Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-10-27
THE COLORED RACE.

For 10! these many years the
the colored race problem has
engaged the attention of our
greatest thinkers. 1t is still
receiving much thought and
attention and the problem does
not seem near solution by a
long shot. Time was when our
foremost men suggested but two
possibilities regarding the course
of the colored race in the pros
pective clash with the whites.
One of these courses was a
race war. This seemed terrible
and all good citizens shrank
in horror from such a solution.
The other mode Of meeting the
race proposition in the United
States was the amalgamation of
the races. To the self-respect-
ing white people this seemed
even more horrible and degrad-
ing than the former alternative.
1t seems that President Roose-
velt has sounded a note that COM
ing from him rings truer and
seems to possess more timbre
than had it been voiced by any
other instrument.
A few days ago the president,
while on his trip through the
South, honored the Tuskegee
Industrial Institution, the great
school built up for his race
by Booker 7. Washington, the
famous negro, with a visit.
While there President Roosevelt,
among other things said:
Hitherto have spoken chiefly OF the
obligations existing on the present white
man. Now let you remember on the
other hand that 10 help can permanent
lv all you save as you yourselves de-
velop for self-help. You, young colored
men and women, educated at Tuskegee,
must by precept and example lead your
fellows toward sober, industrious and
law-ablding lives. You are in honor
bound to join hands in enforcing the
laws and to war against all crimes, and
especially against crime by men of your
own race, for the heaviest wrong done by
the criminalist is the wrong to his own
race. You must teach the people of your
race that they must scrupulously observe
any contract into which they in good
faith enter, no matter whether it il hard
to keep or not. If you save money, Sc.
cure homes, and lead clean decent lives
you will win, the respect of your neigh
bors of both races. Let each man strive
to excel his fellows only by rendering
substantial. evidence to the community
in which he lives.
The people have many difficulties tc
pass through, but these difficulties
will be surmounted if only the policy oi
reason and common sense is pursued.
You have made real and great progress
According to the census, the coloied peo
pie OF this country own and pay taxes OF
something like $500 100000 worth o.
property, and have blotted out over sc
per cent Of the iliiteracy. What you
have done in the past is an indication O.
what you will be able to accomplish in
the future under wise leadership. Mora
and industrial education is what is mos
needed in order that this progress ma,
continue.
Thus we find the president ad.
vocating education and industry
for the suppression of race
troubles. That ''idleness is the
mother of crime" is an old saw,
and while in many ways it may
not always prove true, in the
main it will do to advocate. The
trip of the president to Tuskegee
was truly an act Of courtesy and
kindness. By his example he
he gives encouragement to peo-
ole who from the white mans
point of view has little to hope
for. The white man brought
the negro here and is really the
responsible party. True, it was
the act of a former generation,
but equally true the 'sins of the
father descends to the son.
EnnY AT YAnEEyMA