The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-11-25
DR.. {. A, ALDERMAN,
TO The NEGRO RACE.

tober 31st, Booker T Washington made
an address to the colo-ed people d
that southern city. We get our account
Of that meeting from TIE New Orleans
Picayune, OF the next day, Saturday,
November 1st, which G=votes FIVE col
umns to 4 full report of the demon
stration. II says in part:
Washington Artillery Hall presented
a unique n remarkable spectacle la<.
night.
AN immense c~onc1urse of black peg
PIE were assembled % greet the loses
q their ace, DR.. Poke. T. Va ~
ton, 7 ..cipal of Tuskegee Industrial
School nd InstitU =. and to listen 10
his address on Pubic Education
Unique was the fact that 50 many
colored people were c~ongreGated III such
a central location as Washington ArtiiI-
cry Hall: and remarkable, the com
Hingling Of white and black in that
vast assembly. a large number Of
white people were present. Not only ir
the audience, but on the platform was
there a mixture of white AMI black peU-
pie.
DR.. e. A Alderman, President OF
Tulane University; Hon. +. L. krutta-
chnitt, President OF the School Board
Of New Orleans, were conspicuous fig
ures on the platform-Mr. Kruttschnift
presiding over the meeting, and Or.
Alderman introducing Booker T. WASH
ington."
DR.. Alderman's Introductory speech
was go eminently fitting for the Occas-
ion and so wise in its clear conception
eff what is best for the negro race, that
The Messenger thinks it well to copy i'll
full q report of his excellent effort. DE-.
Alderman is a native of Wilmington.
He is now president Of Tulane Univer-
sIty and was president of North Car
olina University till two years ago.
DR. r.. A. Alderman, before presenting
Professor Washington spoke as follows.
Ladies and Gentlemen, FellOW-Citi-
zenS of Both Races: The ultimate bus
mess of a democracy is to teach it's
members into wholesome citizenship.
and that is the chief reason why l an
here tonight and why / hive sincere
pleasure in presenting to TINS audience,
composed largely Of people Of the NJ
gro race, the man whom | think to -
the Wisest, truest. sincerest leader hat
race has known in America. Gap
plause.)
1T interests me that this leader has
come to you, and not from the ranks OF
the politicians, nor even from the ranks
of the clergy, but from q humble
school-room, through sacrifiC- and ser
vice and patient thOughfu!ncss of your
interests. He is the first o. his kin@.
[ trust that he will not be the last. He
has come to give you a message about
education and its meaning to those WHO
want to be really free. 1t is d Good
message-patriOtic. efficient, sane. far
sighted n worthy Of the earnest con-
sheraton of both races.
Every southern state. N its cCnsti-
tuition OF laws. is committed to the
policy of education fer the negro race.
Tn nurSlronPp nr ST1ph nnFFay rEacH 2 lrsS
have expended for negro education
s120. 600, geo since 1866. and in their
courts and legislatures have thus f.
resisted every unwise and shOrt-si ghj-
ed effort to limit negro education to the
bounds of negro taxation. CA2piauSeJ
They lave done this because you ar"
American citizens. (AppIause.) They
have done it TO- this mighty reason.
Notwithstanding the fact that no hu-
man wisdom or foresight can predict
the results to American civilization Of
the injection into its life in large
masses of the trained and educated ne
gro. (Applause.) We know what the
u~neduCated negro means. We know
m~easurably what the educated and the
upeducated white mean. And yet there
can be no pause. Ignorance is no rem
edy for anything. (Applause.) Civili-
cation bottomed on ignorance cannot
long endure The strength to master
life must be the strength of knowledge
and righteousness. No right minded
man. therefore, withholds his sympathy
for one moment from such of our race
as are now striving for the reality Of
freedom once given to them in paper
writings and accompanied with hideOus
of power and responsibility,
but which yOu must now win. like all
defective or disadvantaged races, by
work, humility, patience and ~steadfast-
ness. This motto ought to be framed
in every schoolroom for the negro race.
though it is applicable to all races AMI
to all men:
FREEDOM IS a CONQUEST, NOT =
BEQUEST.'
Neither can any right-minded man
fail to believe in the justice as well as
the wisdom of the policy of training
for all classes who constitute the BODY
of our citizenship. We do not now
permit Cinnamon to become Americans.
We do not eve permit japanese to be-
come Americans. We 90 not know what
we think about FilipInos- But thOs-
who have been admitted into American
citizenship must be trained. Ap-
plause.J Therefore no r~lght-minded
man is opposed to your education.
hOugh all men are concerned, and
ought to be that that training shall be
the sort of training that really trains
a chiId-race inc some real sort OF Use
1ulAiSSS. LIZ -SSAA 1880
society south or north. IS assured tn {
this training is tending toward suCi.
good results. there Will be no op2oSl-
ton to your education. my E5"in
friends. And this is why Hampton and
Tuskegee hold the thought OF the world,
(Applause.) They are giving this as
urance L may be permitted to say
that there would neve nave been any
serious opposition. in my judgment, but
for that era OF crime and folly mis-
called reconstruction-I hate the evj.
worldi-wherein wrong ideals got set "
which victimized the negro and penal
zed the white: wherein it was stupidity
sought TO enthrone unftness. 10 set
the ignorant and the bad "a rule tn
wise and the good. 1t taxi time fCr
opinion to get fluid and catholic after
such an experience Of fire.
"Yos have many noble friends in th'
north. and so have /. ] Know that IN
hearts and purposes OF nIany OF then
are true and wise and s. den. Hol
should be very grateful to thsm alway:
for the thirty millions Of dollars 2iVel