The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1902-09-06
Speech of

true of the ignorant and shiftless
black man.. .5' ri -
i am very anxious that in the de-
Velopment of this organization we not
only encourage more trade, which, in
"a large degree, means the handling Of
goods which have been produced by
) others, but that more and more each
year we encourage our people to be-
come frst-hand, intelligent and skill
1ul producers of original wealth, espe-
clatly in the direction of agriculture.
Most. people. who have. gotten upon
thelr feet have at one time or another
III thelr history, laid the foundation for
their success in Intelligent, skllful
cultivation of the soil. In the agricul-
| tural districts of the South our peo-
pie have an opportunity for develop
ment for laying the foundation of
wealth and success that is scarcely af
forded any people in any other part of
the world. Let us not neglect or over
look the "acres of diamonds" which
are right about our feet We want to-
teach our children to dig wealth out
OF the soil, by which they are sur
rounded in every section of the South.
EVERY man connected with this or
ganlzatlcn, no matter what his bust
ness may be, should bear in mind that
ne has not only a responsibility to de-
Velop MS own business, but should go
further than that; he owes a duty to
the community in which he lives, and
one OF these responsibilities should be
! TO use his influence to take from the
street corners, from the bar-rooms and
dens OF sin and misery every cOlored
DOy and man found in idleness One
CT the curses OF our race, and one to
which we cannot shut our eyes in hon
esty, is the large number of colored
men who are inclined to flock to the
cities and yield to the temptation of
trying to live by their wits, without
hard, earnest productive industry. Let
us rid the race of this class of people
as fast as possible. More and more our
I people are looking to such men as
compose this organization for guild
{ ance and leadership. The mere talk
ing man is beginning to disappear as
potential influence. The people want
the 'workingmen,' those who have
| proven by their fruits, by actual, tan
[ glble, visible results, that they are
entitled to respect and confidence, for
their leaders. y
has spent his time in merely travel,
ing from one community to the other,
without home of his own, without a
bank account, without financial credit,
! will more and more lose his influence
as leader. The people are begin
nlng to look for leadership in the type
or man who owns his home, who has
bank account, who has the respect
and confidence of not only the black
! people, but the white people. in the
I In
side OF every church I want to see well
cultivated farms, owned by our. people.
By the side of every certificate Of
church membership l want to see a
| bank book.
i want to see our people in every
part OF the country get the most thor.
ough and best education, but as a race
We want to remember that education
without being used in the direction
that our people most need help, viii
| prove of little permanent value to the
race. An idle educated mar, standing
| on the street corners with his hands
| IN his pockets, is not worth one whit
! more to society than an ignorant man
! ca TIE streets with his hands IN his
! pockets
while in many parts OF the South
We have disadvantages ard difEcu ties.
Which are ofte1 trying and hard to-
| bear. at the same time We should bear
in mind the fact to which a.! CT you
! viii testify, that when it comes to a.
pure matter O. business We have an op-
! DoTtu-ity and encouragement in the
| south that are seldom afforded our
| race in any part of the country. | re-
| peat, let us take advantage of these
opportunities and use them as stepping
stones in our efforts to get upon our
! feet as people.
ANOTHER PIECE OF ADVICE
CAS- look over this large and rep
resentative body, gathered from nearly
every state in the union, there is one
other piece Of advice which want to
leave with you and which / hope you
will bear in mind during the three
days deliberation. I hope that each
one of you have come here determined
| to get something of encouragement,
something of information and enthusi-
asm which you can take back home
with you and put into practical use
for the benefit Of the community in
which you live. Let us never grow
! respondent, doubtful or discouraged.
There is something in human nature
everywhere which recognizes merit in
! the form of successful industry, bust
ness intelligence and high Christian
I character.
/ After we return to our homes let us
bear in mind that in the long run and
I in the last analysis our influence and
power for good will be measured by
what our neighbors, black and white,
have to say about US, rather than the
words of the man who lives a thousand
miles distant from our territory
"We should not despfse small Begin
nings. We must learn to build from
the ground upwards and not from the