Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1905-11-01

DEDhcl. CNClN lllOlN III tIit CODl-
munity has the moral lone OF his life
lowered. Lawlessness in the United
States is not confined to any section;
lyuching is not confined 10 any sec
tion and there is perhaps no body of
American citizens who have deserved
so well of the entire American peOple
as the public men, the publicists, the
clcrgymen. the countless thousands of
hich-mindcd private citizens who lave
done such heroic work in the South
in srousing public opinion against law
lcssncss i'll MI tits forms. and especial
v against their example will count III
the North as we'll rs III the South, for
there arc just rs great evils to be
warred against In one re.ion of our
country as N another, though they are
not in all places the same evils. And
when any body of mon in any com
mmity stands bravelv for what is
right. those men not merely serve y
useful purpose in doing the partic-
ular task 10 Which they set themselves
but .lvc lift t.; the cause OF good
citizenship throughout the Union. l
heartily appreciate what you have
done at Tuskeegce; and | am sure YOU
will not grudee my saying that it
could not possibly have been done
save for the loyal support you have
received from the white people round
about; for during the % years of eff
fort TO educate the black man here in
the midst of a white community of in
telligence and culture, there has never
been All outbreak between the races or
any difficulty of any kind. All honor
Is due to the white men of Alabama,
to the white men of Tuskcegee for
what they have done. And right here,
let me say that if i'll any community
misunderstanding between the races
arises, over any matter, infinitely the
best way out is To have a prompt,
frank and full conference and con
sultatlon between representatives of
the wise, decent, cool-headed men
among the whites and the wise. decent,
cool-hcaded colored men. Such a con-
ference will always tend to bring
about better understanding, and will
b" great help all around.
Hitherto | have spoken chiefly of
the obligation eXistin" on the part of
|. the. white man. Now let YOU remem-
Der on the other hand that no help
can permanently avail You save rs you
yourselves develop capacity for self
nelp. You young colored men ana
| women educated Mt Tluskeegee must
by precept and example lead your fell
lows toward sober, Industrious, law
abiding lives.
You are in honor bound to join
hands III favor of law and order and
10 war against all crime, especially
| against all crime of men of your own
race; for the heaviest wrong done by
the criminal 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 whcth-
er it is hard to keep or not. If you
save money. secure homes, become tax
payers and lead clean decent modest
lives, Won will wi nthe respect of your
nel"hbors of both races Let each man
strive to excel his fellows only by
rendering substantial service to The
community il which he lives. The coll
orod people have many difficulties to
pass through, butthesc difficulties will
be surmounted if only the policy of
reason and common sense is pursued.
You have made real and great pro-
sress. According to the census the
colorcd people of this country own
ana pay taxes upon something like
three hundred million dollars worth
of property, and have blotted out over
fifty per cent of their illiteracy. When
you have done in the past Is an indica-
tion of what yon will be able to do
III the future under wise leadership
Moral and industrial education is
what is most needed, in order that
this progress many coptnSsc. The
race cannot expect to get Everything
at once. 1t must learn to wait and
bide its time; to prove itself worthy
by showing its possession of perse-
verance, of thrift. of self control. The
destiny of the race is chiefly III its
own hands, and must be worked out
patiently and persistently along these
lines. Remember also that the white
man who can be of most use to the
colored man is that colored mans
neighbor. 1t is the Southern people
themselves who must and can solve
the difficulties that exist in the South;
of course what man in the South lies
in his steady hope of advancement
for the colored commonsense effort
to improve his moral and material
condition and to work IN harmony
with the white man in upbuilding the
commonwealth. The future of the
South now depends upon the people
of both races living up to the spiri,
and letter Of the laws of their sew
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