The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-20

he now produces from 25 to 90 bushels o good corn per acre.
 Miss Bowen made stirring appeal tt the colored women
 The Committee on Declarations made the following report which was uani
 nously adopted:
 First-In connection with educational moral and religious training. we recogntse that the foundation and growth of oui race are to be found in the ownership and proper cultivation of the soil: freedom from mortgaginG land, crops or stock raising food supplies at horne; keepir~ out of the large cities, North and South. prompt and willing payment of all taxes keeping out of the courts: avoiding all forms of extravagance: keeping ouI young people off the streets, from public lounging places; starting a bank acconn. however small; holding farmers institu- tes or local conferences and agricultural al fairs.
 Second-we must keep constantly in mind that the masses of our people de. pend for their education upon the public schools. These should be strengthened q, every point. especially lcngthening tho
 
 ing school houses and supplying them with proper outfits.
 Third-We must not overlook the fact that we depend largely. for our living upon the common occupations that art about our doors, domestic, mechanical and agricultural. Since. at present especially in the South. these occYpa. tions are open to us. we should give care. full attention to fitting our youth foi these cahinzs, and constantly remine them that there is no disgrace In an. from of manual labor. but rather in pooi work and all forms of idleness.
 Fourth-we would advise the teachins of agriculture in the public schools. and through the children, would impress upor the parents the value of the dairy. veEe' table garden, and poultry yard to every family.
 Fifth-we recognize the great work tc be done for the schools. the churches ant public Improvements. especially In tho building and maintenance of good public roads. In the, promotion of this, and every needed good, we pledge our mos hearty cooperation with our white friends, North and South.
 Sixth-we believe our progress. in ali the essentials of life, all things consider ed, is most encouraging. and that our motto should be. Ever Onward"
 One of the most marked effects of the Conference has been its stimulus to the purchase of land. Ten years ago but few owned any land and but very few cared to buy any. Now those who come to the Conference and own no land seem to pc ashamed and have but little to say. The which Tuskegee is located, Are very largely buying the land on which they have been accustomed to live, for years, as renters. Within i've miles of Tuske- gee 5000 in cash have recently been paid. bought s s4o acres. This he is selling ir small tracts, to the men who have long been renters upon 1t. Within four miles of Tuskegee 4oo0 acres of land have re the idea of selling 1t in small farms te colored people, Already forty houses have been built and forty-fve families located upon it. A saw. blaming mill and black smith shop have been built on the trac, and it is likely that the whole of t vii very soon be sold. Tn a County adjoinins Macon nearly $25.000 have recently beer spent for land, saw mill and other i'm provements and, 1t Is expected. that witt other funds. a cotton seed oil mill VII be built and a village established. fol which a site has already been surveyed The Conference agent has visited fffteer counties In Alabama during the year ant organized about fifty local conferences Probably about 200 of these conferences have been organised during the last fivt years. Many of them meet once a month and exert very great influence for goot on all phases of the life of the people They not only encourage to buy land bu also spread intelligence and improve thu come to the school during the year stat ing that in spite of the hard times, tn, people are buying more land and more them paying out of debt than ever be company composed of colored people. hal bought in Butler County. Alabama, two large plantations and paid for them. Jot Strickland a famous Conference farmer owns 600 acres of land in Bullock County Alabama, and. this year, raised 10S bales of cotton. The Bureau of Nature Study established at the school has sent out its monthly bulletin to thousands of farmers and teachers and most excellent results have followed. This publication can bs their name and address to Professor c. w, Carver, Director of the Bureau. Tus- kegee. Ala. It Is very certain that more than one half of all the eolored people of conferences. Henry Thomas of Coosa County, Alabama, writes that she owns 1000 acres of land. J. IT, Harry of Hale County, Alabama, writes:
 T am glad to say that am Still prog, ressing. I never rode in a buggy tiil l bought one of my own. The first year ] moved to my new home l made twenty seven bales of cotton with two mules and an OK; the second year. thirty-nine bales with three mules and an OK. l now own 355 acres of land. and have come from a one-room log house to a five-room cottage. ] raise meat, corn and nolasses to sell, and have potatoes enough \to do me till they come again" Mir. Harry has been to the Annual Conference several times.
 MT. J. R. Dixon of whatley. Ala. writes: "I wish very much to attend the cause of moving and buying am short of money. I have bought 142 acres of land here. I have thought many times of writing you. but could not till had acted upon some of the things I learned at the Conference held in 1SN."
 dn Mississippi special efforts are being made to get possession of lands. South ern white men are coming to see that the negro, as a land owner. is a much more valuable citizen than as tenant. North ern capital Is turning freely in this diretb tion and it is proving to be paving and safe investment. At one point over 40,000 acres have been bought. This will be homes built for them and an opportunity given them to pay for it. whether they have any money to pay down or not. Rufus Heron of Camp Hill. Ala. has off, ten told the Conference that he can buy forty acres of land wholly on credit and make it pay for itself in from six to eight years. He has done this till he now has about 40 acres all paid for. He will be glad to correspond with any who would like the benefit of his experience.
 Representatives from twentythree diff ferent States and the District of Colum- bia were present: New York. Massachu- setts. Alabama Tennessee. Michigan, Texas South Carolina North Carolina