The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-19
WASHINGTON GIVES
SOME GOOD ADVICE
Talks to the People of His Race
at Cordova
AT INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE
Appeals to the Negro to Become Faith
full and Observation-Disclosures
Weak and Strong Points
of the Race.
AT INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE

Corona, May s.--(Special) Booker T.
Washington secured a special train at
Birmingham this morning to keep an ap-
pointment to deliver the closing address
here today before the Corona Industrial
institute. For many weeks now the negro
miners, their families and friends have
been looking forward to the coming of
the negro leader to this section. When he
failed to reach here last night because
of missing the train at Birmingham the
gloom that settled on the community was
tick and heavy. But when he reached at
II o'clock in the special train the great
multitude of negroes who had gathered
before the main building of the school
welcomed him with EXPLANATIONS of
delight. The exercises in the large
assembly room of the school were immed-
lately begun. On the platform were many
of the leading white men and women of
Corona Jasper and the neighborng
places. Hon. L. B. Musgrove, Mr.. J. r.
Ryan, Dr. Woodson. Mr.. Cook and 9TH
ers of equal prominence were present to
give encouragement to the negroes in
their efforts to educate themselves. Pro-
fessor j. r. f. Lee. formerly a teacher
at Tuskegee institute, but who has been
in charge of the school during the past
year has done splendid work during the
year in helping the negroes. He has the
confidence of whites and blacks alike
The school is being modelled after the
famoas Tuskegee institute. A large num-
Der of the miners themselves pay each
dollar a month toward the expenses of
the school. This amounts now to $500 a
month, about one-half of the fund re-
quired to conduct the school. This money
is collected each month by the company
and turned over to the officers of the
school. The Corona Coal company en-
courages the school because 1t Is making
the miners more contented and thrifty.
Principal Washington In his introduce
tory remarks. said 1t was his expert
ence that where employers had conf
dence in their men and gave them en-
couragement to improve their condition
that almost always he had good reports
of them He believed, he said, that to a
large extent the objections that now exist
regarding negro labor could be done away
with. He said in part:
Washlngton's Speech.
l do not speak to you today as a
stranger | feel at home among coal
miners. Almost the first work that | was
able to do as n boy was as a coal miner
in the mines of West Virginia, and so
address you as a fellow miner one who
has learned by experience what 1t Is to
lead the life of a coal miner.
In many respects the people of my race
who live in this community have a very
rare opportunity. and their surroundings
are far above the average. Your sur
roundings here are much more fortunate
and satisfactory than is true of the ma
jority of communities. Here you have la
Dor In abundance, in fact. labor seeks you
instead of you having to seek labor. The
school facilities are of kind that you
should be proud of. There are few coal
mining communities anywhere in the
world that have better school privileges
than are afforded you in this community.
The opportunity for religious instruction
for yourselves and your children In Sun
day schools and in churches is also right
at your doors You have. then. three
fundamental elements of civilization-op-
portunity of labor, of education, of re-
ligious instruction.
| am not far out of the way when |
state that Alabama. perhaps. has the
largest number of negroes engaged I'm
mining coal and iron and other minerals
than any southern state and perhaps any
state in the union. 1t has also perhaps
a larger number engaged In the furnaces
and factories in Birmingham and other
mineral districts than is true of any
southern state, or perhaps any state In
the union. The negro laborer then, so far
as concerns the state of Alabama. is
very important element in its progress
While in England and In other parts of
the old world we hear of thousands of
people in misery. marching the streets
by thousands begging for labor, here in
Alabama labor Is seeking the man. In
many parts of the old world the man Is
seeking the labor in vain. We have here
three Jobs seeking one man, instead of
three men seeking one job.
Negro Labor.
Much complaint in this connection is
heard about the unsatisfactory condition
of negro labor. | know all the weak points
in connection with our race, and when
there is a proper opportunity do not fail
to call attention to these weak points. At
the same time | believe that our present
scarcity of labor is brought about largely
by reason of the fact that the industrial
operations In the south have gone forward
faster than the population has increased.
The SOUTH unlike the north and west, de-
ponds upon its native population in large