The age-herald., 1900-01-02
Negroes Celebrate 37th Anni-
 versary of Proclamation.
INTERESTING EXERCISES
Procession Showing Different Trades and Occupations Speech Making at Shiloh Baptist Church-Ad-
 dress by Rev. J. Q. Johnson

phdISe lsineln Was duly celebrated yeS- terday by the negroes of Birmingham and vicinity with appropriate exercises.
 According to programme which had been arranged by a committee procession was formed at the Slater school at noon and marched through the streets to the Shiloh Baptist church, in Avenue G, where the principal exercises were held.
 Rev. T. w. Walker was in charge of the celebration and was assisted by F. M. Owens and other representative men of the race, and the street display showing the different trades in which the negro is inter- ested was very creditable
 At the church five-minute speeches were made by the representatives of the different csllings, and several very interesting sreches were made.
 Orator of the Day
 The orator of the day was Rev. J. L. Joihnson who spoke on the New Emane- patton" His address was fine effort and proved most interesting and instructive He said, in part:
 We wish to call attention first to the physical we'll being of the race. So much has been said recently of the death rate of the negro that it has become a present day issue.
 During the ten years, 1SS0-90, the black race increased 1924 per cent, and the white 2S.91 per cent. In the five years from 1S8S-93, 73,sT whites were born and 2f.ei7 died in Alabama This shows that three white children were born while one died In the same period there were 55 s19 births of negro children and 26,ss4 deaths. Two OnlI ,,t We note here that the white race increas- ed faster in a state where the blacks are in the majority.
 Comparisons of this kind will show that in every southern city the coored popula- ton dies at a more rapid rate than the whites.
 The mortality of the race is on the in- crease, in contrast with a diminishing de16 race lol
 "a itary Emancipation "Our race is subject to a higher death rate than the whites from the following diseases: Consumption, Infant diseases, pneumonia, scroflla and venereal diseases, not to mention many others. This is mat ter which must face. We cannot argue away facts. The new emancipation means better heaIth for the race It means that all ministers, teachers and doctors and pub licists Of-all sorts shall emphasize this mat ter in school and church and family. All city governments are called on to enforce strict sanitary measures. Tine leading men of the negro race will cooperate with all reforms in this direction. "The emancipation means a greater material prosperity. I believe in the prac- tical wisdom of John Wesfey, stated in these words:
 Make all you can.
 Save all you can.
 "Give all you can.
 We must have homes here as well as in ] heaven We must wear clothes here before we get the long white robes. The prospect of golden slippers in tine future will not warm cold feet on day like this. A prac- tical Christianity means that we shall strive in every legitimate way to get hold of some of this worlds goods.
 Agricultural Interests
 1.-The new emancipation means that we shall turn our attention to the great agrl- cultural interests of the state The founda- tion of wealth is in the soil We must study how to control the produce of our great plantations and thus get larger share in the distribution of wealth. We have en- riched others, but have remained poor in- deed.
 "The great question before us in the fu- ture will not be the negro question so much as the labor question. The right to live is paramount to all questions. All other ques- tions will be settled largely in proportion as we possess power in wealth and character. I would rather own 1000 acres of Alabama soil than to be a member of the Alabama legislature or congress. By this I do not mean to discourage those who are interest ed in politics.
 'sWe must possess the land and control a, bale of cotton from the cotton seed till it is woven into fine cloth. As 1t stands now the white man controls the seed, the hull, the bran and the lint and the negro who makes it.
 'sThe new emancipation means that we shall be factors in all trades. The negro must hold his place forever as the me cfanie in the south good foundation an this direction will make e inrge pro fessional class possible. IT.
 'sIlhe new emancipation means better schools for both whites and blacks. Edh- cation increases a mans wants Every
  this. if for no other than a selfish req, son. Outside of Birmingham there are not many first-class newspapers in the state Not because we have no people but be- cause we have hot a reading people. An increased subscription cheapens the price of papers. IA high-priced newspaper has few subscribers.
 'nhe new emancipation means also an ear of better feeling on the part of both races or else our Christianity is fail- ure."
 The day was celebrated in several of the surrounding towns, the exercises at Pratt City being especially interesting, where Professor w. H. Council of Normal de- aiyered an address on 'erhe Negro Prob lem" sra4
 Baptist Church Destroyed
 Stromberg, Neb., January 1.--Eden Bap- tist church, which was dedicated only a. year ago, was destroyed by fire early .ta,ia