The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-10-19

To the Atlanta Journal
have been preaching, perergrinatins, lectur-
ing around over the United States for thirty
years but think the biggest broadest, highest
thing ! have struck in all my rounds hit last
Saturday night at the Booker Washington Normal
institute of Tuskegee, Ala, ! arrived at Tuske-
gee on the evening train, and about o'clock
in carriages, with Congressman THOMPSON Rev.
Mr. lrawick and other gentlemen, drove OUT
70 the chapel or auditorium OF the school ana
We walked in and took our seats on the platform.
There were twenty-four hundred students sitting
before me and choir OF two hundred behind
us 1t was marvellous sight to look upon lhey
gave us three songs; two of classical music ana
one along the line Of the old-fashioned negro
melodies, and with this one they well nigh
lifted the roof from the great building was
then introduced to the audience and spoke Tor
an hour and half, ] am sure never spoke to
a more respectful attentive appreeiative au-
denee. After the lecture we had other songs
and the entertainment, not including my lecture
was immense
talked with several Of the leading citizens Of
Tuskeeee and questioned them closely as to the
nature, influence and efficiency Of that school
They spoke uniformly in the highest terms OF
Booker Washington and the great work he was
doing. The institute is a city in itself, with IT'S
electric lights, its many buildings, and the au-
ditorium in which spoke is one OF the finest IN
America This school not only has ITS literary
features, but it is a beehive in itself All the
great buildings on the premises, the artisans OF
the school nodded the brick in each building did
the carpenter and stonemason work, and every
thing was done there by the school that could be
done in Alabama by skilled workmen thlnE
there are 24oo students present now and
learned that there were 1900 additional applicants
who had to be turned away. Rev. Mr. Irawick
told that on some occasion at the college
/ some weeks ago Congressman Thompson made
! few remarks on the platform, and Booker Wash
/ ngton got UP and in his remarks said that he had
kept close record OF all his students and gradu-
ates OF the normal institute OF Iuskesee, and not
! a single student or graduate had ever broken
/ into the penitentiary or into the United States
congress asked Booker Washington the next
morning in reference 70 the latter point SAID
Tell me- have you kept record OF your students,
and is it a fact that not one of them has ever
been convicted of crme?" He said Those
are the facts l said 1T is generally said
that when YOU educate negro he is headed for
the chaingang but" ! said, you make marvel
Gus statement in the thousands and thousands Of
students who have attended your school that not
one of them had ever been convicted OF crime.
said Facts are facts, and stand out COM
plete refutsaon OF all bare assertions on any
line"
| have believed for years that Booker T.
Washington was the leading colored man Of the
world and have always believed that he was
leading his people right. heard that he said TO
Of you cherish the idea Of social equality. 1t
will be a thousand years" he said, before you
can think hid talk along that line, You have
got TO pu1 thousand years Of industry OF
history Of poetry, of science, Of achievements
behind voul before w" ""~ @--- 49,