Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1903-04-17
advancement. said at the Atlanta expo
aition in 1895; YF


and his improvement and well being.
They do not believe in the social equality
VI the race, and they make no false pre-
tense In regard to 1t. 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 be-
havior among the southern whites to-.
wards the negroes to make us doubt the
justice OF charging this denial of social
equality to prejudice, as we usually un-
derstand the word. Perhaps It Is born OF
something so much deeper and more i'm
perious than prejudice as to amount to
q racial instinct. Whatever 1t Is, let us
remember that 1t has condoned the ne
Gro's share in the humiliation and spoil
alton Of the white men OF the south dur
ing the saturnalia Of reconstruction days.
and has allowed kindly feeling for the
negro to survive the time when the south
was deluged by perlous flood of indis-
crininate. unintelligent and blighting ne
gro suffrage Whatever 1t Is. let us try
to be tolerant and considerate of the feel
ings and even the prejudice or racial In
stinct of our white fellow-countrymen OF
the south, who in the solution of the me-
gro problem must, amid their own sur
roundings, bear the heat Of the day and
stagger under the weight OF the white
mans burden.
South Bears the Burden.
'"rhere are, however, considerations re-
lated to this feature Of the negro question.
which may be regarded as more In keep
ing with the objects and purposes of this
occasion. AS friends of the negro, fully
believing in the possibility Of his improve
ment and advancement. and sincerely
and confidently laboring to that end. 1t
Is folly for us to ignore the Importance
Of the ungrudging cooperation 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
can not be forced: nor can 1t be gained
by gratuitously running counter to firmly
fixed and tenaciously held southern ideas.
or even prejudices. We are not brought
to the point CT doing or overlooking evil
that good may come when we proceed
upon the theory that before reaching the
stage where we may be directly and
practically confronted with the question
OF the negro's full enjoyment Of civic ad-
vantages or even Of all his political priv
ileges. there are Immediately before US
and around us questions demanding our
immediate care and that. in dealing ef-
fecuvely with these, We can confidently
rely upon the encouragement and assist
ance OF every thonEhtful and patriotic
citizen Of the land-wherever 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 Immediately press
Ing have to do with the political educa-
tion Of the negro. and especially with ft-
Ting him to compete with his white
neighbors in gaining decent, respectable
and remunerative livelihood.
Must Build Up From eottem.
Booker Washington, In speaking of 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 ..a
'In summing up the whole matter, there
Is one thing Of which we can be abso-
mtely and unreservedly certain. When we
aid Tuskegee institute and agencies like
1t. 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 fit him for filling his place and
bearing its responsi bilities. We are SOW
ing well in the soil at the bottom Of life
the seeds Of the black mans development
and usefulness. These seeds will not die,
but will sprout and grow. and II 1t be
within the purpose Of God the hardened
surface Of no outward sentiment or pref
ndice can prevent the bursting forth Of
the blade and plant Of the negro's ap-
pointed opportunity into the bright sun
light Of cloudless sky" E4y ~
At the conclusion Of his address. Mr.
Cleveland introduced Edgar G. Murphy.
executive secretary Of the Southern Edu-
cation board who spoke briefly in eulogy
Of Booker T. Washington and his lifa
work. Il
Or. Lyman Abbott. who followed. said
that the south deserved great credit for
taking up. as It had. an untried problem
In helping the negro to help himself:
w. H. Baldwin. .Jr.. treasurer OF the Tus-
kegee institute. announced that since the
meetings had begun he had received two
kilograms. one announcing gift OF e1o. 900
from lady in Ohio, and the other a gift
Of 81. 900 from lady and gentleman in the
south He said that So, 900 had been need
ed to pay tho Indebtedness of the insti-
tute, and that taking the gifts into con-
eidera ton there was still sum Of $4b 900
needed, for which he made an urgent plea,
as well as for q further endowment sum
Mr.. Cleveland in Introducing Booker T.
Washington, the last speaker Of the even
ing. said: yla, A. u
Il have to Introduce to you man too
States, a man who has been spoken OF too
frequently and too favorably for 1t to be
necessary for me to say more than-hers
Is Booker r.. Washington.
Booker r. Washington.
MIR. washington said in part:
The Tuskegee normal and Industrial in
stitute at Tuskegee, Ala, Is the outgrowth
Of the efforts Of Gen. 8. c. Armstrong OF
the Hampton institute in Virginia. Gen:
Armstrong was one Of the great seers and
prophets who realized that the task OF
the nation was not fulfilled when the
shackles q physical slavery were struck struck
Of the south. He realized that nine mill
lions Of human beings stepped in ignor-
Ance, minus experience. could be but half
free. He foresaw that the nation must
have q new birth and new freedom and
that this regeneration must include the
industrial. intellectual and moral and re-
ligious freedom of the ex-slaves. ,.
In this connection l am glad that we
have another great American and Chris
tian statesman In the person Of Hon.
his presence and words here this evening
that he, too, Is conscious OF the fact that
the lifting up Of the negro IL not alone
Tuskegee's problem, not alone the negro's 8
concern, not alone the south's duty, but
is tle problem Of the nation because sca, .S the
PRODUCTION and perpetuntion OF American
slavery. In behalf Of our struggling
race want to thank you, Mr.. Cleveland,
for your deep interest. and to say to you
that because of your interest and faith
In us we shall see to 1t that the nation Is
not disappointed In our progress nor In
our usefulness. 5S >i5 l$
l Mr. Wesley Fields Of Helens, Mont,
returned 70 the city this week on 80