The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-13
negro VERY POPULAR
William C Matthews Won De-
bate for Harvard
is A FINE ORATOR
Other Instances Where Ne
groes Have Propered GreatIey

| New 1ork, july Line new 1Ork
World says:
Harvard University's prize orator is a
fuI-blooded negro.
The hero of the Cambridge seat of
learning at this moment is a negro,
! right-helder Of the crimson's nine, whose
superb work won the victory from Yale
the other day in the furious battle on
the diamond.
A negro has been recently ordained a
priest of the Roman Catholic Church
by Cardinal GiOoons.
In the Paris Salon picture painted
by a Philadelphia negro hangs with
others Of the years best creations of the
brush, the second of his works so hon
ored.
The daughter of slave whose ability
learning and high purpose have made
him famous and rendered him a great
factor in the uplifting of his race--is
Booker T. Neutrality-suspicious. by her
grace and talents, high position among
her white sisters at Wellesley College
one of the foremost educational institl
] lions of the country.
! A negro, w II. Lewis, has become
a leading authority on football, and as
a coach has no superior. He was the
most celebrated center rush of the Har-
ward eleven, and the Boston bar is proud
! of him as a brilliant member.
There are few of the recent notable
indications of the remarkable progress
/ which is being made by the negro race
and in various fields of intellectual artis-
/ tic and physical activity in the United
/ States. And on his roll Of honor must
also be written, at or near the top, the
name of Roscoe Conkling Bruce, who
/ last month was the star orator Of the
/ graduating class of Harvard
His father was Senator Blanch K.
Bruce. of Mississippi. one tine Registrar
OF the United States Treasury and
{ leader until his death of American ne
groes in education and politics.
When Senator Bruce went to the Sem
ate Chamber Roscoe ConkIing. of all the
august body. was the only one to do him
the courtesy of escorting him to the
President ana to his seat.
In grateful memory of this act of
kindness Mr.. Bruce gave to his first
son the name of the New York states
man.
Young Bruce won the class aratorship
against p. E. Fitzpatrick, of Boston, a
brilliant speaker. His address was an ex-
position of what he purposed that his
life work should be-namely. helping his
race in the South to better and higher
| things.
At the Lincoln Day observance at
Harvard in February last Bruce spoke on
the status of the black men, summing
up the theories in these words:
The most effective way. if I see it,
to reach the negro agriculturist, to eman-
cipate him from ignorance and unthrift,
is to distribut through the rural dis
tricts men and womhen trained in indus
trial schools.
The moral enthusiasm which conspir-
cd the North in 1865 now inspires the
North TO join hands with the South TO
emancipate the negro by the economical
progress of education, and education that
makes men carpenters and carpenters
men.
Bruce won the coveted oratoricaI honor
10y u vote of 269 to 100. and was pro-
,.ounced one of the finest speakers that
the old university ever had within it's
walls.
IN the Hsrvard-Yale debate of 100
Harvard carried off the prize, and it
was due to the brilliant oratory of Bruce
that the victory went TO Cambridge. At
ter the debate a large crowd gathered out
side his room and cheered him. There
was never any color line drawn between
l,f I,
he mingled on equal terms in the class
room and gymnasium.
Bruce was born in Washington in 1879.
went to the public schools In the capital
city. thence going to Phillips Exeter Hail
where he fitted for Harvard. entering in
1895 His ability as a speaker in the
class debating club quickly attracted at
tention, and he was soon on his class
team in the debate against the sopho-
mores.
In the fan of 1899 he came out as
a candidate for the Princeton debate.
and was chosen for the. honor. acquit-
ting himself with great credit In his
freshman year he won the Baron Couber-
tin medal. offered to stimulate interest
In the problems Of French politics lie
also Won the Pasteur Medal for the best
sueech in the interclass debate
His wide reading. great powers of con-
oenUatioa and native powers Of mind
brought him 20 victory through many
cxhausting trial debates. He has alsa
much literary talent. as was shown by
stories written by him fer the college +
papers He is extremely modest and (
is ford Of hard work As he was not
@ man Of means. he was awarded one OF /
the Pi.oc Greenleaf scholarships.
Brucs's method OF 0ratory is marvel +
lous in its strength and beauty. Conclud- /
ing in his speeches he said:
There upon the southern plantation.
IS an American in black. bound hand in
foot by ignorance and untarift; slave 20
Use untutoreG impulses OF his past. be-
lax save 10 an uanlumined SELF. he is
slave Il a merciless master.
For slivery Of this sypc, the emanci-
paagn Troclanation = written in one
s. ord upoa ms university C5arvard) seal:
IL was spoken centuries aso by 7he
Teacher "a Teachers. And Sc shall know
the ruth. ard the truth shah make you
free.
In another though equally honorable
field Henry O. Tanner. of Philadelphia.
has won a high place Tbs year and FOR
several preceding years his pictures have
eeub hung n the Paris salon.
TIis Raising of Lazarus. exhibited n
1877. obtained Tor him the highest award
Franc can ve 10 an artist X was