The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-04-11
WASHINGTON
Addresses 4 i !:Thous-
ands III Chicago
Noted Educator Accorded a
: Hearty Welcome in Windy
City and Gives People :.
Good Advice
Chicago, Ill, April 8, 1907.

this week hal In their midst Booker
t.: Washington, the great Tuskegee--
an. Coming. here primarily to ad-
dress the citizens of Chicago at Oil
vet Baptist Church, 27th and Dear
born streets, DR.. f.. J. Fisher, pastor,
he was deluged with so .lpsay invi-.
tations OF one kind. .7Hu another that.
1T seemed he must give way under
the .stszenuous pressure, but equable,
calm, and self-possessed as ever, he
met every draft upon his mental and
physical energy Ia q way to captivate
and please the many hundreds who
listened to him. .. ,
On Friday evening, April g.. 1000
people, white. and black, crowded
Olvet to the doors, many hundreds
Delng turned away. In the audience
and on the platform with the distin-
gu1shed visitor, was the very front
and flower of all there is best in the
life OF the Negro people here-teach-
-ers, university Students, ministers, !
musicians, editors, physicians, and
In fact the leaders among the colored
people Of every kind were represent
ed among the throng in attendance
DR.. washington spoke with his old
time fervor and earnestness and with
certain plainness Of speech calcu-
lated to help forward the progress
OF our people In this great city by
the lakes. ',1:>-. -
The sensational press OF Chicago
represented DIR. Washington as at
tacktng the Negro press, and as
charging Negro voters with parting
with their votes for consideration.
The .truth should be told: During
the course: Of his address, he said: -
sometimes fear that some. (note the
important qualification)' Of our Ne
gro papers, in an embittered way, de-
vote more space to chronfcling our
ills instead Of encouraging the people
by constructive and helpful informa-
ton; as to the real progress Of our
people" This was distorted into an
attack on Negro newspapers. Again,
he SAID. "I am most anxious that In
NO part N the country our people get
the reputation: Of parting with their
sEot k&SSS esnsid daEa tfan.
Ktf{t 4 1soHst DER che. ballot too sacred
to be placed on the market at any
price. 49,.
Both OF these sentiments we're
earnestly applauded by the audience.
AS a fhatter. OF fact, almost every
phrase and sentiment was so earn
estly applauded that it was with diff
ficulty that he proceeded with his ad-
dress. .-'' '..'
A banquet in the Sunday School
Auditorium Of the church followed.
Attorney s. Laing Williams presided
as toast master. Among the speak
ers on therlist were DR.. Geo. C. Hall,
Hon, E. H. Wright, DR.. D. P. Rob-
erts, pastor Of Quinn Chapel, DR.. w.
E. Bradden, DR.. E. J. Fisher and
number OF others. This banquet was
a particularly brilliant affair.
On Saturday evening, DR.. Wash
ington met the colored business men
Of Chicago at the Frederick Douglass
Centre, and the >colored students at
tending the University Of Chicago at
the Appomattox Club. The recep-
lion at -hnth places were most hearty
On Sunday he spoke at two ariBto-
cratic white churches; one at Lake
Forest, a suburb, and the other, the
Second Presbyterian Church, Goth st.
and Michigan Ave. Tremendous
each Of these meetings.
On Monday morning at the earnest
solicitation Of DR.. f. w. Gunsalus,
dents OF the Armour Institute of
Technology to the hundreds Of young
men from all parts Of the country,
who attend there
The main theme on which Dr.
Washington based his talk while here
was the idea Of racial pride. He
emphasized the vast strides made by
the Negroes since 1865, enumerating
some Of their achievements, told
how education had spread among
them and pointed out that Negroes
are now paying taxes upon more
than $3,000,000 worth Of property.
Should race which has done as
much as ours not be proud Of itself?"
he then demanded, amid cheers that
shook the building.
Men Of our race are too much
given to the pessimistic and downcast
view, he went on.
What we want to q greater extent is
feeling that 1t is an honor to be
black man. We want more faith in
ourselves and in our possibilities. We
should go on with q great construc-'l
tive work In the uplifting Of our race,
rather than giving encouragement
to any tendency to sit down and be-
moan our untoward condition"
Some Of the points DR.. Washing
ton made in giving suggestions as to
racial upbuilding were these:
' THE Negroes should seek to live
In houses made as attractive as pos
sible, surrounded by as many uplift-
ing influences as can be commanded.
The Negro should seek to entire to
q greater extent the commercial
walks Of life and should not content
themselves with menial positions.
1--WE should cultivate the habit Of
laying money away and should dis
courage the tendency to spend all Of
our incomes on superficial show
We should take advantage to O..
wider extent of the chances FOR col