The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-12

please, realizes that it was a blessing in
disguise that took away her dependence
on the slave and the farm, and gave her
| self-reliance and the diversified indus
tries that are today blessing our people
with plenty and prosperity. The South
has learned that not only is the work
OF the free negro of greater value than
that of the slave, but that freeing him
has freed the white men from the idea
that manual labor was for the negro
alone, and rich and poor alike are now
training their sons to work.
We thank God for universal freedom!
Another great factor in our upbuilding
is the educational awakening among our
people. Long time we hung our heads in
shame and confessed our enormous per-
centage Of illiteracy, but today South
ern hands and Southern hearts and
Northern hands and Northern hearts are
united in their one purpose and effort 10
! educate all the people, and more money
is being spent for that purpose than
ever before in our history. The bright
light of education is Illuminating our
Southern skies, and every passing day
brings fuller acknowledgement of the
genius of Southern manhood, in learning,
cial lines. Only little while ago a
young Southerner from little country
village in North Carolina, and college
class mate of mine, was called to cultur-
ed Boston, where, as editor of the At
lantic Monthly, he filled with distinction
the chair that James Russell Lowell, and
other New England literary celebrities
had been proud to occupy. And never in
lett hor hat
zine attained higher literary excellence,
wider popularity and larger influence
than during his occupancy of the edito-
rial chair, That young man is today
making the Worlds Work" in the city
of New York, a mighty factor in the
literary and industrial life of the coun-
try, and he is one of the recognized
leaders in the great educational cam
paign now Naging in the South.
Just three weeks ago, at the hands Of
Grover Cleveland and others, a scholarly
young Virginian, Woodrow Wilson. was
placed at the head of Princeton College.
A native Texan guides the destinies OF
the National City Bank, one of the lead
ing financial institutions of the world.
Another Southerner, and North Caro-
linian, too, is the active head of the
great English Tobacco Com
pany whose great commercial arms are
now reaching out over the civilized
world. This young man and his imme-
date family have recently invested near
ly a million dollars in higher education
in North Carolina. So, in the sacred
pulpit in the learned professions, in the
great banking institutions in the man
agement Of great railways, at the head of
the American Bankers Association, in
every line where brain, ard character,
and genius count, the sons of the South
are found We are proud of them.
Among all our rich possessions we count
as our choicest and best, our loyal sons
and daughters. These are our jewels.
Our sons are as plants, grown up il
their youth; orr daughters "s corner
stones, polished after the similitude Of a
palace"
There is one other matter which has
been misunderstood. and perhaps ought
net to be omitted in this discussion
Another war is being waged. Another
Declaration Of independence has been
proclaimed, and is being denfended. It
is the emancipation of the white man.
When the great Lincoln issued his pro-
clamation of freedom, the world applaud
ed. The most intense Southerner today
rejoices that the negro's freedom was
accomplished. But scarcely any we'll in
formed person is found now who does not
recognize that an egregious mistake was
made when, through the ballot, the bal
ance of political power was placed in
the hands of a mass of ignorant people,
> without the least conception of the
meaning of government. The South hon
ors the negro. We can never forget the
loyal fidelity with which he stood by
the old home, and by the women and
children when the husbands and fathers
and sons We're gone to the war.
Longing for freedom, and knowing the
meaning of the battle that was waging,
ne never failed in his devotion to the
interest of his old master. History re-
cords no similar devotion among any
people The South cannot forget these
things. and because of them she gives
the negro her sincerest friendship. But
she believes that it is to the best inter-
est of both races that the control Of gov
erument should be in the hands of intel
ligent men, and it is to this end that re-
cent constitutional changes have been
made, and educational restrictions i'm
posed. ana mus IN various ways We are
undergoing the process of new emanci-
patton.
Already the benefits are manifest in
the impetus that has been given to the
cause Of education. And unless our
wisest men are mistaken. a few years
will convince the world of the wisdom Of
what now seems to be rather heroic ac-
ton. Let criticism be withheld until re-
suits are seen. We ask your patience,
and welcome your confidence.
Time works wonderful changes in our
ideas. The youngest of US remember
when the prejudice against Northern
men was very bitter, and when the name
of the great man who issued the procla-
nation of freedom was cordially hated
by many in the South. Around me | sec
men and women of every section-men
and women of the South and Of the
North. Not many of these were among
those who drew the sword and fought
each other, but they are the sons and
daughters Of those grand old heroes who
wore the blue, and equally grand old
+ hproCc Win wore the srr1v We sit to-