The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-11-03

He spoke OF the question OF the poh-
tax. and said he could understand he
feeling OF the people on this matter thar
they certainly did have some grounds for
complaint. Some educated persons we're
urging the negroes not to pay their poll
taxes. This he considered a great mis-
take, for the reason hat a great part OF
the ~poll-tax went TO the educational fun1.
He urged upon the educators 10 recon-
mend the payment of the poli-tax.
We should not care said he. i, part
OF our Dolltax went toward the eiuca
tion OF the children OF the white race
The best way to protect ourselves is TO
help educate the white race"
He was not here to speak OF rights. II
was not a question of rights. but OF
which was wisest and best for them 70 do
Ninety per cent. of the colorod people
for the present must make their living
by their muscle. So their only hope 9
to learn to do intelligent work. The dig
nitv cf labor should be impressed upon
the pupils of every school.
At the conclusion of DR.. Peguee re-
marks, Prot. j. r. Hawkins, Of the KIT
trell school, was introduced by PROF..
Atkins. Prof. hawkins said IN part
In these ~thirty-eight years he Cthe ne
SIOJ dS "lptd ' ~ ptI 'CIl va -
illiteracy; has enrolled in the publicscnools
Of the country about 1,750. 900 children
with an average attendance of more than
900. 900: with forty-One institutions for
higher training. and now IN training about
II, 600. taking college and professional
courses; 80, 600 negro teachers; 1000 grad
yates; HOO taking special and business
courses: 1900 taking special trades. To
help care for the sick, he has more than
a thousand doctors and trained nurses.
To lead for the unfortunate criminals,
hundreds of lawyers. He IS speaking to
the world through $50 negro
and four magazines; $50 books by negro
authors; PSI 600 volumes in libraries, val
ued at about $500, 900. Helping to handle
the finance in four banks owned and con-
trolled by negroes; with 1870. 900 farms ana
80. 900 homes independent OF these farms;
with over $40, 900 600 worth of school prop
erty; 500, OOO, 900 worth of church property
and paying taxes on over $3.50, 600, 900
worth of real estate and personal proper
ty. In the face of these facts, who, pray,
tell me who will dare to stand up and
say the negro has not proven his fitness
and won his title to the rights and priv
ileges of a man and a full fedged citizen?
Lend us a helping hand, or give
Us but a fair show and equal opportunl-
ties to prove our fitness and we will meet
the test. We ask no special %favors, nor
do we want any special legislation for US.
While on the other hand we solemnly and
sacTedly protest against any special leg
islation against us.
I'VE honor the Anglo-Saxon because he
honors his mother, his wife. and his daugh
ter; and we swear as Sacredly as
Hannibal swore to Hamilcar, his father.
that we will stand by him in protecting
these fair ones of his race. and we beg
in return that he will be as true to Us in
standing by and protecting the virtue and
the lives Of our mothers, our wives. our
sisters and our daughters who are as
dear to US as life itself.
Eve do not ask admission to your homes
and We do not expect invitations Of 4
social nature. These things do not trouble
us at all. but we are concerned about de-
cent treatment on our railroads and pub
lie thoroughfares where comforts are ex-
changed for pay, and when one mans
dollar is as good as the others. We are
concerned about receiving something Ike
a reasonable price tor a hard honest days
labor. We are concerned about the edu-
cation and uplift of all the people. Our
watch word is educate, educate. educate
IOl u pail, u oil JIG CO-lC u
them not as white men. not as black
men, but as men.
Let us give our support to that party
whose creed is based on the bed rock Of
truth and justice. Let us be slaves 20
no creed, nor the designing tools of any
political trickster. We will wear no
badge but that of true manhood
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON.
Next Prof. Atkins introduced Booker L.
Washington, as the representative of all
the virtues and high qualities of which
the negro race is capable, the most useful
man III the country, as he IN effect put It.
A great ovation greeted the famous ne
gro, nearly every one OF the several thous-
and colored people present waved a hand
kerchief, and cheer after cheer was given
with tumultuous heartiness.
Booker Washington spoke for an hour
and a quarter, and was applauded at the
conclusion of every period, and hearty
laughter greeted every one of the many
anecdotes he told to point the morals he
drew.
The following are some extracts from
his address:
1.-The question which is constantly be
ing asked Is. of what benefit is education
and what should it be made to accomplish?
| believe that education should be made,
first of all. to assist an individual III
making the most of the things that are
right about him, in his own home. il
his own town, neighborhood and State
Education should enable one to do the
thing that the community in which be
hives wants done at the present time
Further than that. education should ena
bic one to make his own living and to
make the living of someone else as we'll.
1t should not only be made to minister
to the bodily wants, but to the wants OF
the mine and the spiritual and higher
nature of the individual. In considering
any system of education for a race or
for a nation, l believe it is proper that
one should first find out what the III
dustry is that the majority of the pee
pie are most likely to make their living
ct, and then education should be bent
IN the direction as far as possible of Ell.
aiding the people to get most out OF the
industry on which they are most depend
ent. Thus here in the South, and espc
cially is it true of the negro race, thc
majority of US live by agriculture in some
caIp, orI 7 hoo @1o4 vo 1l,l1 80