The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1906-04-12
Principal of Tuskegee Makes
Known His Views
THE SOUTH THE NEGROS HOME
Celebration of 18th Anniversary Is
Occasion Of Addresses by Principal
Washington, Seth Low, Harvard's
President. Secretary Taft.

ton with the celebration OF the
tweuty-lifth anniversary Of the Tus-
kegee Normal and Industrial Institute
was delayed
Among the prominent men who
came IN IN the Ogden train were:
Secretary of War William II. Taft;
Robert &. Ogden, president Of the
board Of trustees; Charles ". Eliot.
president OF Harvard University; DR..
Lyman Abbott and Oswald Garrison
Willard, editor Of Tho New York
Evening Post.
The party was greeted by Loo
students and alumni and members of
the faculty and board Of trustees.
Principal Booker r. WASHINGTON
delivered an address Of welcome. He
said IN part:
Booker Washington s Speech.
Booker f. Washington. principal
OF the Tuskcgec Institute, in his
address said:
And Jesus said. / will make you
fishers Of men.
I'm the spirit Of these words. the
foundation Of this institution was
laid in 1881, through a Gift from the
State Of Alabama.
For 55 years. then, the Tuskegee
Normal and Industrial Institute las
been tising for men. What of it and
what results! In our quest we have
used land, houses, barns, memories,
shops, laundries. kitchens, class
rooms, the Bible. arithmetic, the saw,
the trowei, the law. aud money-all
OF these and more We have used III our
effort TO fish for men.
South It's Permanent Home.
Primarily | believe that my race
has found itself. ~ far as lis perma-
nent location Is concerned. When this
institution began its mission there
was uncertainty. lack OF faith. halt
ing and speculation a. to our pcrIna-
Eent abidin" place. As to what de-
gree the Influence of the Tuskpoee
Institute has contributed to this I
Will venture no assertion. except to
state that ~ far AZ | can interpret
the present ambitions and the activi-
ties OF my people. the main body of
the race has decided to remain per-
manently IN The heart Of the South,
Tg1s
black belt
Dr. Washington referred to the
gorWth Of the school from It's humble
beginning III one small building with
30 pupils 10 lis present enrolment of
1,4OO students. and said that the
school had sen; out into the world
5000 men and women who are now
largely engaged Is workers in agricuI-
ture and mechanics. housekeepers and
teachers OF both industrial and aca
demlc throughout the South as we'll
as III Africa and one or tw oother
foreign countries.
Afte ralluding to the various ':mo-
mentous transitions' through which
the American negro has passed. be-
ginning with the primitive civiliza-
ton which he had created in Africa,
his introduction into the wholly new
condition of American slavery, and
his new life Of freedom and citizen
ship, DR.. Washington said:
New Period For Negro.
The negro race in this country has
entered upon a wholly new period
a period III which emphasis is being
placed upon side OF life not covered
III any OF the previous experiences of
my people. l mean the era of free.
independent and intelligent economic
and industrial development, accom-
panied with growing sense of the
worth and value of their own quail
ties and desire to make the most of
them, under God. for their own good
and the welfare of the world. Hav-
ing TO some extent become conscious
of the great task imposed on them as
people, they are seeking to lay the
foundation deep in the essential Of
life. But III this task they often
meet many and sometimes needless
obstacles.
Dangerous to Regard Millions as
Aliens.
IF this country Is to continue TO
be republic, its task will never be
completed as long as seven or eight
millions of its people are a large
degree regarded as aliens and are
with out voice and interest in the
welfare of the government. Such a
course will not merely infict great in
justice upon these millions of people
but the nation will pay the price of
finding the genius and form of its
government changed, not perhaps in
name, but certainly in reality, and be-
cause OF this world will say that free
government is failure.
''As I conceiv t. part of the mis-
sion of this school is expressed in the
purpose and determination to assist
the race In laying such gradual and
permanent foundation in right living,
through the accumulation of property
industery, thrift, skill, education. of
all character, moral and religious
habits and all that which means cur
usefulness to the community in which
We abide. that naturally, logically,
sympathetically We shall make DUR
selves grow into full and rightful -esS
joyment and intelligent use of the
privileges and rewards of citizenship.
- nv less ambition 1rnnl i .has a,n