The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-04-17

the encouragement and assistance of
levery thoughtful and patriotic citizen
of the land wherever he may live and
whatever may be his ideas or prederlic-
tons concerning the more remote
phases of the negro problem.
In summing up the whole matter,
there is one thing of which we can be
absolutely and u1Teservedly certain.
When We aid Tuskegee institute and
agencies like it, i~nstructing for the
mental n manual education of the
negro at the south we are in every
point of view rendering him the best
possible service. Whatever nay be his
ultimate destiny we are thus helping
to fit him for filling his place and bear
ing its responsibilities. We are SOW
ing well in the soil at che bottom Of
life" the seeds OF the black mans de-
veiopment and usefulness. These seeds
will not die, but will sprout and grow;
land, If it be within the wise purpose
of God, the hardened surface of no I'M
toward sentiment of prejudice car pre-
vent the bursting forth of the blade
and plant of the negroes appointed OPP
pOrtunity into the BRIGHT sunlight of a
lclOudless day.
At the conclusion of his address, Mr.
Cleveland introduced Edgar @. Muir
ply, who said: Il think that wise men
everywhere are recognizing in the prin-
~ P4C VI OShCsCCs JIG VI LIZ o.
moral assets in the life of our country
today. The south has not applauded
him with undiscrimlnating agreement
.Or with mOnOtOnous thOughtless profit
less acclaim. The south has some
times blamed him. But the south is
too fair to him and to his race to al
low these disagreements to distort the
broad prospective in which she has
viewed and appreciated that arduouS
public service through which, for TWEEN
.ty years in cheerful patience and un-
affected modesty. he has labored for
the upbuilding OF his humble and I'M
.tutorej fellows. He has greatly done
d great work in response to the great
need"
DIR. Lyman Abbott who followed,
said the south deserved great credit for
taking up as it had al untried prob
lem in helping the negro to help him
self. And the north, he said, has
given her scant credit. She has given
him schools that the north has refused
him and done many other things to-
wards his future that the north never
thought Of"
DR.. ABBOTT next spoke of the great
work of Booker IT. Washington and
praised him in the highest terms, de-
claring he had done as much for the
white race as for the colored race. His
work had really brought about the I'M
IO5l ~ liz llOl l. III JUL i IIlc "O1h
that he had taken up as his life-task.
w. II. Baldwin. Jr., treasurer of the
Tuskegee Institute announced that
soon after the meeting had begun he
had received two kilograms, one an
nOuncing a gift of $4,000 from a lady
in Ohio and the other a gift Of $1,000
from a lady and gentleman in the
south. He said $1,000 had been needed
to pay the Indebtedness Of the institu-
ton and that aking the gifts into con-
sideratiOn, there was the small sum of
$45, 900 needed, for which he made an
urgent plea as we'll as for a further
endowment sum.
Mr.. Cleveland in introducing Booker
T. Washington, the last speaker Of the
evening aid Il have to introduce to
you a mar too we'll known by every
man in the United States, q man who
has been spoken of too frequently and
too favorabIy for it to be necessary for
me to say more than here is Booker T.
Washington