Evening star., 1904-03-18
ADVICE TO HIS RACE
Booker T. Washington Ad-
dresses Colored Citizens.
TH0RNS IN THE PATH
CoUNsELS COURAGE AND PERsE-
vERANCE AS CROSSES ARISE.
Notable Gathering at Banquet in
Honor Of the Distinguished
Observation-Disclosures.


hundred of Washington's leading colored
citizens assembled last night to do honor
| to Booker T. Washington and the work he
| is doing for his race at Tuskegee, Ala,
and throughout the United States 1t was
a popular demonstration designed to give
an additional stamp of approval to the
work being accomplished by Washington
! in the United States. There were numerous
speeches, which made the walls of Odd
Fellows Hall, at 10Th and M streets north
west, ring with the praises of the colored
leader, man after man placing the seal Of
appreciation on great work nobly and
unSelfiShly done. Mr.. Washington was
proud of the plaudits Of his fellows and so
expressed himself From all sections of
the United States leading colored workers
came to honor not only Booker Washing
ton, the laborer for his race, but Booker
Washington. the man who, by his actions
as well as by his words, has done so much
to uplrt and give heart to his race Among
these guests were Judge ]. B. Raymond,
Altoona, Pa; T. Thomas Fortune, editor,
New York; Charles N. Anderson. supervisor
of racing accounts, New York; j. Douglass
Wetmore, alderman, Jacksonville. Fla-'
Bishop B. w. Arnett, Ohio; John r. Tay-
lor assistant collector of customs, Raleigh,
N. c.; Hiram Wattey. alderman, Baltimore;
H.. G. Cummings. attorney at law, Baltl-
more, Md DR.. Thomas Mask, Wilmington,
N c.; E. A. Johnson, assistant United
| states district attorney, INtiel6u, ~. -,
Emmett j. Scott, DR.. Washington s private
secretary.
Welcoming Address.
Shortly after o'clock, to the tune of
lively march, the banqueters filed into the
halls and were shown to the seats assigned
to them. AS soon as the guests were seated
Robert H. Terrell. local justice of the
peace who was toastmaster for the oc-
cocinr 6nli al
welcome, saying in part:
"A little more than a quarter of CEN
tury ago our leaders in thought and action
believed that the way to the solution of
our problem was so clear and so definite
that it was not within the scope of proba-
bility that any serious obstacles would
again obstruct it. The exercise of effective
political rights by the negro at that time
made this belief not only reasonable, but
seemed to lift the whole question of our
future out of the realms of doubt and to
take 1t out of the field of speculative un-
certainty. But time in its rapid flight tests
and changes many things. We have moved
forward to new issues and new duties. We
are face to face with the greatest crisis of
our history free people. Day by day.
hour by hour. our burdens are increasing.
The greater they become, the broader and
deeper must be our responsibilities
while no country in the world gives to
its peasant class a better chance to obtain
shelter. food and raiment than the United
States gives to the negro, yet this extra
ordinary opportunity is not all of life to us
any more than it is to the other racial ele-
ments in our population. Our countrys
central idea is liberty under the law. In
this we would share We would have what
other men have in a democracy-political
duties and an opportunity to perform those
duties Under our system of government
every man is a public man; every man IS
entitled to every right, relative or abso-
lutte, guaranteed him as a citizen. The
blessings of a well-ordered civilization
Ch "a a
ticular class of people in country like
ours
Every one here tonight appreciates the
fact that grave dangers are upon us; that
this is no time for fighting each other, but
it is the time for closing up our ranks and
presenting united front to those who
would embarrass us and impede our
progress.
'It is well that we at the nations capital
should do honor to the foremost man Of
our race. 1t is well that We should give
this evidence of our faith and belief in him.
in his work and in his unusual opportunity
to aid his race in the terrible struggle it is
making for justice Aye, for the very right
to live.
Hard to Please All Men.
"To please all men is problem which no
man, however great or good, has ever
solved. Shakespeare, the prince of poets
and the dean of literature. has said: BE
thou as pure as ice, as chaste as snow, thou
shall not escape calumny.
This splendid gathering of representative
men Is the best attestation of what the
citizens of the District of Columbia think Of
Booker T. Washington, a leader of extra
ordinary power; man endowed by nature
with deep substratum of solid common
sense and sound judgment; man with in
tuitive perception of the things best for
those to whose interests he has devoted all
OF his thoughts and all of his words; man
whom no ambition has affected and no
int fad .l.<Ic.ca
very soul is consecrated to the highest and
best development of his race.
Such man is our guest I have the
honor to present to this company of his
friends and supporters DR.. Booker T.
Washington, the teacher as well as the
leader of men"
Mr.. Terrell's remarks were received with
applause, and as Mr.. Washington arose to
respond he was greeted with deafening
cheers that could not be quieted for several
minutes.
Mr.. Washington's Response.
AS soon as quiet was obtained Mr. Wash
ington opened his address in feeling man
ner.
| II wish to thank you most earnestly for
the kindness, the generosity of word and Of
action, that have been so much In evidence
tonight" he said. mo one could witness
and hear what it has been my pleasure to
enjoy this evening without having his heart
deeply touched, and again / thank you for
I! this evidence of confidence and encourage
ment.
THE real problem that confronts our race
centers in the southern part of the United
States. l speak of the larger problem being
there because our people dwell there in
larger numbers. In proportion to the pop
ulation think would be safe in saying
| that in the northern and western states
problem as interesting and as serious as
| that at the south exists, or will, I fear
| soon exist. But strong, self-confident
progressive race of people ever became dis
| couraged because of serious problems It is
only the weak. the inefficient the dwarfs of
| humanity who yield in the presence of
seemingly insurmountable obstacles 1t is
only by facing difficulties and overcoming
| them that a race, like an Individual, gets
strength, experience and courage which will
carry it safely through all the difficult bat
4 ties of life.
Every group of people who have risen
have done so by mastering one difficulty at
a time We cannot achieve at one bound
that which 1t has required other races CEN
J turtles to accomplish, but we can rise by