Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-10-26
DESTINY OF NEGRO RACE
CHIEFLY IN HIS PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, IN
AN ADDRESS TUsKEeEE URGING THEM TO
so LIVE AS TO COMMAND RESPECT OF THE WHiTEs-Ie-
cosTLiEsT OF CROPS.


lust as great evils to be warred
against in one region of our coun-
try as in another, though they are
not in all places the same evils And
when anybody in a community stands
brayely for what is right these men
not merely serve a useful purpose in
doing the particular task to which
ihey set themselves. but give lift to
the cause of good citizenship through
out the Union.
81 heartily appreciate what you
have done at Tuskegee and | am sure
it could not possibly have been done.
save for the loyal support you have
received from the white people round
about; for during the twenty-five
years of effort to educate the black
man here in the midst of a white COM
n,unity of intelligence and culture,
there has never been an outbreak be-
tween the races or any difficulty OF
any kind All honor is due to the
white men of Alabama, to the white
men of Tuskegee. for what they have
done. And right here let me say that
if in any community misunderstand-
ing between the races should arise
over any matter. indefinitely the best
way out is to have a prompt, franl.
and full conference and consultation
between representatives of the wise,
decent, cool-headed men among the
whites, and the wise, decent and cool
headed colored men. Such a confer
ence will always tend to bring about
a better understanding and will be
of great help all around.
SeIf-HeIp the Main Factor.
Hitherto I have spoken carefully
of the obligations resting upon the
white man. Now let us remember on
the other hand that no help can per-
5manently avail you until you yourself
develop capacity for self-help. You
young colored men and women. edu-
Gated at Tuskegee, must by precept
and example lead your fellows toward
sober. Industrious. law-abiding lives.
You are in honor bound to join hands
in favor of law and order and to war
against crime by men and especially
against crime by 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 own race that they must scrup-
ulously observe any contract into
which they in good faith enter, no
matter whether it is hard to keep Or
not. If you save money, secure
homes and lead clean, decent modest
lives, you will win the respect of
your neighbors of both races. Let
each man strive to excel his fellows
only by rendering substantial service
to the community in which he lives.
Progress Of the Race.
THE colored people have many diff
! ficulties to pass through, but these
/ difficulties will be surmounted if on
ly the policy of reason and common
'sense is pursued. You have made
real and great progress According to
the census the colored people of this
country own and pay taxes upon
something like three hundred million
dollars worth of property and have
hlotted out over fifty per cent of illit-
eracy. What you have done in the
past is an indication of what you will
be able to accomplish in the future
under wise leadership Moral and in
dustrial education is what is most
may continue. The race cannot ex-
pect to get everything at once 1t
must learn to wait and bide it's time:
to prove itself worthy by showing
its possession of perseverance, of
thrift, of self-control The destiny
of the race is chiefly in it's own hands
and must be worked out patiently
and persistently along these lines.
Remember also that the white
nan who can be of most use to the
colored man is that colored mans
neiShbor. 1t is the southern people
themselves who must and can solve
the difficulties that exist in the
south. OF course, what help the peo-
pie of the rest of the Union can
give them must and will be gladly and
cheerfully given. The hope of ad-
vancen;e ent for the colored man in the
south lies in his steady, common sense
effort to improve his moral and ma
terial condition, and to work in har-
mony with the white man in upbuild-
ing the commonwealth.
"The future of the south now de-
pends upon the people of both races
living up to the spirit and letter of