The news & observer., 1905-11-05

ored with the office of Vice-preSident,
and being one of the most exemplary
negro farmers in the State, will doubt
less do much to uplift and promote the
fair. He operates large farms in
Edgecombe county, and is a man Of
means and influence.
James E. Hamlin, of Raleigh, re-
ceived grateful expression of conf
dence from his associates by being re-
elected secretary, and it is his deter
mination to make the fair next year
truly representative of the WorthlneSS
and achievements of the colored Cit
izenry of North Carolinna. But to do
this he must receive the patriotic CO.
operation and assistance of the negro
schools in the State-the Colored A.
and M. College Shaw University, St
Augustine School, the Colored State
Ncrmals and others, none of which
were represented by exhibits at the
fair this year More farmers, me-
chanics and professional men among
them must evince livelier interest in
this method of expression of what the
race is doing.
Morris Watts. a popular colored
barber of this city. was elected treas
urer.
The meeting of the Association was
the largest best intentiOned and most
satisfactory that has been held The
numerous but studiouS speeches made
were evidence of the consciousness of
the organization that the air is an
institution conceived and dc stined for
a higher mission than sociaI fun, and
that it brings out prominently the
work that proper education has been
doing in the way of promoting the
agricultural and industrial progress
and prosperity of the negroes. The
association now appears to realize
that there is an educational value in
country life; that instead of farming
any-old-Way, the man with the hoe is
becoming a specialist in his work, and
that he must study his soil as a lawyer
studies his brief: and also that there
is communion With nature and that in
this communion there is spiritual de-
velopment and repoSe, and he becomes
closer to all of those things revealed
| by natures God.
| The negro farming interests were
| represented, but not as substantially
as faithfully and earnestly as they
should have been at this fair, but the
exhibits on display should have in
spired every aspiring colored youth
| who saw them. Several were de-
cidedlv remarkable. But it was no.
ticeable that many younger of the
| fair visitors passed by these exhibits
| lightly, and an old darkey educator
who quit teaching and went back tc
| farming said, as he noticed them
These niggers have got to realize thai
it's more important for him to kno"
! about King Cotton and King CorI
than King Charles and King Rlchard'
| Doubtless as they all observed
new era has been ushered in. anc
some kind of education has done 4
but there are not revealed at th'
negro fair the factors that have beer
at work changing the old condItlon
to the new. The strongest OF tn
schools were absent. and thus the tal
was pitifully incomplete. The .tou
thousand negroes at the fair yehter
day shold have received more 10
their inspiration. stimulation and sem
ulation.
The annual marshals balr was hel'
in Smiths hall. and was attended D.
more than a hundred couples iron
beginning to the wee sma hours.
The occasion was thoroughly enjoyed
The annual concert of the athteti
association of Shaw University wa
given last evening in the coiieg
chapel and was an event of pleasur