The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-08-03

Washington, July 31.-The negro
Young Peoples Christian and Educa-
tional congress. having for its object
the educational and moral uplifting Of
the race began a five days session in
this CITY today. Several thousand DEL
egates are in attendance, representing
every state in the union, and some
have come from foreign lands. The
first days session was devoted tn ad-
dress OF welcome and speech-making.
blshop Wesley J.. Gaines, D. D., of At
ianta, and Secretary OF the Navy Bon
aparte being the principal speakers.
Booker t Washington is expected
Thursday o. Friday.
The meeting opened with Loco
voices singing, and was followed by
prayer by Rev. N. W. Waldron OF
Jacksonville, Fla. In his quadren-
NAL address Bishop Gaines, who pre-
sided over the congress, spoke of the
fact that the negro race had been
brought through many difficulties and
trials since the last meeting in Allan
Ia four years ago.
I'VE have stood almost on the brink
# despair" he said, but I thank God
that in the darkest hOur we have been
able to gather courage and stand firm
in the hope Of a future of better IN
d~erstandings and better days" In
spite Of obstacles, he said, the race had
made progress even in four short
Years. In forty one years Of freedom
Our people have accumulated about
two billion dollars worth Of property
and we have advanced SO that more
than so per ent Of IL people can read
end write" Taking up the question
Of thesattitude Of the whites toward the
negroes Bishop Gaines said:
I'VE have had to submit to the awful
humiliation arising from separate car
laws On 10th railroads and trolley
lines, but we must not be discouraged.
The mob laws, hangings and the
burning at the stake of negroes in
many southern states, though most
terrible to reflect upon, must not dark
en- our minds so that We despair. I
have said we have made great pro-
gress, though We have still a great bur
den of ignorance, of laWlessmess to
carry and to endeavor TO destroy as we
move forward. Yet | find / can thank
1oo llol IIoOSH wv Nv A1AA
enemies. We are nUt without friends. |
must say that We could not stay in this
country if it were not for our white
friends and their strength Of charac-
ter"
Bishop Gaines then specifically
named as aNowed enemies OF the negro
Senator Tif1man of South Carolina;
Governor Vardaman of mississippi;
Governor Jefferson Davis, of Arkansas,
and Thomas Dixon. He added that
John Temple Graves could be counted
mons them "aS the most dangerous
of the group, because he rs the most
highly educated" He said that in an
editorial in the Atlanta Georgian OF
Nav 10. Mr.. Graves had referred to the
African negro as a helpless barbarian.
Secretary Bunaparte was then intro
duced and spoke on the future OF the
negro race in America. He said thai
the part the negro would play in civil
iizatiOn was a question no less dlfhcult
than interesting. He did not intend to
be a prophet and doubted very mucE
whether anybody could now give more
than a crude conjecture abou what the
s'fates'' have in store for the race and
for the country through it. he man
who spoke with assurance about such
a matter. he said. is probably not worth
listening to. The very fact that he
thinks he knows all about it is proof
that he knows nothing" &c added.
Secretary Bonaparte declared that
the negro race was the only n which
ever has been able to live with white
pann1o