Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-30
SOUTH NEGRo,s REST HOME.
Notable Address by Booker Washing
ton at Atlanta.

Booker Washington, addressing the Ma
tional Negro Business League at Atlanta
last night, expressed the opinion that in
no other section can the negro find oppor-
tunity equal to that presented to him IN
the south. He urged negro leaders to see
that the criminal negro is got rid of, de-
claring that members of the race are COM
hitting too many crimes.
The league. of which Mr.. Washington Is
president, opened Its seventh annual con-
venton there last night. with more than
1000 negroes from all parts of the country
present. Speeches of welcome were made
by Mayor Prolein Hornell and President
Sam D. Jones of the chamber Of COM
merce.
The principal feature Of the session was
the annual address of President Washing
ton. who said in part:
I'VE believe that while the world may
pity crying, whining race, it seldom re-
spects it. We believe that the influence
of one great success in really accomplish
ing something that the world respects
will go farther in promoting our interests.
Let constructive progress be the dominant
note among us In every section Of America.
Right here IN Georgia We have album
dant evidence that the negro Is learning
this lesson at a rapid rate. 1t is safe to
say that the negro in Georgia owns at
least S25OOO,WO worth of taxable property,
and that our people in other sections Of
Within the past year l have inspected and
studied the conditions and progress of our
people in the northern and western states,
and l have no hesitation in reaffirming my
opinion that tibet southern states offer the
best permanent abode for thte masses of
our people.
I'm connection with our future here in
the south. l do not share the fear that i'm
migration will retard or prevent our prog
ress. Our salvation Is to be found not in
our ability to keep another race out of
our territory, but In our learning to get
as much out of the soil. out of our occu-
pationS or business, as any other race can
get out of theirs.
There Is much that the brave, intelli-
gent patriotic while man OF America can
do for us: there is much we can do for
ourselves The executive authorities should
see that every law is enforced, regardless
of race or color; that the weak are pro-
tectetd against injustice from the strong
We have examples in several southern
states that this is being done in an en-
couraging degree.
ION the negroes part we have a duty
Our leaders should see to II that the Grim
inal negro Is got rid of whenever possible
Making all allowances for mistakes in JUS
tice and the influence of racial pride,
have no hesitation in saying that one of
the elements In our present situation that
gives me most concern Is the large num-
Der of crimes that are being committed by
members of our race. The negro Is COM
uniting too much crime, north and south.
The crime of lynching everywhere and at
all times should be condemned, and those
who commit crime of any nature should
be condemned. Our southland today has
no greater enemy to business progress than
lyncheEs and those who provoke lynching.
I'm this same connection, let us bear In
mind hiatt every man. white or black, who
takes the law into his hands to lynch or
burn shoot human beings supposed to
be or guilty of crime is insulting the ex-
ecutive. judicial and lawmaking bodies of
the state in which he resides"