The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-14
A 4 CORkER
So Said Theodore Of a North CAROLYN
ian-Grcatest Ovation Ever Tender
ed u Harvard Commencement
Speaker Received by William 4.
Lambeth. OF Townsville.

An Incident of ;nteres. to ali North
C~aro;:nians took r.ace at Harvard
University during it, commencement
Ia few GAYS ago. ana it las not been
ireported il many newspapers. The
report needs no coloring. II Is as
follows:
Five young men aLout to receive
their diplomas. delivered short
ls~Leeckes at the Howard Commence
lment exercises Wednesday morning.
THE last enc of these wa William A.
of Thomasvilles y. g.. who's
subject was The Spirit of the Present
ISou.h.'' MIR. Lambeth's argument Is
hest summed I'D in his own words.
Elm the South of today the three great
movements of the past century are
ldoinc benofcent work for they nave
Iappeared in the rise Of in~dustriaiism.
lin suffrage restriction. n i'll DuDula
i~ecucalion.'
Speaking OF industrialism he men,
itioned The growth If lumber and cot
ton manufactures in this section. and
concerning popular education he
praised the work of Governors Mon
Itague. Ayccck and other Southern
statesmen. Eut the theme most en-
lpllasized was hat CT suffrage restric-
ltion. Or this subject he sail:
These men. interpreters OF The best
lsririt Of the South. rejoice also IN
tile rise of SUFFRAGE restrictions. for
!they believe that these restrictions are
master strokes Of Statesmen Cor
un6oing of the evils of the recon-
.lstruction period. They know that the
ISouth is thus blazing out a new ana
leven hazardous Path. Just as tie ma
Iticn is doing in the Philippines. put
they arc determined that the restric"
ltions shall not fai: in tn" accomplish
irHent of their u pose. and that they
lshall be applied to- both races with
Identical Justice. They think tina the
Ispirit which prompted the heart OF
lAmcrica to fit the Filipino fer suf-
lfraee before giving him the ballet
something which he can neither
lapDreciate nor use-is the same which
IDrcmDted the heart OF the South to
ielin:inatc the incompetent negro vote
luEtii that vote can be fitted by cdu-
lcation for intelligent suffrage, I:ut
when ever a black man. who has been
iGisfl anchised by these new laws.
lCornes 20 possess the qualifications re-
lquiTed for suffrage. thtY arc decided
THAT he shall be received irtO the body
%rolitic and cast his vote along with
the more highly favored. In the spirit
lof Governor Taft in the Philippines,
they have thoroughly and f.rvent'y
committed themselves to the task Of
making not color. o aristocracy. but
fitness and ability the test Of South
fern citizenship.
These men. who are both 6ntcr-
lpreters and i~mpersOnators of the
spirit Of the South. rejoice still fuSther
In education. for they are fully and
finally committed to- the policy Of s,iu-
cation. that is. training Of hands. mind
ard morals as the oHe solution uf the
|~sO-called race DrcDlcnI. They know
that the negro is present in the South
tilroush no fault Ct his. but because
OF the criminal folly Of our fathers
Conscious That this fClly has laid on
lhen the heaviest responsibility. they
ARE uDon. tho settlement Of.
Ithe negro problem. as the South's share
in the great service Of the world. In
the spirit Of Governor AycOcA ana
Governor Montague. they are Dractic-
lhg race superiority in deeds. but not
in words: in actions tina bless. not
III sentences uhat irritate.
Now sry M who is at all ac-
Cuatnted with New England will re-
connie h boldntss which is reuuir-
&c to utter such sentiments on IN oc-
Icsision Like this. Eut the effect was
SUI Dl !Sln2- Again and again Mr..
l-ambreth was Interrupted by rounds
OF applause. in which President Roose-
welt was often leaGin2- Among those
CT. the platform were the President.
sat next to- Lieutenant Governor
Guild. OF Massachusetts Next again
Were" Secretary Taft Justice White.
anu a nunlber Of other men Of nation
al importance All these men follow
ed the a with intense interest.
II eouently commenting among them
lSe.NeS en- his statements.
When the sDeech was concluded. ac-
lcfrclng to the F~Eston Globe. Mr..
Lambeth received the greatest ovation
lever rendered a Harvard
lment sneaker. This was due partly
TO commenoatf ton Of his delivery. part
~ 10 endorsements of his views. but
a1geN to the fact hat President
9~eFtsevelt was himself Offering per
lsonai CONGRATULATIONS. in the presence
Iot The audience. I have the bes: au-
thorIty for his words at this tim,
lFlrSt he said: '"J1lat'S a corker,,
iAea!n he called FIR. Lambeth to him
iafld SAID: BY George. that's where 7
sstand'-- News ard Observer.