The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-04-16

a racial instinct Whatever it is, let us
remember that it has condoncd the ne
gro's share in the humiliation and spolia-
tion Of the white men of the South dur
ing the saturnatia of reconstruction days.
and has allowed kindly feeling for the
negro to survive the time when the
South was deluded by perilous flood of
indiscriminate, unintelligent and blight
ing negro suffrage. Whatever it is, let
MS trv to be tolerant and considerable of
the feelings and even prejudiced racial
instincts of our white fellow countrymcn
of the South, who in the solution of the
negro problem, bear the heat of the day
and stagger under the weight of the
white mans burden.
There are, however, other considera-
lions relative to the features of the ne
gro question. which may be regarded as
more in keeping with the objects and
purposes of this occasion. AS friends of
the negro, fully believing in the possibil-
ity of his Improvement and advancement
and sincerely and confidently laboring to
that end, it is folly for us to ignore the
Importance of the ungrudging co-opera-
ton on the part of the white people of
the South in this work. Labor as we
will. those who do the lifting of the
weight must be those who stand next to
it, This cooperation cannot be forced
nor can it be gained by running counter
to Southern ideas. Before reaching the
question of negroes full enjoyment of
civic advantages or even of all his priv
ileges ,theer are Immediately before us
and around us questions demanding i'm
mediate care, and there in dealing effect
ively with those, we can confidently RELY
upon the encouragement and assistance
of every thoughtful and patriotic citizen
of the land, wherever he may live and
whatever may be his ideas or prediIec-
lions concerning the more remote phases
of the negro problem. Booker Washing
ton in speaking on the conditions and
needs of his race has wisely said:
1T is at the bottom of life we must
begin and not at the top; nor should we
permit our grievances to overshadow our
opportunities -
I'm summing up the whole matter,
there is one thing of which we can be
absolutely and unreservedly certain.
When we see Tuskegee Institute and 9TH
ers like it, striving for the mental and
manual education of the negro at the
South, we are in every point of view rem
dering him the best possible service"
dering him the best possible service.
Edgar G.. Murphy then spoke and was
followed by DR.. Lyman Abbott, who said
Washington's work had really brought
about the union of the North and South
in the work that he had taken up as his
life task.
Quoting remark made by Henry Ward
Beecher, to the effect that we should
make the negro worthy first and then
give him suffrage DR.. Abbott said I'VE
made the mistake of giving him suffrage
first and the unfortunate negro has had
to suffer ever since. All that the negro
wants is education. 1T all depends upon
education whether the negro will be q
shackle to our feet or wings to our
body"
w. H. Baldwin, Jr., treasurer of the
Tuskegee Institute, announced that soon
after the meeting had begun, he had re-
ceived two kilograms, one announcing
gift of $4,000 from "a lady in Ohio and
the other a gift of 81 900 from a lady
and gentleman in the South.
The last speaker of the evening was
Booker T. Washington whose final words
were:
in behalf of our struggling race l want
to thank you, Mr.. Cleveland, for your
deep interest, and to say to you that be-
cause Of your interest and faith in us we
shall see to it that the nation is not
in our progress nor in our