The colored American., 1902-06-21

tlefeld Mr. Washington spoke as fol-
lows:
No name is more prominent in Con-
gress and no man is more closely con-
nected with all that is wise, brave and
pure than the Honorable Charles E. Lit
tlefeld of the great State of Maine,
whom | have great pleasure in intrOduc-
ing to you.
SPEECH OF Mr.. LITTI. .EFIELD.
Mr.. President and Fellow Citizens =
do not suppose that it is necessary for
me to say that it is with great and unal
loved pleasure that / stand here, if only
for a few moments, to say few words
to the magnificent audience that is here
assembled before me. | have heard of
this institution and of its work | have
many times heard of the man who has
been mainly instrumental in bringing
about the magnificent results which are
here illustrated in open books before me,
with intelligence beaming upon every
page. | know what his reputation
throughout the land is as an orator,
and | we'll recognize his great ability IN
the use of the pen, but there is the tongue
of no orator nor the pen of any writer,
although it be considered even a reflect
ton upon the distinguished writer who
presideS over the destinieS of this insti-
tuition, that can put upon paper record
of the magnificent work which we have
seen here to-day.
HAS ACHIEVED PRACTICAL RESULTS.
1t afforded me great pleasure to hear
this distinguished man say-and when L
say distinguished | use it without intent
whatever as to distinction of race, color
or creed-it afforded me pleasure | say,
to hear him say that my distinguished
colleague whose magnificent and prince
/ ly hospitality to my colleagues and my
self we have so thoroughly enjoyed, is
one of the benefactors of this institu-
ton In my colleagues address, IN the
characterization of your president, he
said that he was one who was the peer OF
any colOred educator in the world.
propose to go him one better in charac-
terizing Mr.. Washington and his work,
and want to say that he stands upon a
par with the presidents of the best instl-
tutions in this or anv other land Cap
plause.) | say that Booker I. Wash
ngton, beginning in 1881 upon land that
had nothing upon il. the ordinary land
we see in driving about this country,
with no buildings, with no equipment,
and presenting 70 us to-day this lnStltu-
ton with its splendid results and mag
nifcent opportunities, stands on a par
with the head of any institution in the
land. for he has achieved practical
results beginning at the foundation
and building the superstructure strong
and sound and firm and eternal, super
structure upon which the Republic must
stand. (Applause(
THE GOSPEL OF WORK.
| think | can perhaps from personal
standpoint, in sense, sympath1ze with |
the results which have been achieved |
here. | came from the far-off Eastern |
country, where the sun shines and the |
rains pour upon the lust and the unjust, |
although it does not shine quite the |
length of time or quite as hot as 1t ap- /
narentlv does here. We have perhaps |
in our institutions and in our surround
ings a different environment from that
YOU have here, and yet in the main essen
tials we have the same. In the tunda-
mental underlying idea we have practi-
cally the same.
Now Just one word by way of per
sonal reference, a thing | very seldom
indulge in. AS | was riding about here
Yesterday, being driven by one of your
teachers in this school who was showing
me YOUR work, he called my attention
to the residence of one of your preach
ers. He said that this preacher not only
preached. but that he worked as well.
That suggested TO my mind a personal
recollection My father was a Free VIII
Baptist minister IN Maine He died at
the age of eighty-one years. He was
not only minister but mechanic and