Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-01-13
PROF. WASHINGTON ON ENIAN.
CIPATION.

PROF. WASHINGTON ON ENIAN-
CIPATION.
Prof Booker T. Washington, A.
NJ. IS certainly at home upon the
rostrum His speech at Mobile, Al
ALBANIA, January /. 1906 fully jusu-
fed the expectations Of the vast
throng that was out to hear him.
Among other things. he said:
zone of the questions that is, day
by day, presenting itself for our
consideration is that of getting the
most out of any neld Of enieavor
that we may occupy. We have got
70 learn to get the most out of the
soil. the most out of labor; If we
/ do not the years will only be a few
when others viii prove TO the world
that the nest which we now squat
upon can better be occupied by peo-
| pie with more intelligence. thrift
and skill. They will occupy the
soil that we now cultivate, and they
viii control the labor that is now
in our hands.
He made the following convincing
defense Of a condition when ne re-
marked:
CAS- I think you know. during the
recent months there has been much
discussion in the Southern press
and throughout the South as TO
what is referred to as the inefficien-
cy OF Negro labor. While I have
never failed to criticise frankly any
weakness OF the race in this or any
other respect. i think the public
has in some particular been greatly
misinformei on this subject. While
there is too large a class Of idlers in
the large cities, and this I have said
before, the great mass Of our peo-
/ pie. especially those In the country
district work hard. II viii be hard
20 find any other class 20 take their
: places. Il is not so much the inef-
nCiency of colored labor as 10 IS the
scarcity OF il. Many overlook the
fact in discussing the subject.
that during the last twenty years
the South has more than trebled it's
O.
immense increase has been taking
place. in its industrial operations,
I the South. unlike the North and
West, has depended almost wholly
upon the natural increase OF its pop
ulation 90 man these increased in
dustries. The North and West re-
ccive thousands O. immigrants each
year, while immigration into the
HnrN Inc HrH q
hence, we have The condition pre-
vailing that there are three Jobs
seeking one man instead OF three
men seeking one Job. 1t is the scar
I city OF labor which confronts us
more than the inemcicncy OF labor.
He was equally as happy and for
tunate IN his utterances when he
said:
1--WE must not confuse the work
that Is before us. Slavery present
/ ed n problem OF destruction. Free
dom presents a problem OF construc-
1 ton. A tree may be destroyed In a
I few minutes; Il requires years 10
grow n tree. We cannot construct
( something by mere complaining,
whining. faulthnding and cursings.
/ Construction is the result OF pa
/ thence. persistency. industry, wisdom
applied day by day TO the tasks that
are nearest TO us.
cit can always be depended upon
/ that the man who Is trying 70 build
up something will always keep a.
head OF the ones whO are trying
/ 10 tear down something. No one
can put forth effort in the tearing
down OF race without pulling down
/ building up OF a race without at
himself. No one can assist IN the
the same time elevating himself"
These are truisms that elevate
and benefit US the moro we ponder
them.
. DR.. Washington has grown ana
! developed and II rests with him
whether his career shall continue a.
long the lines he has marked out
and upon the high plane he has sci
for himself. Certain IL IS, that his
questionable interference ia the MAJ
ter OF political appointments has
tended 10 cause many Of his ad
mirers to view with apprehension
this departure and wish that ne had
confined his efforts TO the elevation
of the race and himself along edU
cational and business lines.
REFUSED THEM PERMISSION