The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-11
NEGROES ADJOURN
big CONGRESS AT ATLANTA NOW
AT AN END.
GOOD RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
THE NEGRO'S CONDITION AND OUT
LOOK REVIEWED.

low 1u the FOOtstepS OF the Anglo
snxon-BishOp w. j. Gaines Elect
ed President.
Atlanta, Aug. 10.-The adoption of
an elaborate set of resolutions and
the farewell address of Bishop Gaines
brought to a close tonight the Negro
Young Peoples Christian and Educa-
tional Congress. which has been in ses-
sion In this city for the greater part of
last week. The closing meeting was
held in the Agricultural building at
Piedmont Park, and was attended by
more than 5000.
The resolutions adopted by the con-
gress are in part as follows:
Our purpose here has been to deal
with problems which confront the re-
public in it's complex national life; but
more especially to deal with those
problems that are essentially the ne
gro's, and which, in the very nature of
the case, must be virtually solved by
him. While on the one hand we have
had wrongs and grievances, on the
other hand we have had opportunities
and privileges innumerable and we
are so deeply convinced that to show
ourselves worthy of the latter is in
flDitely better than to permit ourselves
to be weakened and discouraged by the
former. Whatever of burdens we may
still have to endure of adjustments
which are yet to be made, we throw
ourselves upon the justice and fair
NAV of the A noRrir1n np0Tlp Mort n a nd
South. and declare our unreserved con-
Viction that right in the end will pre-
vail.
In spite of the theorists and their
theories, both before and after eman-
cipation, we have shown ourselves
able to live and thrive. While our
material growth has not been quite as
marked as our numerical growth, yet
the results are nightly satisfactory
and encouraging. A generation ago we
came out of bondage without foot CT
land, without a home, without a name
Even the clothes which covered our
poorly clad bodies were not ours To-
day we have some land. some homes,
some money. Yesterday we had Moth
ing, to-day we own millions of acres
of land, pay tax and on property worth
millions of dollars, and raise more cot
ton under freedom than under slav-
cry. These facts show conclusively
that the negro is frugal and industri-
Gus, and is constantly growing into
the economic and national life of the
nation.
Many problems regarding the men
tai ability of the negro have been solv-
ed. 1t is no longer a question as to
whether he can learn or how much he
can learn. The evident purpose in
some respects to meet objects and the
ories is responsible for some errors in
our educational methods which in the
beginning were made. Now, after
years of experience, we have pleasure
in being able to say that our educa-
tional methods are both practical and
effective. While much has been ac-
complished in the educational develop
ment of our people, candor compels
us to admit that much yet remains to
be done.
Wise Recommendation.
with the view to promoting our
material interests and increasing the
number of opportunities to earn live
lIhood. we earnestly recommend to our
people throughout the country that
they teach their children the dignity
and value of manual labor, and that
they give them the benefit of an in
dustrial education which will enable
them to enter the worlds industries
with as much knowledge, skill, and
dexterity as members of other races
possess. That for the purpose
of securing competent men and
women to lead the race in it's
struggle for greater knowledge, purer
character better religion, nobler man
hood and larger accumulation of
wealth we must encourage the higher
education Of as many Of our boys and
girls as are susceptible of higher train
ing. Our highest aspiration is not that
of the anarchist, to destroy; not that
of the master to dominate, but rather
that of the brother, to cooperate with
our fellow countrymen in building upon
this continent a civilization which will
recognize in practice as well as in the
ory the fatherhood Of God and the
brotherhood of man.
Question of Moral status.
while there is still room for a bet
ter and higher moral life among us,
yet unmistakable evidences of a purer
home and individual life are most gra-
tifying. In fixing our moral status, we
ask you as a matter of fair play, do
not judge us by our worst-as has SO
often been done-but, rather by our
best. While we are iaboring earnestly
to lift up and save our more unfortun-
ate brethren, we ask you to continue
to help us, and with all, to be patient
with US.
I'VE are cognizant Of the civic and
political inequalities under which our
people are suffering; nevertheless, we
urge our people to continue to strive TO
shape their conduct so that they NAV
prove themselves deserving of any
right and privilege now enjoyed by
every other American citizen.
LAS citizens of this republic we
feel keenly the responsibility of put
ting ourselves in touch with the best
elements of all races and classes, and
of doing all we can to make this truly
a liberty loving nation, guaranteeing
to everyone, rich or poor, high or low,
Monaghan or Malay, Caucasian or
negro. the fullest protection Of the
law.
we stand ready to join with the
Anglo-Sa Saxon, learning the same les
son he learned from the ancient Creek
to lay first the root Of civilization.
and then with light and learning to
carry II around the world, and more
especially to Africa"
A mammoth temperance meeting
was held in the afternoon, at which
temperance orators from many sec
lions OF the country delivered adj
dresses. Platform meetings for men
only and for women only were also
held At the former meeting the
principal addresses were delivered by