The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-11


The second days session OF the Ma
tional Afro American council was one
filled with activity and marked with
many distinguishing features. Some
of the ablest representatives of the
race delivered addresses of moment, Of
ficers for the ensuing year were elected,
reports of important committees re-
ceived, and, to crown the days work,
Booker t. Washington, the greatest
leader of his people, delivered an in
spring and practical speech at the
evening session, which closed the days
work, so to speak, in a "blaze of glory"
The distinguished president of Tuske-
gee institute, who is recognized by
white and black men alike as the most
effective worker for negro progress
best last night and he spoke with great
power and wonderful effect.
Speaking before his own people he
seemed inspired to higher reaches, if
possible, than when he last spoke in
this city before an altogether different
body of people. There was the same
direct, commonplace, simple method,
the same practical strain in his re-
marks, but there was, if possible, more
fire and more heart in the words he
spoke to the people of his own blood,
pointing out to them the possibilities
of evolving a wonderful destiny, if pa
thence, endurance, earneStneSS and
worthy effort were made the stepping
stones, not to power and place, but to
worth and character, and to an
achievement that should not alone con-
tribute to the character of the country
which they should serve. Eloquently
he pointed out the dangers from fol-
lowing sham ideas, of being too eager,
of setting too high values upon what is
not vital. His message was not one
couched in visionary poetic prophecy,
but one of hard, common sense. but
every note of it optimistic, hopeful and
serene. He said in part:
Booker Washington Speaks.
am sure that voice the sentiments
of the entire council when say that,
as body, we want to congratulate
honestly the colored citizens of st. Paul
for the hearty and generous reception
extended to us, and at the same time
we want to express our deep apprecia-
ton of the magnificent progress which
our people in this city are making in
almost every walk of life. think that
l may add further that in no
Northern city are there more evidences
OF substantial progress among our peo-
pie, in proportion to their numbers,
than is true in st. Paul. The colored
people are to be congratulated, and the
generous white people are to be con-
prr9tI1I9 ted for the JInCp1fich a
spirit exhibited towards our people in
this section of the country. want
also to congratulate the president and
other officers of this organization on
account of the praiseWorthy and COM
mendable manner which mas charac-
terized the deliberations of this gather
ing. In another city, Minneapolis, not
many miles from here, there is another
organization composed of the repre-
SentativeS of the leading and strongest
white men in this country-a people
who have back of them centuries of
wealth, intelligence and culture. Those
composing this organization have back
of them, practically but forty years of
freedom and opportunity, and yet i
should be willing to ask any disinter-
ested judge to sit in the two bodies and
make comparisons.
Negro's Pioneer Stage.
Every race which gets upon it's feet
has got to pass through a material and
industrial age. First, comes the clear
ing of the forest, planting of the soil,
construction of machinery and build
ing of houses, and with these for a
foundation comes in later years the
aesthetic. For a number of years I
have advocated the Importance of an
industrial training for the negro.
Sometimes an objection has come to
this form of oinincr WI N
contend that the negro for ESQ years
was worked. That is true, but the
great lesson which we as a race want
to learn at the present time is that the
negro must now learn to work. There
is vast difference from being worked
and Working-that being worked
means degeneration, working means
civilization. l want to see large pro-
portion Of our educated young men and
women begin planting themselves in
the fundamental and wealth producing
industries. l want to see more of them
enter those occupations by which they
can make themselves so that they will
make positions for themselves, and they
will not have to in any large degree
go about seeking opportunities Gre
ated by other hands and other brains.
Every black man in this country has
an opportunity to make a place for
Ah1llOOAA. w z CcilAAlOls however,
ourselves in these fundamental indus
tries and grow strong and powerful as
race except we are willing to begin
at the bottom and toll patiently up
ward, except as a man, for example,
will be willing to start on a farm bare
footed and bareheaded and stand and
toll there until he has wrung success
out of mother earth.
Progress Has Been Great.
With all her disadvantages, there is
an opportunity for industrial and bust
ness development for the negro in the
South that is scarcely presented in
any other part of this country. The
negro, more and more, is learning to
take advantage of the opportunities by
which he is surrounded. George Ken
nan, the great Russian traveller, who
has travelled extensively through the
South makes the statement that not
W1thstanding the fact that the Russian
serfS were freed about the same pe-
riod as the negro, and Notwithstanding
the further fact that the Russian serfs
were given land by the Russian gov
eminent, and that the negro had to buy
any land of which he has become pos
sessed, that the progress of the negro
in the South is today equal to or great
er than that made by the Russian serfs.
In Georgia alone, according to official
statistics gathered by DR.. Du Boise, the
negro owns 1,400, 900 acres of land and
pays taxes upon property valued at
over $15,000,000.
have heard it stated more than
once within recent months that the re-
lations between the two races are more
strained now than ever. To this state
ment l can hardly subscribe. In max
ing it one should bear in mind the
relations which existed in the South
between the two races fifty years ago.
There was but one relation, that of
owner and slave; that of master and