The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-02
JOHN ]. SMALLW00D.
\ Prototype Of Booker Washington

a Prototype Of Booker Washington
addresses His Race.
WELDON, n. c., Jan. 1-Special-Pro-
fessor John ]. Smallwood, the negro col
lege president of the Temperance, Indus
trial and Collegiate Institute, at Clare
mont, Surry county, Va, spoke before
five thousand people at Littlelon, Hall
fax county, to-day, about twenty miles
from this place, on the Seabo2rd Air
Limo railroad. at the Negro Emanclpa-
ton Proclamation Anniversary"
Professor Snallwood is young negro,
about five and a half feet in height, very
dark in his complexion. rather fine look
ing for a colored man and is costly
dresser. He was born a slave in North
ampton county thrty-seven years ago
He left Northampton county twenty
years ago to seek an education. and this
is his second visit in Halifax county in
twenty years.
Smallwood is very polite negro. a
strong friend to the South and her peo-
pie.
He is we'll educated and to-day in
every possible way delivered the greatest
speech on the race problem and the South
that was ever heard in all of this sec
ton Of the State. Possibly no negro
ever spoke SO long. held the respectful
attention of so many intelligent and re-
spectacle white Democrats, as well as
members of his own race, as did Profess
scr Smallw God at Littleton to-day. He
spoke to the negroes in some plain words.
His voice was very clear. full and pleas
ant. His manners plain and at once
impressive. His language fine and pure
English His apparel clean and abso-
lutciy attractive. He said:
II do not come to North Carolina, my
old native State. as a carpet-bager
do not come. ladies and gentlemen, as a
politician. l come as an American ne
gro, to speak my honest convictions to
my black brother and white friend. I
do not believe that the great Republican
party is competent to settle the race
problem at the South. I believe that
the best white gentlemen and the intel
ligent white Christian ladies' who love
these beautiful Southern fields; the blood
of Robert L. Lee and the fondness of the
bygone days, with the best and the most
intelligent negroes of this great section
must solve the race or negro problem.
I'VE have tried politics, rum and fool
ishness in these rural districts for thirty
years Let US try now money making,
land buying, house building, family hon
oring. school building, common sense,
self reliance and intelligence and poiiti-
cal independence for thirty years. and
take my word for it, that at the expira--
ton OF the next thirty years. see il we
won't be better men, better women and
4 more respected race than we-are to-
day" tGreat and prolonged applause)
1.-The negro must divide in his politics.
continued Prof. Smallwood. The must
make friends with the best white people
of the South Here Smallwood grew
said: ''Ah, my friends, if we as a race
can learn the art to quote with perfect
ease the little, low. dirty. niggardly,
wicked habits of the weak white man,
we can with the same degree of case
quote the very best habits of the best
white men everywhere in this land.
We as race must become educated.
We must become independent and self
reliant. We must do something our
Selves Great applause) "These whis-
key shops. these cheap iron pistols, he
midnight frolics. the whiskey drinking
so-called negro ministers with their
moral cowardice and their sleek polite
ness. whose sole aim is to get office. are
the worst enemies that the negro has at
the South" prolonged appIause0
JIM CROW CAR
President Smallwood paid a wonderful
tribute of respect to the late Governor
Vance, General NJ. w. Ransom and the
wonderful financial and industrial growth
of the South His reference TO the Old
master of the sos and COS was touch
ingly eloquent. Then turning to his
white friends in the audience he said:
Ladies and gentlemen, you cannot make
men and women of the negro who is
willing to try to raise-above the sad
surrounding circumstances by passing
cast legislation You cannot make q
negro quiet, respectable traveller by
giving him Jim crow car You can
not stir his better qualities when you try
by law 10 humiliate him."
Srnallwocd's one speech at Littleton.
\. c.. has done more good among the
negroes today and had a better effect
upon the white people than all Of the
speeches In twenty years in this section.
Never was anything delivered here like 1t.
He Is natural born orator.
Smallwecd, like Booker Washington, is
a real honor to the negro race. and the
South. Let the negro follow these men
OF actual mark and merit. These peo-
pie are among us, let us treat them
kindly and teach 1hem to follow good
men.
r.r