The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-09-12
From Dr.. Washing
toms Address
To the Knights Of Pythias at Louis
vile, Ky, Last Week Very
Encouraging.

|
invitation reached me through your
Supreme Grand Chancellor, S. w.
Starks, and your supreme grand off,
GERS, l could not resist the tempta-
ton to be present and say few
words to you. l have such conf
dence in your Supreme Grand Chan
cellor and those who joined him in
| extending the invitation to be with
you in this great meeting that, al
though we'll mortgaged with engage
ments. I have put those interests
aside for the moment, and am here.
l have faith in what your organiza-
ton Is striving to do. I congratulate
you on what you have done, and I
| bid you Godspeed in your efforts in
the future, all of which I nope are
constantly to be directed toward the
betterment of your fellow-man.
| Highest Evidence Of Progress.
l have been interested and graft
fed because of the department of the
thousands gathered upon these
grounds today. They L:esent a clean,
orderly, sober, Industrious appear
ance. This department on a public
occasion such as this is within itself
! the highest evidence of progress.
| Whenever an opportunity to see the
| slightest evidence of the progress of
| our race presents itself, there our
| people should not fail to put in APP
| pearance in large numbers
| l believe that our people should
| take advantage of every opportunity,
| no matter wherever presented, North
| or South, to show to the world the
progress that we, as race, are MAX
| Ing. No battle was ever won by an
| army standing still Or sulking in it's
tents. Racial battles are to be won
| by marching forward, not by holding
back.
There used to be a question as to
| whether or not the Negro could be
| educated-that is, in the ordinary
sense in which we understand educa-
] ton. There is no longer any such
| questions in the minds of any peo-
pie whose opinions are worth con-
Slderlng. There is a question yet re-
| naming and one that Is constantly
being debated as to what extent the
| Negro as race is using and Is cap
able of using education so as to in
crease his productive ability and in
distributing the products of earth
/ amQRg the markets Of, the world
I repeat that during the last forty
years the American Negro has con-
WINGED the world that he could be
educated in literature, science, math-
ematics, agriculture, mechanics,
household arts and the professions.
We have won this victory not by de-
pending upon empty talk, not by de-
pending upon abstract argument, not
| by abuse of some one, but by ac-
tually doing the thing, by filling
every public school, every college,
every industrial and professional
school that has ever been opened for
us. We have won this victory by
| having living, tangible object lessons
in every part of the United States
that within themselves were indispu-
table evidences Of our ability to re-
ceive education.
When proof Is asked Of our ability
| to receive education we can point to
| the little, bareheaded and bare
| footed child in the Mississippi log
cabin school or we can point to the
| Negro youth in cap and gown in Ok
lord University, England. SO much
Is settled, but, as l have said, there
Is still debate and question as to
what extent we have ability to ap-
ply our education to all concerns Of
common life-to bring to bear the
force Of our education upon the soil,
| mechanics
turing, trades, and in matters that
concern plain, everyday living. Ed
ucatlon may be valuable or worth
less. Gold may be valuable or worth
less. Gold touching the markets of
the world is valuable; a bushel OF
gold dollars in a boat in midocean
lying at the feet of a hungry man is
worthless. Gold has got to touch
something to impart real value to it.
Education has got to touch ONE
thing in the same way; has got to
quicken something into life to be
Of value.
Negro Not Discouraged.
Despite much talk, the Negro is
not discouraged, but is going for
ward. The race owns today an acre
age Of land that is equal to the COM
bined acreage of Holland and Bel
gium, Negroes own more land, more
houses, more stores, more banks,
than ever before in our past history.
We are learning that no race can oc-
cupy soil unless that race can get
as much out Of that coil as any other
race gets out of it. Soil, sunshine,
rain and the laws Of trade have no
regard for race or color.
We are learning that we must be
, builders If We would succeed. In
proportion as we learn this lesson, In
/. the game lnr0nnrfinn will NO End l. I'll,