The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-12
CLEVELAND MAKES
PLEA FOR NEGROES
'Something Should be Done To-
ward Educating Them
BOOKER WASHINGTON TALK
mr.. Cleveland Thinks the Industrial
Schools for Negroes Should Be
Given Every Encouragement.
They Make Better Citizens.

Philadelphia, December II. Former
President Cleveland presided tonight at
public meeting in aid Of the Beran
Manual Training school, an institution
which aims to give members Of the negro
race the benefits of an Industrial educa-
ton. The meeting was attended by prom
inent jurists educators and business
men.
Mr.. Cleveland, who is personally inter-
ested In the school was the principal
speaker. and Booker T. Washington,
president of the Tuskegee institute, also
made an address,
The institution was established less
than two years ago and has an enroll
ment of zoo students.
Mr.. Cleveand's address in part follows:
I'VE are called together in furtherance
CT purposes which are not only of the ut
most beneficence, but which for every
reason are deserving Of serious and
prompt consideration.
Happy, Go-Lucky Country.
ut has often occurred to me that ever
since we have become nation the Amer
ican people have almost constantly been
confronted with large problems, more or
less perplexing, and directly affecting the
political, industrial and social phases of
our national welfare. We seem to have
a contented notion that whatever dam
gers press upon us and whatever OBJ
stacles are to be surmounted we are
able because we seem to be able. And
that because we have thus far escaped
threatening perils a happy go-lucky re-
lance on continued good fortune will
avail us to the end of the chapter
Il ann impressed with the Importance
of this occasion. It is absolutely GER
tain that everywhere in this broad land
people should be keenly alive to their
duty and interest as relates to the col
ored men, women, youth and children
who constitute a factor, large or small,
in the population Of every community.
1t is foolish for us to blind our eyes to
the fact that more should be done to
improve the condition of our negro pop
ulation; and 1t should be entirely plain
to all of us that the sooner this is under
taken the sooner will a serious duty be
discharged and the more securely will
we guard ourselves against future trou-
Bile and danger. Our colored people have
been supplied with a measure of public
school privilege, even though In this they
have been at a disadvantage compared
| with their white neighbors.
Negroes Must Be Taught.
mo one who has given the subject
deliberate thought can doubt that If we
are to be just and fair toward our COL
ored fellow-citizens, and If they are to
be made more completely se.4-respecting
useful and safe members of our body
| polite, they must be taught to do some-
/ thing more than to hew wood and draw
water. The way must be opened for
them to engage in something better than
mental service, and their interest must
be aroused to rewards of intelligent oc-
cupation and careful thrift.
81 believe that the exigency can only
be adequately met through the instru-
mentality of well-equipped manual train
| ing and industrial schools conducted
either in private or in connection with
public institutions. I am convinced that
| good citizenship, an orderly, contented
| life and proper conception of civic vir-
tue and obligations is almost certain
to grow out of a fair chance to earn an
honest, hopeful livelihood and a salts
fed sense of secure protection and con-
sderate treatment