Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-15
photo by Turner.)


Justice Brewer of the Supreme Court of
the United States presided, and addresses
were delivered by DR.. Edward Everett Hale,
chaplain of the Senate, and by Oswald Gar
rison Willard of New York, president of
the Manassas associa ton. Plantation melo-
dies were sung by thirty or more boys and
girls, students of the school, without ac-
compartment. under the direction of Mrs.
Pelham of Howard University On the
platform were educators and friends of the
school, among whom We're Justice Day,
former Gov. Pinchback OF Louisiana, In
dian Commissioner Leupp, Mrs. Henry VII
lard of New York, Mrs Emma E. Forter
of Kansas, sister of Representative Calder
head; Miss Jane E. Thompson, and the
foundress of the institute, Miss Jennie
Dean.
To Promote Usefulness.
1T is a long way said Mr. Washington.
from the battle of Manassas to the estab-
lishment of negro industrial school on
that famous battlefield, yet the distance
has been Travelled, and we are assembled
here tonight to do what we can to pro-
mote further the usefulness of that insti-
tuition. There are some very vital and prac-
teal reasons why the citizens of Washing
ton should be deeply interested in this
school. 1t is near this city and is doing
good practical work. 1t has the advantage
of being located in the midst of agricultural
surroundings, and | repeat here what |
have said on other occasions that any In
1uenCe that Will take the youths of our
race from the Sums and crowded alleys of
our large cities to such localities and teach
them how to live in the midst of wholesome
surroundings in an agricultural atmosphere
will prove a benedction. This is what the
Manassas school is aiming to Go. and Will,
in proportion you will furnish the means
do it on larger scale. In too many cases
the negro is at his worst in the crowded
life of a large city, and in most cases he
is at his best in the rural districts where
he owns and cultivates the soil"
This city the speaker said has The largest
negro population of any municipality In
the Union and has an Imperative duty to
help In lifting the negro to the most use
full citizenship.
investigation he continued, Shows
that Tuskegee students command an aver
age wage that is three times as large as
that which they earned before receiving
any training at the Tuskegee Institute.
That is expressed in dollars and cents, the
southern white people place three times
much value upon the services of an edu-
Gated negro as they place upon the SER
vices of an uneducated one.
Can Be Made a Factor
THE south is passing through.a revolution
in It's industrial and economic develop
ment, and more and more am 1 convinced
that the negro, who is one-third of the
population, is and can be made a factor
in this onward march. The demand for
graduates comes from among our own
people for teachers in the class room, teach
ers of agriculture and other industries,
and for leadership and guidance in many
other directions. Almost as pressing is
the demand constantly coming from the
best white people in the south for the
services of our students to take charge of
farms, dairies and other industries"
The eight millions of southern negroes,
Mr.. Washington maintained by contact
with the whites have had their minds
awakened and they want land, houses,
churches, books and papers. For this the
so much work to do and the negro labor is
not inefficient. The increased industries
of the south trebling its Industrial effort,
is not performed by immigrants. There are
three jobs seeking man. 1t is the
scarcity of labor that confronts the peo-
pie, not the fnefficiency OF labor.
Blotted Out Ignorance.
Already" the speaker affirmed through
the efforts of educated negroes who have
Fisk Talladega, WiIberforce and a score OF
others, the negro has bIotted out, In forty
one years, SO per cent of his ignorance
while in Russia 1t Is said that more than
20 per cent of the masses are still in igno-
rance
In property holdings In Georgia alone,
leaving out his holdings in town and city
property, the negro pays taxes upon quite
eighteen millions of dollars worth of prop
erty. In the nation he owns and pays
taxes upon over three million dollars worth
Of property, and it is to be supposed that
many colored people initiate the white man
IN keeping the amount upon which taxes
are levied as low possible. According
to the census of 1890. it was shown that
IL per cent of the white Americans owned
the homes they occupied and that Is per
cent of the negroes owned the homes
which they occupied and that So per cent
of these negro homes were free from In
cumbrance.
Crime Has Decreased.
Il wish more of our white fellew-citizens
might inspect the life that our people lead
In their homes, in their churches, their
schools and their business houses and places
of employment. Wherever we have been
able to reach the people through education
they have improved morally at a rapid pace
and crime has decreased. After making
d1hgent inquiry we cannot find single ma n
OF woman who holds diploma from the
Hampton Institute In Virginia or the Tus-
kegee Institute IN Alabama n the walls Of