Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-13
SPECIAL HONORS FOR TWO
Degree Of IL. D. Conferred on General
Tbayer and B~x-OhsnOellOr Nanatt.
BOOKER WASHINGTON IS THE ORATOR
Tells %University students About the
cOIorsd Man IN che south and the
working Out of the Race
Problem.

from a stan Correspondent
LINCOLN, June 12.-(Speclal)-Booker
7. Washington OF Tuskegee. Ala, the coll
ored leader, educator and writer, ad-
dressed at. the annual commencement Of the
University OF Nebraska this morning one
Of the largest audiences that ever as
sembled indoors in this city. His subject
was Tine Race Problem" Seldom has an
orator created a more favorable impression
upon his auditors in Lincoln than did this
speaker today. He held the full interest
OF the assemblage throughout his address,
which was over an hour in length, and was
frequently and heartily applauded.
The exercises were held in the Audi
forum. About 10 o'clock the seniors and
candidates for higher degrees assembled
at the university and formed in line be-
hind Chancellor Andrews. the faculty and
q band. To a lively afr they marched
through the business portion Of the city
to the Auditorium. All but those seats re-
served for the seniors and faculty were al
ready filled. After the procession entered
the building the doors we're thrown open
and ali available standing room was soon
taken.
Confers Degree ON Thayer.
General John M. Thayer of this city and
former Chancellor ]. Irving Manatt of
Providence. r. l., were honored with IL.
D.. degrees. They were conferred by the
chancellor Just before the benedletlon was
pronounced at the commencement exer-
cises. The announcement came as a sur
prise, no intimation of it having been
given either by the chancellor or any OF
the regents. The recommendations were
made to the board this morning and a
unanimous vote was given to authorize the
chancellor to confer the degrees. General
Thayer was announced as scholar, SOL
der, statesman and former Chancellor
Manatt as scholar, teacher, writer, dip
lomat."
From the graduate school the degree Of
M. A. was conferred upon the following:
Fred John Bates, B. Sc, 1900, Kansas State
university, physics; William Bell Cartrnel.
B. Sc, 1900, Case School of Applied Science.
physics; Leonora Henriette Dahl, A. B.,
1898, the University Of Nebraska, German;
Harry Webster 'Graybill, B. Sc, 1900, the
University Of Nebraska, zoology; Charlotte
Eugenia Hullhorst. A. B., 1900, the Uni
versity of Nebraska, German; Carl Henry
Meier, A B.. 1899, the University Of Ne
braska, European history; Eleanora Tib-
bets Miller, A. B., 1900, the University of
Nebraska, philosophy; Walter Peterson, A.
B., 1900. Grand Island college, Greek: An
ME Elizabeth Prey, A. B., 1895, the Uni
versity OF Nebraska, English; Walter
Hampton Rhodes, A. D., 1896, the Univer-
sity of Nebraska, European history; Ida
Lutte Robbins, b. Sc, 1890, Tabor college,
4 American history.
The university Board of Regents has
raised the salary of Chancellor Andrews to
$4,000. the $1,000 increase being allowed
for lectures on ethics. This is the first
time in the history Of the institution that
provision has been made for paying the
chancellor more than 5000 a year for his
services. The action was taken by the
board at a meeting held just before the
commencement exercises.
Following is the address of Booker t.
Washington:
Booker WashingtOn's Address.
The subject to which l want to call your
attention for a brief period concerns, l
think. not only the south, not only the
negro race to which l belong, but every
our country, 1t is a subject which espe-
ciallY, Il seems to me-, should concern the
schciGc' whether he resides in the north or
south. ..
Before we can discuss what is known as
the race problem I'm this country with any
degree OF beneht we should grow IL pos
sible to the point where we can place our
selves In the position of the negro at the
selves above ourselves as to view condi-
tons from the position Of the white man at
the south. Tn time has passed when any
thing can be gained for the black man or
for any section of our country by mere
or BY passing of words of emnat
bstween enc section of the country and the
other.
l confess that when l first began the
work of educating my race at Tuskegee.
Ala , IL was with rather a selfish ambition
10 lft un the negro II necessary at the ex-
pense o. the southern white man. | have
i on since dn 4 hope oHtgroWn that selfish
have no desire that is higher than that
which Will serve the highest and most last
regardless Of race and regardless OF color.
For q number OF years at the Tuskegee
emphasized Industrial education in connec-
tlon with moral and literary training. for
the reason that we have believed that in
this fern of education lay in a very large
degree the hope of our race, as well as the
inFdrstriai life of the white man in a way
to mako the two races feel that their inter
ests are identical.
First Problem of Freedom.
The problem OF self-support Immediately
after the war was the first one which
faced our race, and with our industrial sys-
tenn, comprising twenty-one different indus
ssr5iasoi deRaTtments; we are teaehing the
ton the lesson. OF the dignity and beauty
Of labor; the lesson OF self-reliance, the
dividua! can get upon its feet until It learns
tina there is dignity in all forms of labor
learns that a race In order to get upon
its feet must become ar original, primary
producer of wealth aud not Yield TO the
temptation TO live by it's wits.
We are teaching our people through the
huI dreds or graduates that go out from
uskege TO put brains, skill and dignity
into the common occupations of life. We
are teaching them that their greatest pro-
lection will be In usefulness. We are teach
ins them TO do a common thing in an un-
comntn manner, to ift labor up out of
drudgery~ snd toll into that atmosphere
where Il becomes beautiful and glorifed.
We hfe teaching them that In Proportion
as they iesrn TO do a thing so well that no
one else can improve upon Il, in the same
prop ruoh will they be recognized as citi-
guns and as men and women.
Mistakes OF Education.
I believe that at present and during
a number of years to come our people
Will md their greatest usefulness and
their most secure foundation in the
ownership and cultivation OF the soil; for
thatsreason IN our education we emphasize
especially agricultural training. We be-
heVe that II Is a mistake to take a young
man from an agricultural district and
educate him In everything about heaven
and earth except the very industry about
which he should know most. that Is agri-
culture. Elghtysnve per cent of our people
IN the gulf states live by some form of