The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-31

with over $40, 600 900 worth of school prop
erty; 2O,O0O.OOO worth of church property
and paying taxes on over $3.50, 900 900
worth of real estate and personal proper
ty. In the face of these facts. who, pray.
tell me who viii dare to stand uD and
say the negro has not proven his fitness
and won his title to the rights and priv
ileges of man and a full fledged citizen?
"Then down with the cry that all is
lost or all is dark host of friends are
round and about us. Thousands of the
best Anglo-Saxon blood are standing by
US in our noble efforts and they have given
their millions in our behalf and millions
more will follow God still lives and will
yet live and move in the hearts of those
who will help us to help ourselves. Here
in our own State, in this city are evi~
dences of kindly interest and as long as
we have our Dukes, our Watts, our Cars
and others like them, our cause is not
helpless.
IF may speak today as the represen-
tative of this humble class l tell you
that we want peace. We are anxious to
put ourselves in touch with the best ele-
ment of all classes. There need not be
any clash between the races If there are
differences let them be settled on Inc
basis of right and truth and justice and
let us all know that they will never he
settled until settled on this basis As
long as injustice stalks in our midst there
will be trouble abroad. As long as there
is a disregard of the rights and priv
ileges Of others. so long will there be
manifest spirit of restleSsness and mis-
trust. 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 or the other hand we solemnly and
sacredy protest against any special leg
islation against us.
We 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
and we do not expect invitations of a
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. Oar
watch word is educate, educate. educate"
not part, but all the people. Educate
them not as white men. not as black
men, but as men.
'We appeal to you. the proud Anglo
Saxon, to let us join you in the problem
of humanity. Our interests are mutual
ours IS a common cause. We plead that
You restore US to our rightful relation
ship. loyal citizens The greatest mis-
take OF this age is not encouraging tic
negro to place high estimate on the
power OF the ballot and to be given Il
chance to be heard III his plea for the
members of his own race. We can live
under any law made for yourselves and
pray that you do not subject us to hui
initiating restrictions which you your
selves would not tolerate or indulge for
a moment.
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 trckster We will wear no
badge but that of true manhood
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON.
Next Prof Atkins introduced Booker I.
Washington, as the representative of all
the virtues and high qualities of which
the negro race is capable, the most useful
man in the country. as he in effect put 1t.
great ovation greeted the famous ne
gro, nearly every one of the several thous-
and colored people present waved hand
kerchef. and cheer after cheer was given
with tumultuous heartiness.
Booker Washington spoke for an hour
and quarter, and was applauded at the
laughter greeted every one of the many
anecdotes he told to point the morals he
drew.
The following are some extracts from
his address:
THE question which is constantly be-
ing asked is. of what benefit is education
| believe that education should be made,
first of all to assist an individual i'll
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 he
lives 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 well.
IT should not only be made to minister
to the bodily wants, but to the wants o,
the mind and the spiritual and higher
nature of the individual. In considering
any system of education for a race or
for a nation. / believe it is proper that
one should first find out what the ir-
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 far as possible of CT
aiding the people to get most out OF the
industry on which they are most depend.
cnt. Thus here in the South. and espc-
cially is ii true of the negro race, the
majority of us live by agriculture in some