Evening star., 1904-03-18


through all the logical and natural steps of
| civilization which Providence demands of
every people who would be saved. We have
got to pay the price for everything that we
get, beginning at the bottom and working
gradually upward to the very highest
achievements.
Cannot All Agree.
Gas to the relative Importance of some
of the elements that constitute prog
ress as a race, we are not agreed, and per-
haps never will be. But we are agreed on
certain fundamental principles First, is
| the matter of education. l think all of us
will subscribe to the proposition that in
republican form of government. education
| of the masses is fundamental. and when l
say education, l mean the most thorough
education of the hand, head and heart. /
mean further, education that shall fit us to
perform the very best service in the COM
munities where We live: to do the thing the
| community wishes to have done, whether it
| be an effort of the hand head or heart. We
cannot expect to accomplish much in what
| Is called the higher and more important
walks of life until the masses of our peo-
pie become generally intelligent. The lead
ers OF our people in the pulpit, in the press,
on the platform and in the school room,
should see to 1t that their influence is ex-
erted in no uncertain manner to spread in
telllgence among our people In the remot-
est corners Of the country While many
opportunities are denied u.s. in matters of
education, there Is no limit placed upon the
progress that we may make. Another fun
damental is the matter of property and
the ownership of land. The people who own
| the land are the people who exert the great
| est influence and are the ones who in the
end are most highly respected. There is an
opportunity for us in practically every sec
| ton of the south to become, in a mea sure,
| owners of the soil. The influence of our
| leaders should be exerted in this direction.
| 1t is hardly possible for any individual to
| express, through the ballot, an intelligent
| n n ha of trxr
| unless that individual has some property
or financial interest at stake. The man
who owns land, who has a business, or a
bank account, the man who has personal
| interest in the welfare of the community is
| the one who in nine cases out of ten will
| cast a conservative ballot When an indi-
vidual Is dependent upon some one else for
| his land, for his house. for the clothes he
wears and the food he eats, it is hardly pos
| sible for him to be in position to cast a bal
| lot that shall be in the highest interests of
| the country, or state in which he lives.
Opportunities in the South.
I'm the commercial and business world we
| should see to it that the negro is constantly
| reminded of the opportunities which are
now before him in the south. If we do not
become land owners and do not enter into
every line of trade it will not be very long
before a host of foreigners from European
countries will invade the south and We will
| be deprived of this opportunity for growth
Another fundamental is broad charity.
The influence of our leading men should be
exerted in no uncertain manner in the cult
| walton of the friendship of the leading and
| best white men of the south. We must not
suffer ourselves to be deceived by the loud
clamor of those who seek to restrict our
growth. In every section of the south there
are brave, quiet, strong white men, who
have faith in us and mean to see that every
opportunity possible is given us for making
strong, helpful American citizens. We
t.1,D
barrassed because of any unpraiseworthy
conduct on our part. Nothing is to be gain
ed by one race cursing the other, but much
can be gained by the Intelligent and pure
minded men of each race coming together
for consultation In the directions that shall
lead to our mutual growth and usefulness.
THE strong men of our own race should
more and more make an effort to get togeth-
er, to stand by each other in word and act,
| to help lift each other up instead of trying
| to pull each other down. We should forego
our personal differences and selfish ambi-
tions in strong, persistent effort to build
up the best interests of the race.
Finally, we owe 1t not only to ourselves
but to our children to look always upon
the bright side of life. / fully understand
| the engagements. the injustices with
which my race has to contend, and I would
| that some individual or some power existed
with authority to remove many of the OBJ
stacles that now obstruct our pathway.
But, in the last analysis, it must be said
of us as of all races. that we ourselves are
| the only people who most effectually
| help ourselves. Others encourage
others can assist by advice, but in the last
analysis, Frepeat. We are the determining
factors in our future. If we are unworthy,
no force can push us forward. If we are
worthy, no power can stay our progress A
race that is determined to go forward to
success in every department of life, en-
phasizing the bright side. pointing out over
| the darkened way new CLEANS of light and
truth, is the race that will win, and in the
end receive the plaudits of the world
The Other Speakers.
Among others who spoke after an elegant
| menu had been partaken of were Charles
W. Anderson OF New York; ]. B. Raymond.
| Allentown, Pa; J. Douglass Wetmore,
| Jacksonville, Fla: r. E. L. Toomy Read
| ing, Pa; Rev. w. j. Howard, pastor of
Zion Baptist Church: j. Thomas Fortune,
editor New York Age; Rev. o. ]. w. Scott.
pastor of Metropolitan A. NJ E. Church,;
| H s. Cummings of Baltimore; E. A. John
| son of Raleigh, N. c.; DR.. W. s. Montgom-
| cry, Prof. L. b. Moore and Prof. Kelly
| Miller.
Committeeman and Guests.
Those who arranged the banquet were