Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-10-31
A Hopeful Report by Booker T.
Washington.
PROGRESS IS SLOW, BUT SURE
Colored Men Are Prospering in
Business.


OlhbbF DodFu. IHeT6 are hbNeThl Thugs
IN relation to the life of our people in
this State, and their relations to the
white people, in which l think your
readers will be Interested. My tsiKs
to them have covered mainly subjects
of the Importance of securing land,
building decent homes, oultiyating
habits OF economy, thrift, and industry,
have also spoken plainly on the
Importance Of education, correct moral
habits, and proper relations between the
races. While | came into the State
for the purpose of speaking to the
colored people, have been surprised
at every point where have spoken to
note that my audiences have been
largely composed OF white people, as
we'll as many colored people as could
crowd into the room. For example,
here at Natchez, where l have de.
livered two addresses, o large part of
the audience room on both occasions
was occupied by white men and women,
and, the same has been true at other
points, notably at Vioksburg.
No one can look into the faces OF the
thousands of colored people who crowd
to these meet ngs, coming long dis
tances in many cases, and sitting for
an hour or tao hours, listening to u
discussion OF matters pertaining to
their welfare, without being convinced
that the race is slowly, but surely,
nsking progress 10 every part of tn s
State. Evidences Of progress can also
be noted IN the Improvement of the
condition Of the people, most especially
in the number OF small. neat cottages
which they own in the cities and towns
1t is also noticeable in the county dis
tricts that whenever new buildings are
erected, with few exceptions, the house
contains two or more rooms, instead OF
being the usual one room cabin. The
most depressing, and | think serious,
condition, regarding the industrial and
moral progress Of our people is to be
found on the large plantations where
our people are, for the most part, renters.
In speaking ofIthe improvements which
has taken place, 1 must mention the
case of colored man in whose home |
was entertained. 1t has been my privi.
lege to see something Of the homes oil
some Of the best white people in every
part Of the North and West, and / dc
not exaggerate when | say have sci.
dom been in the hone OF any white
man anywhere In the country where
everything was so attractive, convenient
and comfortable. had not been in
this home five minutes before the lady
of the house asked me If would not like
to inspect her kitchen and pantry, and
found every thing in the kitchen al
neat and intelligently arranged as one
| would expect to find In a home In New
| England. l confess that this hume II
| much above the average occupied BY
our people, but it 10 an Indication
OF the progress that is being made
The owner Of the home to which refel
| ia Mr.. Wesley Crayt0n, who IL q sue
\ oessful business man in Vicksburg.
Another thing that has rather pleased
and somewhat surprised me Is the fac
that the railroads in Mississippi ar,
beginning to provide better accommo
dations for their oolored passengers
On the main lines of the large systems
while there ia separation of the races
have noted that the colored peopl
are given an entire coach, and in nd
dition a smoking car, aud both com
partments are equal. This improve
ment, believe, will soon take place o.
all the roads. l think the railroads ar
beginning to set that 1T pays from
financial point of view to treat thei
colored passengers with justice.
In Greenville, Miss, was surprise,
to find colored man on the polio
force, and he has retained his positio
on that force for u or 10 years. In tn
same town one of the largest book an
stationery stores IL owned and con
Quoted by colored man. Three fourth
OF his customers are white people. an
this colored man has more than ouc
employed white clerks to assist in tn
conduct of his business. In Natcbe
By far the largest and most successft
saddlery and harness store is owne
and conducted by negro by the nam
of Louis Kastor. found stock {
goods in this large and attractive stol
that was valued at $4,000, and at leal
three fourths OF his trade ia with whit
people. Every white man in the eli
with whom | spoke referred me wit
great pride to the success of this maj
In several cases | find that colore
clerks are employed by white me
, chants. There is colored man not fl
from Natohez who sent to the mark,
, last year over 600 bales of cotton raise
on his farm.
, The relations existing between til
two races In Natchez are the most ga
isfactory, l think, of any place that
/ have seen in the South. There ha'
Z never been in the city Of Natchez al
4 of the horrible race outbreaks or lyncl
ings. In the earlier days of reconstru
tion 1t seems that the colored and viii
q people came to AN understanding
/. which the county Offices were to
n divided between the races. In son
!. way, however, most, II not oil, of Il
h offices have gotten out OF the hands
q the colored people. Still, find th
!. the same amicable relations ezis
II What | have said of Natchez in th
!, regard will apply in somewhat lie
a degree to the relations of the races
i. Vicksburg and Greenville. The fer
n and unreasonable race difficulties
4 the most part occur in the small
!. towns and In the country distriC
v where ignorance is dense.
4 In both ViokeburR and Natchez
i have foundNcolored lawyers, who see
to be doing successful business, al
IA In both cities they told me that tn
"a feel their color does not prevent the
i. from being treated with fairness in t
courts
1t is difficult to aneak with any 4
}. gree OF accuracy in regard to the neg
IF vote or to predict what is to take pla
d in the future in regard to tho liauchit
D. but this much believe ! can say WI
10 reasonab! e degree of safety: While t
IN oneration OF the new Constitution CT
st off the great mass OF the negroes fro
g voting. l have noticed wherever ha
ID investigated tina subject, that IN I
" cities to which have referred, IN I
j. case of the colored man who owns I
bookstore in Greenyille, and in the CT
OF the black man in Natohez who OPP
ates the largest saddlery and harm
10 store. land including perhaps two doz
u cnlnrad man nf ntallinenra al nd nhar