The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-04-16
THE NECRO'S FRIEND
Mr.. Cleveland Speaks For
Tuskegee Institute.
BOOKER WASHlNCTON'S WORK PRAISED
Future of Blacks Largely Rests In
the Hands of Southern whitcs--A
Plea For Tolerance Regarding
Southern Racial Instincts.

ing in the interest of Tuskegee insti-
tute was held in Madison Square Gar
den last evening Many men of promi-
ience were present.
EX-President Cleveland presided. Ad-
resses wore made by Booker T. Wash
gton, president of the institute; Ed
II G. Murphy, executive secretary of
lie southern education board, and 9th
rs. In taking the chair, Mr.. Glove
land spoke as follows:
l have come here tonight as a sincere
friend of the negro and I should be very
sorry to suppose that my good and regu-
lar standing in such company needed
support at this late day either from GER
tiicate or confession of faith. Inasmuch,
however, as there may be differences of
thought and sentiment among those who
profess to be friends of the negro, l de-
sire to declare myself as belonging to
the Booker Washington-Tus section
of the organization. l believe that the
days of Uncle Toms cabin are past I
believe that neither the decree that made
the slaves free nor the enactment that
suddenly invested them with the rights of
eitizeinshiP any more S pSgrged them Of their
dehciencies than 1t changed the color OF
their skin,
! believe that among the nearly 9,OOo-
600 negroes who have been intermixed
with our citizenship there is still "a grev
Gus amount OF ignorance. a sad amount of
yciousness and q tremendous amount OF
that these conditions inexorably present
to the white people of the United States
to each in his environment and under the
mandate OF good citizenship-a problem
which neither enlightened self interest
nor the higher motive OF human sympa-
thy viii permit them to put aside | be-
ern and late slave holding states, sur
rounded by about nine-tenths, or nearly
sO0O,0O0, of this entire negro population
and who regard their material prosperity,
their peace and even the safety of their
civilization, interwoven with the negro
problem. are entitled to our utmost con-
sideration and sympathetic fellowship.
am thoroughly convinced that the ef-
forts of Booker Washington and the
methods of Tuskegee institute point the
way to safe and benefcient solution of
the yexatious negro problem at the south,
and l know that the good people at the
north who have aided these efforts and
methods have Illustrated the highest and
best citizenship and the most Christian
and enlightened philanthropy
l cannot, however, keep out of my mind
tonight the thought that with all we of
the north may do the realization of our
hopes for the negro must after all mainly
negroes themselves-upon the sentiment
and conduct of this, leading and responsi-
maintenance of kindly and helpful feel
ing on their part toward those in their
midst who SO much need their aid and en-
couragement.
l need waste no time in detailing the
evidence that this aid and encourage
ment has thus far been generously forth
coming, Schools for the education of ne
gro children and institutions for their
Industrial training are scattered all over
ne south and are literally assisted by
% far as j am informed the sentiment in
svor Of the largest extension and broad
ist influence of Tuskegee institute and
.tndred agencies Is universal, and | be-
'ieve that without except ZION the negroes
Who fit themselves for useful occupations
and service find willing and cheerful
patronage ana employment among their
white neighbors.
I do not know how it may be with 9TH
have faith in the honor and sincerity of
the respectable white people of the south
IN their relations, with the negro and his
not believe in the social equality of the
race and they make no false pretense in
regard to It; That this does not grow out
oil hatred OF the negro Is very plain
1t seems to me that there is abundant
sentiment and abundant behavior among
the southern whites toward the negro TO
make us doubt the justice of charging
this denial of social equality to preju-
dice, as we usually understand the word
Perhaps 1t is born of something so much
Deeper and more imperious than preju-
Glce as TO amount to racial instinct
Whatever 1t is let us remember that it
has ,Gondoned the negros share in the
humiliation and spoliatlon of the white
men of the south during the Saturnalia
of reconstruction days and has allowed
2 kindly feeling for the negro to survive
the time when the south was deluged by
q perilous flood of indiscrminate unin-
telligent and blighting negro suffrage.
and considerate of the feelings and even
the prejudice or racial instinct of our
white fellow countrymen of the south.
who in the solution of the negro problem
must, amid their own surroundings, bear
the heat or the day and stagger under
the weight of the white mans burden.
ut
tions related to this feature of the ne
gre question which may be regarded as
purposes of this occasion As friends Of
the negro, fully believing in the possi-
bility of his improvement and advance
boring to that end, it is folly for I us to to
ignore the Importance of the ungrudging
cooperation on the part of the white peo-
we Will, those who do the lifting of the
weight must be those who stand next
This cooperation cannot be forced nor
can it be gained by gratuitously running
counter to firmly fixed and tenaciously
We are not brought to the point Of doing
OF, overlooking evil that good may come
when we proceed upon the theory that be-
fore reaching the stage where we may be
directly and practically confronted with
the question of the negro's full enjoy
meht OF civic advantages or even of all
diately before us and around us ques-
tons demanding our impediate care and
that In dealing effectively with these we
can confidently rely upon the encourage
ment and assistance of every Thoughtful
and patriotic citizen of the land Wher-
ever he may live and whatever may be
his ideas or predictions concerning the
more remote phases of the negro problem
These questions that are so Immediate
ly pressing have to do with the practical
education Of the negro and especially
with fitting him to. compete with his white
neighbors In gaining a decent, respecta-
BILE and remunerative livelihood Booker
washington in speaking of the condi-
tlons and needs of his race, has wisely
said
1T is at the bottom of life we must be-
gin and not at the top, nor should we
permit our grievances to overshadow our
Opportunities"
In summing up the whole matter there
Is one thing OF which we can be absolute
~ ana unreserVedly certain. When we
fld Tuskegee institute and agencies like
~ striving for the mental and manual
education of the negro at the south, we
are IN every point of view rendering him
the best possible service. Whatever MAY
be his ultimate destiny, we are thus help.
Ing to 1T him for. filling his place and
bearing its responsibilities We are SOW.
ing well In the soil at "the bottom OF
life the seeds of the black mans deyel.
opment and usefulness. These seeds viii
not die but will sprout and grow and Il