Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-06-02
EDUCATE NEGRO,
SAYS PRESIDENT
Delivered Notable Address to stu.
dents Of Hampton Institute.
SPOKE ALSO AT PORTSMOUTH

viving members or both the Blue and
the Gray in paying appropriate and
impressive tribute to the nations dead.
In the morning the president delivered
q patriotic Grafton In the beautiful
grounds OF the naval hospital At Ports
mouth. and directly afterward unveiled
a handsome marble shaft erected by
the Army and Navy Union in the GEM
etery adjoining the hospital grounds
TO the memory of its fallen comrades
The ceremonies at Portsmouth were
under the auspices OF the Army and
Navy Union. The memorial exercises
were preceded by an imposing parade
through the principal streets OF Ports
mouth. Nearly 1000 sailors and ma
rines OF the North Atlantic fleet par
ticlpated In the parade. In addition
there were organizations representing
the Army and Navy Union the Grand
Army OF the Republic the United
Confederate Veterans and many thou
sand patriotic societies. Portsmouth
was deliberately decorated with a
wealth OF patriotic colors. Business
houses and residences were ablaze
with bunting Thousands OF people. not
only from Virginia. but from adjoining
states as well. thronged the quaint old
town and extended to the president
the most cordial greetings His au-
dience numbered many thousands. aud
the naval contingent, in white uni.
forms. formed under the giant pine
trees in q hollow square. rendered the
scene particularly picturesque.
In the afternoon the President and
Mrs. Roosevelt. after an informal
luncheon and reception OF the officers
of the Norfolk navy yard at the resi-
dence OF Rear Admiral p. F. Har.
rington. commandment OF the yard Wis.
tied Hampton Institute The president
delivered an address to the hundreds
of negro and Indian students OF the
institute. afterward making tour OF
the various departments OF the school.
A. Hampton institute.
The students were assembled in
front of the administration building
OF the Hampton Institute. and re
ceived Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt with
cordial welcome of song. The presi-
dent was escorted TO the yeranda OF
the administration building. from
which he made his address.
President Roosevelt spoke extern
poraneously and with deep earnest
ness. Speaking directly to the negro
students. h. said:
Now, the first thing upon which |
wish TO lay emphasis is that a school
such as this. which strives to raise
the colored man and colored woman,
to make them better men and better
women. better citizens is pre-emi'
nently in the interests OF the white
man There is nothing that can be
done better for the white man. who Is
10 live side by side with the colored
man. than 10 train that colored man
up To be good citizen. The good man
who is a white man, by his presence is
a benefit TO every colored man In the
community. and the safety of the
white man is In having the colored
man grow to be a good and decent
man.
From the standpoint of the white
man. the safest and best thing that
can happen is 10 have the colored
people around him become thrifty, in
dustrious. home-makers and home
keepers. for you never yet had any
formidable quantity OF criminals from
a people or locality where the average
type was the home-maker and the
home-keeper. So from the standpoint
OF he white man nothing better can
be done than to give 10 the cOlored
man that real education. that real
training which he gets here at Hamp
ton and in similar institutions.
From the standpoint of the colored
man, the only real way To help him
is TO help him help himself. In the
long run in this world. no human be-
ing can be carried What this institn
ton does is to train young men and
women to walk by themselves The
colored man who helps his race most
Is he who helps teach the members Of
his race how to conduct themselves
with selfrespect-hard working intel.
ligent. law abiding citizens. It's the
honest virtues that count in the long
run. No race. no nationality. ever
raises itself by the exhibition of gen
ius In few men; what counts Is
character. the character OF the aver
age man and the average woman II
we can develop in the average col
ored citizen those qualities of char
acter OF courage. OF truthfulness. OF
sense OF obligation, OF willingness to
work. OF desire 10 behave decently
toward those round about you. you
have taken the longest and most ef
fective step towards securing for the
people OF your own race their own
self-respect and the respect OF others.
which will follow inevitably In the
training OF that self-respect.
you have sent out from Hampton
Institute In all something like 5000
graduates. and II have remembered
rightly there are but two Of whom you
have record rs criminals. and that fact
is an all-suiilcIent answer 10 the blind