Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1903-04-22
CLEVELAND SPEAKS.
Ex.President Talks at TuSkeegee
Institute Banquet in New York.
SOUTH ENTITLED TO SYMPATHY
In the Solution of the Negro Problem
They Must Bear the Heat of the
Day"

New York, Special.-Former Presi-
dent Grover Cleveland was the princi-
pal speaker Tuesday night at a meet
ing held in the concert hall of Madison
Square Garden in the interest of the
Tuskeegee Normal and Industrial
School Institute.
Among those on the platform with
Mr.. Cleveland were Mayor Low. who
presided Booker T. Washington, Ed
gar G. Murphy, DR.. Lyman Abbott.
president Nicholas Murray Butler. and
Dean j. Van Amringe. OF Columbia: w.
II. Baldwin, Chancellor McCracken. OF
New York University; John De Witt
warner. and George f. Peabody. Mrs.
CieeHiand sat in the gallery with Mr..
and Mrs. Andrew Carnegie, who are
Mr.. Cleveland's bosts while he is in
the city.
MIR. Cleveland. who was greeted with
FolonscG applause. as he was intro
duced by Mayor Low. said in part:
Il have come here tonight as a sim
cere friend OF the negro and | should
be very sorry to suppose that my good
and regular standing in such com
pany needed support at this late day
either from certificate or confession
OF faith. lnasmuch, however, as there
may he differences Of thought and SEN
ument among those who profess to be
friends OF the negro. desire to declare
myself az belonging to the Booker T.
Washingtcn-Tuskee section OF the
organization.
THE DAYS OF UNCLE TOMS
CABIN PAST.
hpf
Toms Cabin are past. believe that
neither tie decree that made the slaves
free. nor the enactm, Mt that suddenly
invested them with the rights OF citi-
zenShip any more purged them Of their
racial and slavery-bred imperfections
and deficiencies than IL changed the
color Of their skin. believe that
among the nearly nine millions OF ne
groes who have been intermixed with
our citizenship, there Is still grieyous
amount OF ignorance, a sad amount OF
viciousness and a tremendouc amount
or lazincss and thriftlessness. I be-
uevc that these conditions inexorably
present 10 the white people OF the Unit
ed States, to each in his environment
and under the mandate OF good citi-
tenship problem. which neither en-
iightened self-interest nor the higher
motive OF human sympathy will permit
them to put aside.
THE SOUTH ENTITLED ~ SYM
PATHY.
II Nelieve our fellow-countrymen in
the Southern and late slave holding
States. surrounded by a0out nine
tenths. or nearly eight millions of this
entire negro population and who re-
gard their material prosperity, their
peace and even the safety OF their civil
int
problem, are entitled to our utmost
consideration and sympathy and fell
lowship. l am thoroughly convinced
that the efforts of Booker Washington
and the methods Of Tuskeegee Institute
point the way to safe and beneficent
solution OF the veXatiouS negro prob
lem at the South. and | know .he good
people at the North. who have aided
these efforts and methods. have illu-
strated the highest and best citizenship
and the most Christian and enlightened
philanthrCpism
i do not know how it may Re with
mind tonight, the thought that after
all we OF the North may do. the reali-
Zation of our hopes for the negro
must. after all. mainly depend-except
so far as it rests with the negroes
themselves-upon the sentiment and
Sonduct of the leading and responsible
white men OF the South and upon the
maintenance of n kindly and helpful
feeling on their part towards those IN
their midst who so much need their aid
and encouragement"
Mr.. Cleveland closed with a strong
appeal for the uplifting of the race and
In closing introduced Booker T. Wash
ington.