Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-10-26


Roosevelt addressed the students of
Tuskegee institute today, his topic
being the negro race and it's relation
to the white people. He said:
ITO the white population as well
as the black, it is of the utmost i'm
portance that the negro be encouraged
to make himself citizen of the high
est type and usefulness. It is to the
interest of the white people that this
policy be conscientiously pursued and
to the interest of the colored people
that they clearly realize that they
have opportunities for economic de-
velopment here in the south not now
offered elsewhere. Within the last
twenty years the industrial opera
tions of the south have increased so
tremendously that there is 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. The south
has always depended. and now de-
pends chiefly. upon her native popula-
tion for her work. Therefore, in view
of the scarcity not only Of common
labor, but of skilled labor. it becomes
doubly important to train every Man
fo 10 nf tho nj Inv 6nvn1nn-
ing his intelligence. his skill and his
capacity for conscientious effort
"Hence the work of Tuskegee Nor
mol Institute is of the highest prac-
tical Importance to both the white
men and the black men and we'll
worth the support of both races, alike
to the north and the south. Your
1900 students are not only being ed
ucated in head and heart, but also
trained to industrial efficiency. For,
from the beginning. Tuskegee has
placed special emphasis upon the
training of men and women in agri-
culture, mechanics and household du-
ties. Training in these three funda-
mental directions does not embrace
ali that the negro or any other race
needs. but it does cover in very
large degree the field in which the ne
gro can at present do most for him.
self and be most helpful to his white
neighbors. Every black man who
leaves this institute is more able to
do mechanical or agricult lral labor
than ever before and is in a position
to benefit all people in the community.
The professional and mercantile ave.
nues to success are oyercrowded: for
the present the best chance of success
awaits the intelligent worker at some
mechanical trade or on farm: for
this man will almost certainly achieve
industrial independence.
Ignorance the costIiest Crop that Can
Be Raised.
81 am pleased, but not in the least
surprised. to learn that among these
men and women many trained at Tus-
kegee, find employment as leaders
and workers among their own people
and that their services are general
~ sought by white people for various
kinds of industrial work, the demand
being much greater than the supply.
viewed from any angle, ignorance is
the costliest crop that can be raised
in any part of this Union Every dol
lar put into the education of either
white man or black man. in head, in
hand and in heart. yields rich divi-
dends to the entire community. Mere
ly from the economic standpoint it
is OF the utmost consequence to all
our citizens that institutions such as
this at Tuskegee should be a sue
cess.
But there are other and even high
er reasons that entitle it to our sun
port. In the interest of humanity. of
justice and of self-protection. every
white man in America. no matter
where he lives, should try to help the
negro to help himself 1t is in the in
terest and 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 inter
est to see that the negro is protected
in property, in life and in all his le
gal rights. Every time law is brok
en- every individual in the community
Eas the moral tone of his life lower
ed, LaWlessness in the United States
Is not confined to any one section:
lynchlng is not confined 10 any one
section; and there is perhaps no body
OF America citizens who have desery
ed so well of the entire American neo-
pie as the public men. the publicists
the clergymen, the countless thous-