The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-15
Consideration of the Feelings of
southerners Urged and Aid for Ed
ucation OF Negroes Asked.
DIR. LYMAN ABBOTT SPEAKS
AND ALSO COMMENDs THE HEAD OF
THE ALABAMA SCHOOL.
Thaaks for Mr. Cleveland from Mr..
Washington, Who Spoke Of the
Aims OF His Institution.


Grover Cleveland was the principal speaker
tonight at a meeting held in the concert
hall of Madison Square Garden in the inter-
est OF the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial
Institute. Among those on the platform
with Mr.. Cleveland were Mayor Low, who
presided. Booker T. Washington. Edgar G..
Murphy, DR.. Lyman Abbott, President
Nicholas Murray Butler and Dean j. Van
Amringe OF Columbia, w. II. Baldwin,
Chancellor McCracken of New York Uni
versity, John De Witt Warner and George
+. Peabody. Mrs. Cleveland sat in the gal
lery with Mr.. and Mrs. Andrew Carnegie.
who are Mr.. Cleveland's hosts while he is
in the city.
Mr. Cleveland, who was greeted with
prolonged applause as he was introduo ed
by Mayor Low. said:
II have come here tonight as the sin
cere friend OF the negro. and i should be
very sorry 10 suppose that my good ana
support at this late day, either from GER
tificate or confession of faith 1nasmuch.
thought and sentiment among those who
profess to be the friends of the negro /
desire to declare myself as belonging to
the Booker 7. Observation-Disclosures sec
tion Of the organization 1 believe the days
of Uncle Toms cabins are past. be-
lieve that neither the decree that made
deny Invested them with the rights OF cit
izenship Gny more purged them of their
racial and slavery-bred imperfections and
deficiencies than IL changed the color or
their skin.
II believe that among the nearly 100000
of negroes who have been intermixed with
our citizenship there Is still grievous
amount OF ignorance. a sad amount OF
vicious less and tremendous amount or
isziness and thriftlessness; ] l oeneve mat nat
white people OF tie United states, to each
I'm his environment and under the mandate
Of good SitizensL p' a problem which len
higher motive of human sympathy will per-
NIT them to put aside.
A BENEFICENT SOLUTION.
st believe our feilow-countrymen in the
Southern and late slave-holding States.
surrounded by about nine-tenths. or nearly
eight millions. OF this negro population,
and who regard their material prosperity,
their peace and even the safety of their
civilization, interviewer with the negro
problem, are entitled to our utmost con-
sideration and sympathetic fellowship 1
am thoroughly conN.aced that the efforts
of Booker Washington and the methods of
Tuskegee Institute point the way TO a safe
and beneficent solution OF the vexatious
negro problem at the South, and / 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
II 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
depend-except so far as IL rests with the
negroes themselves-upon the sentiment
white men OF the South and upon the MAIN
tenance o, kindly and helpful feeling on
their pat toward those IN their midst who
n psad fracr r1elraf
Il need waste no time In detailing the evil
dence that this aid and announcement has
Schools for the the education s of nuonf negro chill
dren and institutions for their industrial
training are scattered all over the South,
and are literally assisted by the Southern
public and private funds. So far as / am
Informed. the sentiment in favor of the
largest extension and broadest influence
OF Tuskegee Institute and kindred agencies
Is universal, and I believe that without
exception. the negroes who fit themselves
Tor usefui occupations and service find will
Ing and cheerful patronage and employ
ment among their white neighbors The
man who Is beyond doubt the best author
ity in the world on the prospects of the
negro race. he who founded and Is now at
the head OF Tuskegee Institute and is the
most notable representative OF negro ad-
vancennent. said at the Atlanta exposition
AMI in this connection It is well to bear
an mind that. whatever sins the South may
be called tc bear. when IL comes TO busi-
ness pure and simple. IL is in the South
that the negro Is given mans chance in
the commercial world. and in nothing is
phasizing this chance. Our greatest dan
ger Is that in the great leap from slavery
20 freedom we may overlook the fact that
the masses CT US are 10 live by the pro-
duction OF hands. and fail to keep in
mind that we shall prosper in proportion
as we learn 10 dignity and glorify common
mon occupations OF life-shaIl prosper in
proportion as we learn to draw the line be-
tween the superficial and the substantial
the ornamental gewgaws of life and the
FAITH IN THE WHITES.
ct do not know how IL may be with other
Northern friends OF the negro, but have
faith In the honor and sincerity OF the re-
spectacle white people of the South I'm their
relations with the negro and his improve
ment and well being. They do not believe
in the social equality of the race and they
make no false pretense in regard 20 IT,
That this does not grow out OF hatred of
the negro Is very plain. 1t seems to me
that there is abundant sentiment and
abundant behavior among the Southern
whites towards the negroes 10 make US
doubt the justice OF charging this denial OF
social equality TO prejudice. as we usually
understand the word.
Perhaps IL Is born OF something so much
deeper and more imperious than prejudice
as TO amount 10 a racial instinct. What
ever II is let US remember that IL has con-
doned the negroes snare In the humiliation
South during the saturnalia OF reconstruc-
tion days and has allowed kindly feeling
% tSs South Sou s was deused by I periioss % Goed oed
Of indiscriminate uninteligent and blight
ing regro suffrage Whatever Il is let us
try 10 be tolerant and considerafe OF the
feelings and even the prejudice or racial In
stinct OF our white feiiow-countrymen Of