The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-11-02
BY President Roosevelt to the
Students at Tuskeegee
GAVE MUCH GOOD ADVICE
In His Address He Urges the Impor-
lance 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 i'll 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 50 deeply impressed and SO
deeply pleased as he had been. "While
[ have always stood for this institu-
tlon,' he continued, ''now that have
seen it and realize Is 1 had never
realized by the descriptions Of it, all
it means, I will stand for il more than
ever.'
The Presidents Address.
To the white population as we'll 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. It is to
the interest OF the white people that
this policy be conscienttiously pushed,
and to the interest Of the colored peo-
pie that they clearly realize that they
have opportunities for economic de-
veIopmen here in the South not now
offered elsewhere. Within the last
twenty years the industrial! operations
of the South have increased so ire
mendously shat 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
the 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 Of skilled
labor, it becomes doubly impo- :ssnt to
train every available man to be Of the
utmost use, by developing his intelli-
gence, his skill and his capacity for
effort. Hence the work
Of Tuskeeeee Normal and Industrial
Institute is matter oea :he highest
practical Importance to both the white
and the black man, and we'll worth the
of both races alike in The
South and in the North. Your fifteen
hundred students are net only being
educated in the head and heart. but
also trained to industrial efficiency:
for from the beginning Tuskecgee
has placed especial emphasis upon
the training Of men and women in
agriculture, mechanics and house
hold duties. Training in these three
fundamental directions does net en-
brace nj that the negro or any other
race needs, but it does cover in a very
large degree the acld 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
or industrial work, adds
by 80 much to the wealth Of the
whole community and benefits all peo-
pie in the community. The profess
sional and mercantile avenues to sue
cess are overcrowded, for the present
the best chance Of success awaits the
lnte lirent worker at some mechanical
trade or on farm; for this man wiz
almost certainly achieve Industrial IN
dependence. / am pleased, but not In
the least surprised to learn that many
among the men and women trained at
Tuskeegee find immediate employment
as leaders and workers among their
OWN people, and that their services are
eagerly sought by white people Tor
val ious kinds of industrial work, the
demand being much greater than the
supply. Viewed from any angle; 'g'
norance is the costi!est crop that can
be raised in any part Of this Union
Every dollar PIT into the education or
either white man or black man, in
head. in hand and i'll the heart. yields
rich devidends to the entire commun-
ty. Merely from the economic stand
point it is of the utmost consequence
to all eur citizens that institutions
such as Tuskeegee should be sue
cess. But there are other and even
higher reasons that entitle it to our
support. In the interest Of humanity,
Of Justice, and Of self-prctection, ev-
ery white man in America. no matter
where he lives, should try to help The
negro to help himself. 1t is the IN
terest an for the protection OF the
white man to see that the negro IS
educated. 1t is not only the duty OF
the white man, but it is to his IN
terest, to see that the negro Is pro-
tected in property, i'll life. and In ali
his legal rights. Every time law Is
broken every individual in the com
munity has the moral tone OF bus lie
lowered. Lawlessness in the United
States is not confined to my section;
Iynching is not confined to any sec.
ton; and there is perhaps no body OF
American citizens who have deserved
so well Of the entire American people
as the public men, the publiclsts, the
the countless thousands OF
aieh-minded private citizens who haVe
aone such heroic work In the South
in srousing public opinion against law
|cssness in ali tits forms, and especial
" against their example will count IN
H., North as we'll as in the South, Tor
there are just as great evils to De
warred against in one region of our
country as II another, though they are