The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-06-20
WASHINGTON

" L S0,l
the race wants is not a vision Of
despair, but a vision of triumph:
tnot a picture of oppression, but an
inspiration to overcome difficulties.
kIhe race Is not losing friends In
/ america nor will we do so as long
as we continue to prove ourselves
worthy.
! ~Further, we must frankly face the
fact that the great body of our peo-
lple are to dwell in the South, and
I;any policy that does not seek to
harmonic the two races and cement
them Is unwise and dangerous. The
Negro, the Irishman, the Jew, the
[German, the Q italian, residing in the
North and West put forth every eff
l. fort to cultivate and retain the
friendship of their neighbors, and
the Negro in the South should pur-
sue the same policy
I There Is much that the brave, in
telligent, patriot white men of
tAmerica can do for us; there is
much that we can do for ourselves.
Fhe executive authorities should see
Ito, #. that every law is enforced, re-
Egard1ess of race or color, that the
weak are protected against injustice
from the strong. We have evidences
In several Southern. states that this
Els being done in an encouraging de-
gree. Without the encouragement
and protection of the law, 1t Is not
possible for the Negro to succeed as
Ia laborer, or in any line of business.
| The tndiscriminate condemnation
of all white people on the part Of
any member OF our race Is suicidal
learn to. discriminate. We have
l 70
strong friends, both in the South and
IN the North, and we should empha-
size and magnify the efforts of our
friends more than that Of those who
wish US evil
| No effort will prove helpful and
wise that does not reach the intel
igence and conscience Of the best
element Of the white race and the
same element of the black race. The
cooperation Of these two groups will
In the end bring success.
/ We are making tremendous pro-
(gress materially, educationally, NOR
ally and religtously. We own today,
mainly in the South, an acreage that
Is equal to the combined acreage OF
| the kingdom of Belgium and HoI-
land. The Negro today throughout
this country owns more land, more
houses, more. stores. more drug
stores, more banks, has more school
houses, more colleges, more teachers
more churches, more ministers,
more professional men than has ever
been true In the history Of our race.
| Do not be afraid to face Difficult
ties. For myself, | would not care to
live in an age where there was no
weak portion, Of the human race to
helped and lifted up. / would not
care to live In an age when there
were no serious, hard and perplex-
Ing problems to be met and solved. .
| There were men and women In
the audience who knew DR., Wash.
ington when he was q barefoot lad
before the world had claimed him
as its own, and they Wed with the
younger generations in applaudine
the sledge hammer blows With Which
he sought to impress upon them the
main points of his argument. A more
appreciattve and receptive audience
has never listened to better speech
and there was mutual regret on the
part of the speaker and his hearers
that urgent business necessitat9d hin
departure for the East after a. stay
of less than an hour upon the
elO"nuS VI Iho lnsIitu'Iou'
t The following were given diplu
mas: Sarah Elizabeth Brown, Char.
| Totte Ruth Campbell, John Bernard
Clair, Abbie Ruth Friend, Calnf
3. Gore, Eta May g,Hall, Frederick
Henry Jackson, Writ Jay Jones, SEES
sic jeanette Jordan, Ida May King
Matthew Thomas Obie, Ernest Dill
lard Law, Charles Albert Page ROB.
lert Holmes Parrish, Patrick Henry
Payne, Beatrice Estella Quarles
Charles Andrew Robinson, Anns
!! Roberta Smooth and oliver Terrell
| Wilkefson.
Certificates from the Commercial
Department were given to Frederick
/ Douglass Cambria and John Fersil
son Stewart; from the agricultural
department to Squire Ernest Cham
bers; from carpentry to- frederick
Henry Jackson and Matthew Thomas
!, Obie; from printing to Writ Jas