The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-11-02
BY President Roosevelt to the
Students at Tuskeegee
GAVE MUCH GOOD ADVICE
In His Address He Urges the Impor-
tance of Good Negro Citizenship
and Points Out Economic Oppor-
tunities in the South.

| Gated here on Tuesday and reviewed
the student body. He took great in
terest in the work exhibited by the
school and also made an address to
the students and faculty, and all those
who had gathered to do him honor
Before beginning his speech the
President said he had no idea that he
would be SD deeply impressed end so
deeply pleased as he had been. "While
have always stood for this institu-
tioE," he continued, "now that have
ecn it and realize as l had never
reahzed By the descriptions Of It, all
it means. will stand for il more than
ever
The Presidents Address.
To the waite population as well as
to the black, it is Of the utmost i'm
portance that the negro be encour-
, aged to make himself citizen of the
highest type of usefulness. 1t is to
the interest of the white people that
this policy be conscicrttionsly puSued,
and ts the interest OF the colored peo-
pie that they clearly realize that they
have opportunities for economic de-
velepmen here in the South not now
offered elsewhere Within the last
twenty years the industrial operations
of the South have increased so tre-
meadously hat there is a scarcity Of
| labor almost everywhere; so that it
is the part of wisdom for all who wish
the prosperity Of the South to help
.he negro to become in the highest
degree useful to himself. and there
fore to the community in which he
lives. The South has always depend
ed. and now depends, chiefly upon her
native population for her work.
Therefore III view Of the scarcity not
ONLY of common labor. but If skilled
labor. it becomes doubly important to
train every available man to be OF the
utmost use, by developing his intelll-
cence. his skill and his capacity for
conscientious effort. Hence the work
Of Tuskccece Normal and Industrial
Institute is u matter "f the highest
practical Importance to both the white
and the black man. and well worth the
>arro.t of both races alike in The
.Snnt, orL in the North. Your fifteen
hundred students are not only being
educated in the head and heart. but
also trained to industrial eGiclency:
for from tie beginning Tuskecgee
has placed especial emphasis upon
the training Of men and women IN
ac,ierlture. mechanics and house
hold duties. Training in these three
| fundamental directions does net en-
brace al that the negro or any other
race needs. but it does cover IN very
large degree the field in which the
negro can At present do most for him-
self and be most helpful to his white
neiehbors. Every black man who
leaves this institute better able to do
mechanical or industrial work, adds
bv so mueh to the wealth OF the
whole community and benefits all peo-
pie in the community. The probes
s;oral aud mercantile avenues to sue
ccss are ovrrcrowded, for the present
the best chance of success awaits the
;nfe linent worker at some mechanical
trade or on farm; for this man VIII
almost certainly achieve industrial IN
depeudenee. / am pleased, but not IN
the least surprised to learn that many
or,.,pe. the men and women tral"ed at
Tuskcccee find immediate employment
as leaders and workers among their
own people, and that their services are
eagerly sought by white people TOR
ya,ious kinds Of industrial work, the
demand beinr much greater than tho
supply. Viewed from any angle: ig-
norance is the costilest crop that can
be raised in any part of this Union
Every dollar put into the education OF
! either white man or black man, IN
head. in hand and in the heart, yields
rich deyidcnds to the entire commun-
tv. Merely from the economic stand
point it is Of the utmost consequence
TO all cir citizens that institutions
such as Tuskeegee should be a sue
cess. But there are other and even
HIGHER reasons that entitle it to our
surport. In the interest Of human'f'
of Justice, and of self-protectlon
ery white man III America. no z
where he lives, should try to hell
negro to help himself. 1t is the
tcrest an for the protection of the
white man to see that the negro IS
educated. IT is not only the duty OF
the white man, but it is to his IN
terest. to see that the negro IS pr
tected in property, in life. and IN ar
his legal rights. Every time law Is
broker every individual in the com
munity has the moral tone OF h,s Ire
lowered. LawlessneSS In the uni'eo
I States is not confined to my section;
lynching is not confined TO any see,
ton: and there is perhaps no body OF
American citizens who have deserved
so we'll of The entire American Ieopie
os the public men. the publicists, the
clerrymen, the countless thousands ol