Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-23
CDR. Dubois" and Booker Washington.

II.
In The Stars news report of public school
matters, printed yesterday, occurred the
following statement:
ut is understood that DIR. Chancellor
has in mind as a possible appointee Tor
the position of assistant superintendent IN
case of the reduction of DR.. Montgomery,
DR. Dubois. a colored educator of Atlanta.
Ga. DR.. Dubois is said to represent the
members of his race who stand for the
higher education of the colored people.
He is an opponent of Booker Washington
In that respect, and has made attacks upon
Washington in writing"
1t is not credible that a man of the in
telligence of DR.. Chancellor should be in
sympathy with ''Dr. Dubois in his vile at
tacks upon Booker Washington and his
scheme for educating the youth of his race
on practical lines. 1t is not too high praise
to characterize Booker Washington as the
greatest benefactor of his race since Abra-
ham Lincoln. He has founded an institu-
ton which has amazed the world with Its
success He has offered a solution of the
race problem in terms which should appeal
to every American citizen.
Booker Washington's plan for his people
Is to teach them to be self-supporting by
honest labor, to be moral. frugal clearly,
self-respecting and capable. He is today
engaged in turning out of Tuskegee hum
dreds of valuable members of society,
trained in letters sufficiently to enable them
to work intelligently with their heads as
we'll as their hands, but chiefly trained to
take up the burden of life in the lines Of
the races greatest possibilities. He is dis
couraging the tendencies which on the part
OF the negroes themselves serve to infiame
the race prejudices of the whites In the
south.
Against this man have been launched the
diatribes and the abuse Of certain coterie
of negro scholars and educators, who. hav-
ing risen themselves far above the general
level of their race, scorn the humber but
more practical means of education which
have been adopted at Tuskegee. They
would concentrate the educational efforts Of
their race upon the production of doctors.
lawyers and other professional men, train
ing for these pursuits many who would
make better blacksmiths Booker Wash
ington aims at the broadcast opportunity as
well as the most urgent need Of his race.
He believes In manual labor in its infiu-
ence as we'll as in its compensations for
a people who are most urgently in need
of means of earning a livelihood. He
would train for the professions only those
who show especial qualities. He knows
that the university education often spOils
q good farmer and makes a bad citizen.
The country at large, north and south,
agrees generally with Booker Washington
1t has witnessed his success and 1t in
dorses his theory that the so-called race
problem will be best solved by the negro
learning to live decently and honestly and
frugally. The most serious need OF the
negro today Is to remain with the soil, to
keep away from the centers of population.
The most injurious mistakes he makes arise
from his tendency to settle in the cities.
A fact which rebounds most highly to the
credit of President Roosevelt is that he has
always stood steadfastly by Booker Wash
ington as man with a mission. The Presi-
dents words and acts have testified to his
faith in Tuskegee and its founder. He
Endorses the doctrine of training the negro
according to his greatest chance of de-
velopment and his most urgent need.
1t is a striking commentary on this mat
ter that the reported choice Of DR.. Chan
cellor for position In the local school
system should be at this time connected
with the educational work in Atlanta, the
scene of such hideous happenings within a
few weeks. Those riots between the whites
and the blacks may be in some degree at
tributed to the results of the teachings of
the Dubois school OF leadership, inducing
the negroes to leave their farms and flock
to town, to turn their backs upon the
schools like that OF Washington, which
teach them to be decent citizens and capa-
BILE artisans and prosperous farmers, and to
herd together in cities to lead immoral
lives and to arouse the iercest resentment
OF the whites
The city of Washington wants none OF
this style of teaching. 1t wants no false
leaders Of the negro people connected with
Its public school system. The community
believes in Booker Washington and his
work and it does not wish to see those who
are engaged in an effort to tear down the
Tuskegee system favored by high positions
In the capitals educational establishment