The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1902-09-03


one question during the last thirty-five
years has been so constantly before the
people as has the negro problem of the
South. During this time quite number
ofSuggeStions have been put forward look
ing toward a solution Of this question.
Some eight years ago about 600 OF our peo-
pie sailed from savannah for Africa and it
was telegraphed all over the country
that the question was being settled. But
those who thought that way forgot that
on one that same morning, in the black
belt OF the South, Geo more negro chill
Gren were born. SO at that rate this
question will not disappear very soon in
that way. | have found niend in
Georgia who is convinced that the way TO
settle ii is to select large territory in the
far West and there let the negro live as a
separate nation. In the first place, YOU
would have to build a wall around such
a territory TO keep the black man in, and
YOU would have to build five walls
around It to keep the white man out
You never saw the negro 20 anywhere
and stay very long where the white man
did not come very soon, especially #
there is any gold or its equivalent in
sight. Not long ago l heard third sug-
geStiOu by a man WHO coutended that the
negro was fast being absorbed by other
races that soon there would be no sep
arate negro race. You can hardly ue-
pend on that. The instant il is proven
that an individual has one per cent of ne
gro blood in him, he becomes negro.
The ninety-niue per cent of Anglo-SaNon
blood does not weigh. Ii takes 10 per
cent of Anglo Saxon blood as good as
YOU can get 1t to make a white man, ana
one per cent will make negro every time,
so YOU see we are stronger race than
Won are, we have greater power of per-
sis;ance, and at that rate will absorb YOU.
There is a fourth class Of people who con-
tend that the latest census will show that
the negro has decided to quietly and po-
litely disappear by dying. So far from
that, where few centuries ago twenty
members of my race were brought into
this country, at the present there are
nine million OF us.
I'VE must find some solution more prac-
teal than any OF these suggested. In fact
when YOU consider this matter a little
more closely, and look into history more
deeply, you will tiud that while as a race
we have some advantages. We are the
only race that ever came into this country
by reason OF having a very special, a
very pressing and very emphatic invi-
tatiOn 70 come here. Your race came
here against the protest of the leading
citizens of America in 1892, while my
race was thought so much OF it was sent
for, and lis passage paid here. Some peo-
pie say that the proper thing for the ne
gro to do is to depart to TIE land of his
fathers. In some degree we are a polite
and obliging race and having put our
friends to 30 much trouble to get us here
it would be exceedingly unkind, not to
say ungracious, not to oblidge them by
staying here. So, great as this problem
Is, far reaching as it is, we might as well
make up our minds that il has to he
worked out on our own shores.
81 believe that in this country there is
patience, forbearance, Christianity enough
to enable us to live side by side, and to
enable MS to work out this problem with
Justice to both races concerned
From this. beginning with history of
his life AS a slave boy, a freedman seek
ing an education, and OF the founding of
Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Insti-
tute, Mr.. Washington went on to show
how the youthful colored population
may be trained to he industrious, pro.
ductive and really Indispensable citizens.
When he first went to TuSkegee in 1881,
i, was with the selfish ambition to lift up
the negro alone, of lifting him up If nee
y
But he is exceedingly thankful that he
has long since Outgrown such an ambi-
tiou, aud has mo desire to-day hiy her
than that which will serve the highest
interest of all the people in the South, re-
gardless of race or color.n The school
at Tuskegee was formed in 1881 with
thirty students and at the present time
the attendance apprOximates 1900, with
pupils from thirty states, from Africa,
Cuba, Puerto Rico, and other countries.
From The first, the founder of this Insl-
tute tried TO study the actual needs of the
people by whom he was surrounded, aud
to do for them that which their condition
demands. 1t was found that eighty-hve
per cent of his people live by some fo.m
of agriculture, SO agriculture has const-
tuted the basis OF his work. To this he
met many objections. The negro people
said that they had been worked Tor 80
wears, and that now they ought to have
an opportunity for resting, aud that a
school, of all places on earth, is not the
place where work ought to be mentioned.
| In answer TO these objections, Mr.. Wash
ington said that ii was doubtless true the
negro bad been worked for $50 years, but
the great lesson that remained now was
TO work that there is a vast difference
between being worked and working;
that being worked means degradation,
while working means civilization. So
with this he has been teaching his people
to put brains, skill and dignity into all
the common occupations by which they
are surrounded, and when the young
men and women leave the Tuskegee n
stitute thay are prepared to do the work
of the field, the shop and the home, and,
| in many cases. to seek the poor aud help
/ rfx~fr to oil a fI
| OF such Mr.. Washington said: "I could
stand for hours and give examples ofhow
these young men and women are con-
stantly going out and giving themselves
| to redeem your country and mine.' lie
made an earnest plea for his race saying,
"the world must judge us by the best
| type of man and not the worst, by those
| i'm the schoOl-room and not by those in
/ the penitentiary, by those who are buy
| ing homes and not by those who loaf on
| the streets. You Judge the English by
! Gladstone, the Germans 10y Bismak, the
| French by Loubet,-by the highest and
not by the low est types. The negro has
| learned American history. He has faith
/ in the white man aud faith in God. He
remembers through what be has passed !;
that he came out Of slavery an American
| citizen he went pagan and came out a
! Christian he went in with slave chains
about his wrists, and came out with the
Bible, the spelling book, the trowel, the
| hammer, the spade in his hand. This in
dcates the progress we have made. More
| and more though the way may seem
| dark and dscouraging we are learning
as race TO eXclaim with the Psalmist,
| stormy billows dash high, their fury is
mighty, but the Lord is above them'."