The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-09

industry to the black man. Another
one of the speakers stated that he had
100 acres of land paid for, and that his
colorcd nciGhbors owned four thousand
acres. He said that the schools were
improving, but that he was little
off on the preachers. Our preachers.
he declared "a!l talk about that other
world and getting ready to die. we
have Just as much right to have
home here as we have in heaven.
That witty and philosophical speech
is worthy to stand among the bright
est sayings of Dean Swift. 1t is good
philosophy and good religion COM
bincd. The good Lord intended that
man should be as happy and as com
Portable as possible III this world. con-
sistent with correct living. and lntcnd-
cd that the home on earth should be Il
forctaStc of the home in heaven. We
might say also that there IS no one
agency that SO well prepares men aud
women for the homo i'll heaven as the
religious home on earth.
Still another one of. the delegates
brought Il telescope along and created
great interest Ii is said of this dele
gate that he owns three hundred acres
OF land and a cotton gin, does his own
blackSmithing, and Il good deal for his
neighborS, on rainy days. He show
cd his many varieties of peas, corn,
oats and homemade syrup. lie has
twelve children, all living. He has Il
telescope and keeps it well loaded, but
no gun or pistol, and does not use
whiskey, tobacco or snuff. He has
seven mules and horses, plenty OF good
tools, a Mccormick mower and reaper
and Il comfortable balance ut bank.
Booker Washington made an excel
lent address before The Conference,
and in the course of his remarks said:
We have got to he patient and long
suffering. We cannot always tell just
how it is coming out. If we make
ourselves conscientious and become
taxpayers, the WAY that seems dark
will become full Of light. Let US net
pull anybody down but lift others UP.
Cotton has brought ii good price, the
temptation Will be TO spend it freely
for things VIC do not need. The big
j)icture-man is going around among
YOU | have heard Of one poor old
house that has thirteen of these big
pictures III it, costing about So each.
One man paid $50 for lightning rods
on :; house that was not worth SO.
Some rented Eouses have big organs
and pianos in them with 10 one who
can play them. Build your house first.
When YOU have educated your children
so they can play. own your house and
pay taxes, then buy your piano and
organ. Then there is the cheap-clock
man and the top-buggy man. Don't
buy Il top-buggy and then have 10 get
a White mans mule TO draw II.
heard of a man in South Carolina
who had 500 left from his cotton crop,
after paying all debts and he was per-
suaded to buy 4 top-busgy with it and,
not having any mule or horse, he
pulled in front and his son pushed be-
hind TO get the buggy home. We must
stop this and come right down to bus
mess. Some so off on every excursion
that comes along The excursion is {.
curse to our people. II you have got
4 minister that encourages these
things. get rid of him. The railroads
will treat us better when we do better
by ourselves.
This is good advice to white people
as well as to colored people. We have
repeatedly said that one of the great
est faults of the Southern people is
lack of thrift We do not cultivate the
savings habit as we should do, and
when we nave q little money ahead,
white folks as we'll as black folks are
tempted to patronize the clock-man
and pictrre=man and every other ped
der. who comes around with some
thing that catches the fancy.
We are not making war on pictures.
We believe in OrnamcntatiOn and that
every house should be made as attrac-
tive as possible. But the man who
tries to live beyond his means is sure
to come to grief.