The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-12-11
AN ADDRESS
ON BACKBONE
REV. THOMAS DIXON. JR.. AT
THE LYCEUM.
His Lecture Was One of the Brock
way Course of Entcrtainments-He
Spoke of the Possibilities Man Has
Within Him if He But Wills to Do
Thing-1n an Interview He Said
the Negro Question Is the Gravest
One That Confronts the United
States at the Present Time.

Rev. Thomas Dixon .ir.. spoke at the
Lyceum last night ns one of the Brock
way course of entertainments. He is
one of the most rapid. as we'll as one OF
the most fascinating. public speakers
ever heard in this city, and for\ two
hours last night held his audience we'll
nigh spellbound His subject was
backbone. the Foundation OF tho
Anslo-Saxon Character"
The thought that was the core and
essence OF his address was that in this
world the human Is everything Man
can do anything he wants with him
self. If he wills: can rise to any height
and achieve any task. But Il man TO
do this must have principle and char
acter. He must see his duty and do 1t
in the face of all obstacles and discorr-
agements. It's no Use to try and please
everybody. he said. 1t can't be done.
No man has ever succeeded in doing it
and no man ever will
a man must have the courage of his
convictions If he has convictions. he
will have to fight for them. for nothing
so quickly arouses the ire of others as
convictions adhered to which are in
conflict with theirs. The man who has
no convictions is not noticed. aside
from being kicked.
You have your choice" said the
speaker. You can have convictions
and fight for them. or no convictions
and be kicked. I find that in the long
run men respect men who believe some
thing and stand for something. even If
they don't agree with them" The leo
turer has rare descriptive powers. and
can be eloquent, humorous and pa
thctc with equal facility and effect.
Rev. Mr.. Dixon is Il native of North
Carolina. and is u Baptist clergyman.
His father ana two brothers are also
ministers of that denomination. and
his sister is the wife OF n Presby terrain
Clergyman. For the last two years he
has not done any active pastoral work,
but has been engaged in writing and
lec,urins. making his headquarters in
New York. with occasional trips to his
country home in Virginia. He now has
in press n novel called The Leopard
spots" which is in II way a continu-
alton of the Harriet Heecher Stoves
"t'nc!r Toms Cabin"
IL was written as Il frank discussion
OF the negro question, and is likely to
Dixon. in conversation with Tribune
man. said he believes the negro uhes
ton is the greatest the country has to
deal with. II is Impossible, he thinks.
that conditions can continue as they
are, with Il black nation growing up in
side Of II white nation. 1t is against
the Whole theory OF our government
Wht re al men are presumed to be free
ana equal. The moral condition of the
negro is worse now than it was before
the war. Education has done some
thing for some individual cOiOred men,
but has not benefited the cOlored man
as Il race.
Negro labor is not satisfactory. and
many farmers in the South have for
Years heen doing their utmost to en-
cOurHg. the settling there of white
farmers. Colonization. as Mr.. Dixon
views ii. is the only real solution OF the
negro problem. The races ran never
as!:inilute. he said. or meet on a plane
Of equality