The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-09-20
| Want to Teach Ny People to Practice the Lesson
 of Love-
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION
 NEED OF THE NEGRO
They Cannot Cast as Many Ballots Now as Formerly, But They Can Cast Dollar Bills Over
 Bank Counters.

Perhaps the largest number of negroes that has ever assembled in the city was at Shiloh Baptist church last night, to hear Booker T. Washington. principal 1 of Tuskegee institute Tuskegee, Ala. l As early at o'clock in the evening 1t was impossible to get standing room, and at o'clock 1t. was impossible to even get inside of the church. Booker T. Washington was introduced by President E. c. Morris. He had just concluded his address when the cry of fire was raised and the stampede began which caused so many deaths He said in part: T am glad to have a part in welaopo- ing this large and influential assembly to Alabama I wish every citizen of the south could come into contact with yon and learn somthing of the tremendous progress being made by our people. From your statistical secretary, Dr. s. w. | Bacote, I have secured the following figures, which indicate something of the progress of the negro Baptist of Ameri- ca, and these figures are, to large ex- tent, indicative of the progress of the whole race. I find that two million negro Baptists are represented by this organ ization; that you have 15,S50 ministers, | 16,000 churches, 54S000 children in Sunday schools, 40.900 school teachers, 515 asso- | citations, 10,20S church houses valued at $1,O60.OOo; that your members own per sonal property valued at $10,0OO,OO0, and that last year wou raised for all pur- poses in your churches $2.129,OOO. This is a very flattering record.
 Negro Here to Stay.
 "The sooner we can grow to the point where all races in all sections of the country will recognize and agree to the fact that the negro Is a permanent part of American citizenship; that he does not mean to move away to any foreign land, but expects to remain here, and by pa- tient toll and sacrifice, If need be, make himself in mind, in skill, in morality and l religion a permanent and useful part of the community in which he lives. the sooner this is recognized the better it will be for all parties concerned. Noth- ing will be permanently gained for either race by the one throwing stones at the other or by doing that which will en- gender strife and create and keep alive suspicion. If we could prove as race l that every white man in the south is dis honest and vicious, it would not lift the negro up one iota. If the white man could prove that every negro in the south is untrustworthy and without virtue, 1t would not help the white man one iota No individual ever lifted himself by seek | ing to drag down another. No race ever | lifted itself up by practicing deception or by fearing to hate. or attempting to de- grade another race. I want to teach and encourage my people to learn to practice the lesson of love and not the lesson of hatred and strife The strong useful in- dividuals of earth are those who have learned to live high up in the atmosphere of kindness and truth, unselhshness and self-forfetfulness.
 Education of Race.
 "As a race, within the last forty years we have given a great deal of attention to education. We are grateful to the south, grateful to the north for the as- sistance we have received in this regard. We should bear in mind, however. that mere education without application to the practical things of life that are about our door means very little. When speak of industrial education. I always mean not only the putting of knowledge Into the head but teaching the individual through the use of the hand to put that knowl- edge into doing the things that the com munity wants done where he lives. At the present time in the south. as a race we are in the midst of great industrial development. a development that touches earth and wood. and mineral. Our ser vices are in demand on every hand as never before. In the midst of this in- dustrial activity we have an opportunity to plant ourselves as useful citizens in a way that very seldom comes to a race Let us not overlook CT lose this oppor- tunity.
 "Our brethren in the republic of Hayti have made a serious mistake in not edu- eating their children to take part in the agricultural and mineral development of their country. Let us learn a lesson by reason of what they have failed to accomplish. have some times heard it said that the negroes at the Tuskegee in- stitute are being worked Far from that. There is vast difference between one's being worked and working. The lesson that we are trying to teach our young people at the Tuskegee institute is the difference between being worked and working. Being worked signifies degrada- tion-working, civilization. As race more and more in every part of the coun- try we want to learn to work and not be worked. We want to teach our children the dignity and beauty that there is in every form of honest toll. and the dis grace that there is in every form of idle ness.
 Return to Farm.
 q want to see more of our educated youths graduate from college and return to the farm and put brains. dignity and skill of the highest order into agricultural life. I want to see a large number of them for example, starting truck gar dens. want to see them beginning to raise poultry in skillful and intelligent manner. While race lines may be drawn in other respects, you will find that when the negro proves that he can produce finer poultry products than the white man produces. the negro will receive the or ders for poultry every time. Wherever tEe negro can prove himself of more value to