The colored American., 1901-04-13
WILL FAR OUTLlVE TIE CENTURY.
7unressiops GatbeTtd by Pref. 81. T.
Nswcomb, Who Visited the Nfgro
F,,mers' Confe renee as the pscial
AGENT Cf the Census Office-MethOdS
Employed by Instructors.

Conference OF Negro formers. held at
Tnskegee No,msI and Industrial Insti-
tute. under the auspices Of President
Booker I. Washington and his corps
of sble assistants, was Prof. q. I. New
comb. a gentleman who tas earned
distir csion and honor as an &c OnOmist,
and especially as an expert in the eco
nomic aspects Of agricu ture. He is
tho suthOr of several books on scientific
suhiec s. and has made careful study OF
manv phases of Industrial and social
development, applying his investiga.
ttors % races ss we'll as to Countries
ard nation PrJf. Newcomb was for
mefIy at the head Of an important Sec
tioo in the UDited States Department
of Agrio Ilture, and since the OTganiZa'
lion of the Twelfth g 9nsus, has devoted
bia time 10 the executive direction OF
the sgricuItur, division Of the Census
Office. serving as exl ert chief Of that
division with marked credit and etti-
cheney. Learning that Prof. NewcOmb
bsd visited Tuekegee for the purpose
of enlarging his range OF information
relative to the Negro in agriculture, the
writer felt assured that an interview
setting forth the impressions gained
from his inspection OF 80 nOtak le an IL
stftution would be of publlc interest,
Prof Newcomb expressed Willingness
to talk about subject that appeS led so
strongly to his interest, sympathy, and
confidence, saying in part:
~ had several objects in view in visit
ing Tuskegec while it's wonderful Con-
ference was in session. Primarily, l
felt it a Iart of my duty as an officer OF
the Census to attend this meeting for
the purpose of collecting data at first
hand illustrative of the part the Negro
is taking in agricultural industry and
coming into rect personal contact
with these workers so as to insure an
intelligent Interpretation of the facts
shown by the tsbulatiOns Of this Office.
was also interested in examining
the economic position and possibilities
Of the Negro peOl le, not Only ss citl-
zen Looking forward to a broader Guilt
VatiOn Of our natur. | resources, but be
cause, as a member Of committee ap
pointed by the president of the Ameri-
can Economic Association, to investi-
gate the economic status of the Negro,
l shsu soon to have to make a repOrs
concerning the conditions that prevail
among the cOlored people who earn
livelihood by tilllng the soil.
"In common with thousands of Amer
leans, 1 had been peculiarly attrac' e1
by the personality Of President Boz kel
T. Washington, and was anxious te
see him on his own grounds, and
among his own surroundings tC study
the work he is doing; and TO note th'
character of the teachers, their methOC'
OF instruction, the arrangement Of bull
dings, and their adsptsbility to the puI
poses for which they were constructed
Il is very little indeed to say that [ wa
pleased with the situation generally.
was very strongly impressed by tn
admirable plan and wise adjustments o
the miniature industrial city Of Tuske
gee, and the remarkable development
it has attained in its twenty years Q
existence. and especially by the evi