Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-16
ROOSEVELT
PRAISES WORK
OFNEGROES
PRESIDENT COMMENTS ON
GREAT ADVANCE
ANDREW CARNEGIE APPLAuDE0
BY DusKY AUDIENCE
Speaking at installation of New Head
of College, Steel Maker Says
There Are Not Enough
CoIored People

|
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10. President
Roosevelt, James Bryce, the British am
bassador, and Andrew Carnegie delivered
| addresses here today, reflecting pro
nounced optimism as to the future Of the
negro race.
The occasion was the installation o.
| Rev. WILDER Patterson Thirkoild a;
president of Howard university and the
| celebra tion of the fortieth anniversary Of
the foundation of that institution, which
| is devoted primarily to the higher edu'
cation of the negro.
President Roosevelt admitted the hard
ships encountered by the negro in his
| efforts toward advancement, but urgec
| that they be looked upon rather as a
privilege and as stimulating great effort
| for which the reward would be equally
great.
Mr.. Bryce pointed to the development
| of the race during the past forty years
| as being marvellous compared with the
development of the Anglo-Saxon race.
Wants More OF Them
1t was for Mr.. Carnegie to awaken un-
restrained enthusiasm by his declaration
that it was not now the question, What
shall we do with the negro?" but How
can we get more of them|'
| Mr. Carnegie completed his triumph of
| popularity by showing, in conclusion,
| that the race had acquired title to es-
] tates in America during the past forty
! years larger than Belgium and Holland
| combined.
| President Roosevelt said: II am glad
| to have the chance to come before you
and say word of greeting and of god
| speed today. This day of your installa-
| tion, Mr.. President commentaries the
| fortieth anniversary of the founding oil
| this Institution. There has been much of
sorrow and disappointment that has
| come to men not only of the colored race,
but of all races during that forty years,
and sometimes in looking back we fail to
realize all the progress that has been
made. Let me call attention to just two
| facts
During the forty years, principally
| during the time that has elapsed since
the emancipation proclamation, the col
| ored institutions of this country have
accumulated property until they now
have some $S50OO0,O0O worth of taxable
property in this country. During the
same forty years they have been making
| for themselves homes, until now there
are 100000 homes owned and occupied by
the colored citizens of our country.
| when a man and woman grow to
| acquire a certain amount of property,
| above all, when they grow to own and
occupy their own home, it is proof posi-
| tive that they have made long strides
| forward along the path of good citizen
! ship.
For Higher Life
"The material basis is not everything,
! but it is an indispensable prerequisite to
moving upward in the life OF decent citi-
| zenship, and the coIored man when he
acquires property, acquires home, has
taken that Indispensable first step, and
| a long, long step. Upon that material
basis must be built the structure of the
| higher life, and this institution has been
developed throughout its career to turn
ing out men and women who should be
| teachers and helpers of their own people
| toward this higher life.
you have close upon 800 GRADUATES.
Every graduate of an institution of learn
| ing who goes out into the world has many
| difficulties to face. Few have more diff
| ticulties to face than those who graduate
| from this institution You bear great
| burden of responsibility upon your shoul-
GERS men and women who come from
| this institution. / trust you will realize
it. that hep will be given to you from on
| high to bear it we'll and worthly.
| You turn out men and women In many
| different professions. OF course, pecu-
| liar Importance attaches TO those who in
after life go into the ministry. A minis
| ter needs to remember what each one of
| us here needs to remember, but he needs
| to remember it more than any one else,
| the truth of the Bible saying that by
your fruits shall men know you A min
| lister needs to fell that it is incumbent
!. upon him not merely preach a high and
yet a sane morality, but to see that his
| mt n
riinute detail.
Praises Negroes
| al have also taken a peculiar interest
in the graduates in medicine of this uni
! Versity | believe you have, all told
graduated something like thousand men
In medicine, and l hapepn to know that a
peculiar measure of achievement has
come to these men. / think that the
share of accomplishment has been pecu-
liarly high among the graduates in this
! institution. I earnestly hope that the av-
erage graduate of your medical depart
ment will not stay around Washington
that he won't try to get into some gov
ernment position; that he won't even &C
| to some other large city.
II hope he Will go out and dwell among
his fellow citizens of co;or in their owr
homes, and be to them not only a healer
of their bodies, but a center for raising
| them in every part of their lives.
81 have been struck in travelling through
the south to find how many co!ored doe.
tors have gone into other business as
well, as very frequently you will find tina
they own drug stores, and 1 was STRUCK
b., what very nice drug stores and how
! prosperous many of them have been.
II was struck by the esteem in which
they were held. as rule, by all of thei
j reighbors. and by the evident fact thai
each such coiored doctor who did hil
work we'll exerted very perceptible In
lence in raising the standard of citizen
ship of all the coored citizens of the
| locality in which he resided.
"It is from this institution that are be
4 ing graduated those who will lead ant
teach the less fortunate fellows. Upor
their learning and teaching much depend!
for their race ard for their country"