Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-10-24
President Touches Color
Question in Tuske-
gee Speech.
EDUCATION The KEY
Students of Booker Washing.
toms Institute in Elab.
crate Parade.

Tuskegee. Ala. Oct. 2i.-President
Roosevelt reached Tuskegee from
Montgomery, at $50 and he was re-
ceived by the mayor and other distin-
guished citizens. The President made
short address to a large assemblage
and then proceeded to the Tuskegee
Normal and Industrial Institute Here
the President was received by Prin-
cipal Booker r. Washington, trustees
faculty. students. and a great crowd OF
white and colored people, thousands
having arrived from the surrounding
country during the night.
Reviewed Parade.
The presidential party entered car
riages and proceeded to an deliberately
decorated stand. from which the Pres
ident reviewed the educational and in
dustrial parade, upon the preparation
of which the students and faculty have
been at work for several weeks. Al
the conclusion of the parade. all re-
paired TO the chapel. where the presi-
dent. after being presented by Princi-
pal Washington, delivered an address,
in which he said:
ITO the white population as well as
to the black, il is of the utmost i'm
portance that TIE negro be encouraged
to make himself a citizen of the high
est type of usefulness. IL is to the in
terest of the white people that this
policy be conscicntiously pursued and
10 the interest of the coiored people
that they clearly realize that they have
opportunities for economic develop
ment here in the south not now offered |
elsewhere. |
Increase In Industries. |
Within the last 20 years the indus |
trial operations of the south have in
creased so tremendously that there is |
a scarcity of labor almost everywhere:
so that IL 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 therefore Ia the community in
which he lives.
In the interest of humanity of JUS |
tice and of self-protection. every white
man in America. no matter where he
lives. should ,ry to help the negro to
help himself II is in the interest, and
for the protection of the white men
not only the duty of the white man,
but II is to mis- interest to see that
the negro is protected in property. in
life and in all his legal rights. Every
time a law is broken. every individual
in the community has the moral tone
OF his life lowered.
Is Even Break.
"Lawiessness in the United States
is not confined to any one section; |
lynching is not confined To any one
section: and shere is perhaps no body |
of American ClyiZens who have de-
served so well Of the entire American |
people as the public men. the public |
lists the clergymen, the countless thou |
sands of high minded private citizens ]
who have done such heroic work in the |
south in aroTs!ng public opinion |
against lawlessneSs in all its forms. |
and especially against lynching. !
very earnestly hope that their example |
Will count in the north as well as in |
the south. for there are just as great
evils to be wan'ed against in one re
gion OF our couhtry as in another, |
though they arr not in all places the |
same evils.
Hitherto | have spoken chiefly of |
the obligations existing on the part of
the white man Now let you remem-
Der on the othe' hand that no help can
permanently avail you save as you
yourselves dev -lop capacity for self |
help. You young colored men and wo-
men. educated at Tuskegee must by |
prScept and example lead your fellows
toward sober. IN iustrious law abiding !
lives You are IN honor bound TO join |
hands in favor Ct law and order and to |
war against all crime. and especially /
against crime by men of your own /
race. for the heaviest wrong done by /
the criminal is the wrong 10 his own l
race. You must teach the people of
your race that they must scrupulously |
observe any contract into which they |
in good faith enter. no matter wheth-
er it is hard to keep or mot IL you ,
save money. secure homes and lead /
clean. decent, modest lives. you will /
win the respect of your neighbors of /
both races"
stood on Cotton Bales.
The president was given a great oya-
ton as he rose 10 speak and the ad- :