here we were taught the religion of Christ; here we came with cut q language; here we were taught the Anglo-Saxon tongue; here we came with untrained hands: here we were taught industry and thrift.
 My race has a further right to love and cherish the land of the south. In large degree 1t has been our braWn and muscle that have cleared the forests, opened the mines, built the railroads, and grown the rice, cotton and sugar that have enabled the south to become great and powerful. Here, side by side, the two races have been placed In the providence of God, and here, in my opinion, they will remain. In order that the two races may live here in peace l and prosperity, one of two things should always be kept in mind. The white man should always remember 1 that he owes peculiar and sacred du- l ty to the negro-that the negro has l claim upon the conscience, sympathy, 1 and generosity of the Anglo Saxon that ! no other race can have. In all discus sion and legislation bearing upon the presence of the negro in America we should not forget that we are dealing with people that were not only forced to come here against their will, but in the face of most earnest protest but in spite of this the black man has earned his right to the title of an American citizen by obedience to law by patriot ism. by fidelity, and by the millions of money which his strong arm and will ing hands have added to the wealth of this country. Every white man and woman in the north and in the south should consider 1t not only duty, but high privilege to assist in the eleva- tion of the negro. The time has come, believe when the wealth and culture of the white south are going to take hold in a wholesouled generous man. ner to lift the negro up in religion morals, educa .icn, and industry. No race can oppress or neglect a weaker race without degrading itself. No race can lift up a weaker race without ele- vating and strengthening itself. Op- position degrades assistance elevates.
 The negro can afford to be Wronged l the white man cannot afford to wrong l the weakest or meanest member of | any race without the proudest and l bluest blood In the white mans civili- | Zation being degraded.
 More and more I hope the white peo- | pie of this country will learn to meas ure the worth of the negro by the best | types of the race, and not by the worst | In a larger degree, we should judge by | those in the school room, not by those | in the penitentiary: by those in the shop and field, not by those In ideness in the streets; by those who have bought homes and are taxpayers, not | by those in dens and crimes and mis- cry, by those who have learned the | laws of health and are living, not by | those who have broken health and are | dying.
 Keep the searchlight constantly fo- 1 cussed upon the weaker clements of any race, and who among them will | stand the test that indicates success? | You judge the English by Gladstone, | the Germans by Bismarck, the French | by Loubet-by those who have sue eeeded not by those who have failed | and are in the gutter.
 Every white man in America should | make an especial effort to deal justly | and generously with the black race. In doing this you will not only help the negro, but you will help yourselves It Is easy to treat those who are our | equals In wealth. intelligence, and so- cial standing with justice, generosity and politness, but the time to find the true worth Gf an individual is when he is in contact with an unfortunate ind- vidual or race Any one can stand for the right when the world applauds, but real courage is tested by standing for the right when the world condemns
 No race can ever be redeemed | through any form of oppression by withholding or withdrawing opportuni- ties. It should be our central idea to extend and broaden privileges as fast as the race shows Itself capable of rightly exercising them.
 But the negro has a duty to perform to himself and to the white people | among whom he lives. In the midst of l the present agitation bearing upon the future of the negro race in this coun- try, 1t Is important that the race keep steady balance and not suffer itself to become discouraged or turned aside | from essentials to non-essentials, or to | be deceived into believing that we can elevate ourselves by any shortcut or artifical methods, however inviting and | alluring they may appear. No matter ! what adverse criticism is made no | matter who prophecies defeat. no mat ter how many temptations are held be-