New-York tribune., 1903-04-15
FRIEND OF THE NEGRO.
MR. CLEVELAND SPEAKS.
Large Meeting for the Cause of Edu-
cation an the South.

Before audience which cOmpIeIely HIIeu
Madison Square Garden Concert Hall and left
! people standing at the doors last evening,
Booker T Washington. Dr. Lyman Abbott and
| Grover Cleveland discussed industrial educa-
| ton in the South. as represented by Tuskegee
Institute. Ex-President Cleveland, introduced
by Mayor Low, acted as chairman Of the meet
| ing and proclaimed his friendship for the
| negro. William H. Baldwin, jr-, one OF the
New-York trustees of Tuskegee, and Edgar
| Gardner Murphy. secretary of the Southern
| Educational Association. also spoke
The audience was distinctly one attracted oy
the subject. Men widely known in connection
| with educational affairs in the South were
there Among the boxholders were Jacob H
Schff. Robert c. Ogden and Willis l. Ogden,
ST. Clair McKelway and John D. Crimmins- In
a box with Andrew Carnegie and Mrs Carnegie
sat Mrs. Cleveland. On the platform with the
speakers were President Nicholas Murray But
Ter and Dean Van Amringe of Columbia Univer-
sity Chancellor MacCracken of New-Hork Uni
versity. the Rev Dr. David H Greer, the Rev"
DR.. W. 5. Rainsford, George Foster Peabody
R Fulton Cutting. J. G. Phelps Stokes and
John De Witt Warner. The meeting was under
the auspices of the Armstrong Association In
the sea of faces which fronted the platform
were visible a few dark skinned ones.
In the discussion DR.. Abbott spoke from
purely Northern point of view, although he en-
phasized the national scope of the race prob
lem The North and the South equally were re-
sponsible for the negro being here, ne SAID
The Northern AbClitOnists, he declared, were
the first seccssIoEists but the feeling of national
responsibility forbade the11 leave the slave
States just as later it worked to prevent the
slave States from leaving the rest of the Union
BY the sword you can strike OF nanacle. but
by the sword YOU cannot build up man," was
his utterance regarding the effect of the Civil
War
GROVER CLEvELAND's ADDRESS.
Ex-President Cleveland after being presented
to the audience by Mayor Low in brief speech
said:
7 have come here tonight a sincere friend of
the negro ana 7 should be very sorry to suppose
that ny SqoG anu f6 i late dav Either from cert-
cate confession of faith InasnQeh however. as
there may be some differences Of thought and sen
tment among those who profess to be friends OF
the negro desire TO declare myseII as oslostjIs t
Organization ! believe that the days OF "OnGie l
decree that made the slaves free the enactment
that suddenly invested them with the rights OF clI
zenship any more purged them of their racial and
slavery bred imperfections and deficiencies than
II changed the color of their skins believe that
amCne the nearly nine millions OF negroes who
have been nterTnixed with our citizenship there IS
of vicousness and a tremendous amount of laziness
nexoraby present to the white people Of the United
States-to each IN his environment and under the
netber enlightened sef-interest nor the higher
motive OF human sympathy will permit them 10 put
aside Ct
ern and late slave holding States. surrounded oy
about Dne-tenths. nearly eight millions. OF TINS
entire negro population and who regard their mate
rial prosperity thelT peace. dLG even tIe
their civilization. interviewer with the negro PROP
lem entitled utmost consideration ana
svmpa thetic fellowship am thoroughly convinced
m efforts of Booker Washington and the
,Iet,o5s Of TJskegee Institute point the way
q safe and benefceut solution Of the VeXaJ1OuS
negro Droblem at the South; and know that the
good neoDIe al the North. who have aided these
eNo-ts and methods. have illustrated the highest
ard hest citizenship and the most Christian and
enIightened philanthropy. l cannot. however. keep
ont 1f nv mind tonight the thought that with all
bDes for -the negro after ai. mainly depend.
exra,t co fer as it rests with the negroes them
selves ,ron the sentiment and conduct of the lead
ing and rPeoousible white OF the South. and
~, their mart toward those in their midst who
so much need their aid and encouragement
SCHOOLS FOR NEGRO CHILDREN.
I need waste no time in detailing. the evidence
that this aid and encouragement has thus far
heen e-enerof1sy forthcoming. Schools for the edu-
e.tf,r regr0 children and institutions for
r5t,gtrisl raining scattered all the South
81 r3t,a4e f,lnds So far ! informed. the senti-
rre,+ IN f.vo- OF the largest extension and road
est influence Of TUskegee Institute and kindred
agencies is universal ana believe that without
atca.,tf[- The negroes who ft themselves for
ffI oc~una tons and service ind willing and cheer
fni na+rouage and employment among their white
refv6bcrS THE man who Is beyond doubt the best
a,4shcrff IN me world the prospects Of the
rsce he Who founded and u the head OF
Tr,sL,sgea TnStute, and is the most notable repre-
sentative Of negro advancement, said at the At
Continued IN second page.