Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-05-14
BOOKER I. WASHINGTON.

am proud, of the black man." de-
clared Booker 7. Washington recently
in an address delivered before the
members of the general conference of
the African Methodist Episcopal
church being held in Chicago. He de-
clares that the church represented the
highest efforts by the colored people in
the direction of religious organization,
proving to the world that the race
was strong, not. as an individual, but
as an organization. He urged great
er business activity upon his fellows
saying:
You must dem onstrate more and
more to the world that we are not
only successful in religious organiza-
tions, but also in business and COM
mercial enterprises. We will be judg-
ed in the future, not so much
by our ability to make abstract argu-
ments, and to attract attention with
our oratOry, but by our efforts in con-
structive and progressive directions. In
the growth of a race, complaints, con-
formations, and demands all have
their elements of strength and help
fitness, but any race makes mistake
which depends wholly upon these for
success.
'The first and most fundamental
things is to give more attention as a
race to the public schools in the south.
The average negro child in the south
is in school less than five months an
nually. In one state in the south less
than one-fourth of the negro children
attended any school at all year before
last, and that one-fourth were in school
for period of only four months. The
schoolhouses in which many of our
children are taught are not worthy
of the name.
'.The negro race will never have
again in this country such opportuni-
ties of securing land as it has today.
The price Of land in every part Of the
country is gradually increasing If, in
the southern states especially, we do
not become land owners in this gener-
alton, it will be more burdensome for
the next generation to do so. The time
is not far off when the tide of foreign
immigration will turn rapidly to the
south, and we. shall be driven to the
ragged edge, so far as ownership of
land IS concerned, If we do not profit
by our present opportunities.
1--WE should strive to become in
larger proportion commercial and
business race. We should organize
and operate more banks, more stores,
own more farms, and construct and
own more and better houses. A race
is judged largely by the character of
the houses it occupies. The negro
should not only wear shoes. but make,
and sell shoes. The negro women
should not only wear attractive hats,
but make and sell hats. In every cen
ter of negro population there should
be business league to encourage and
lead our people in commercial and bus
mess directions.
while there is much discussion
about the difficulties in the south, it
is true that the fields of commerce,
business, industry and labor are open
to us there as they are not perhaps
in any other part of the country. In
proportion as we lay the foundations
in these necessary directions, we shall
find our moral and church life strength
ened, and opportunities for negroes to
secure college and university train
ing enhanced
.sNo race can succeed which is
ashamed of itself I have never been
prouder of belonging to the black
race than I am today. am proud Of
our past, proud of our present, ano
have unbounded faith in our future"