The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-11-22
Y. M. c. A. CONVENTION MEETS TODAY
Mistakes : nd Requirements Of
Civilization and Citizenship

V-D
a wall OF appeal. or expostulatioa
stead of remedylng the matter by
rsona' efforts. | am not prepared
) give YOU the remedy neither do
ay claim to being modern Moses
,ome to lead you out of this wilder.
ness OF conditions.
But propose to suggest few
thoughts with the hopes that when
once aroused from your lethargy You
may see other conditions and strive
with might and main to remedy them.
The First Thought is Education.
A famous writer has said.
"a little learning Is dangerous thing;
Drink deep or touch not the Pyrean
spring;
A little draught ihtoxicates the brain,
A deeper draught VIII make you
well again."
We too often take the little draught
and our brain becomes intoxicated, un.
I'll We imagine We possess the wisdom
OF Solomon or the eloquence OF n
Cicero. We become conceited, make
big demonstrations and declarations.
which only serve to attract attention
and like the tabled mountain, that
rolled and rocked and rumbled In grca.
commotlon and when the people had
gathered to see something great come
out, then ran forth tiny mouse.
We must learn TO apply oGf etlacs.
tlon rightly, be 1t either OF the head
or hand. classical or industrial. We
have enough lawyers. doctors, teach.
ers, preachers, IL. DIS, D. DIS and
DL, sG.'s (thls last is new title). to
make a great factor in the, uplift OF
our race and ttbe advancement ofscisl.
lizaion and citizenship and yet i
greatly fear they do not. reach the
goal or to Se plain, they do not pro:
duce the goods.
We have, 1 fear, too much wasted
and buried talent Talent that IL
rightly applied in the various chan.
nels to which II is adapted, would add
greatly in solving the perplexing prob
lem OF Negro citizenship and man.
hood. am a firm believer in indus.
trial education for our race in prefer.
ence to classical: too many OF our
young men partake Of the Tighter
draught" which deadens the ambl.
ton, causes misconception OF the
purpose Of education.
The young man who can show $1,000
at the end Of the month as a result OF
his brain and labor has accomplished
more in the problem OF civilization
than the professional man whose years
OF preparation and study have left
him with nothing but his title.
The young lady whose nlmble fing.
ers can turn out garment or hat
OF the latest design has uplifted her
sex far more than one whose cfassi.
cal conversation and musical talent
as the admiration Of the public. The
vital point is then: Education means
labor. 1t does. not mean outward dem
onstrations, 1t means an application
OF the knowledge at hand that You
may be able to produce that for which
there Is a demand and thus become a
potent factor in the worlds progress.
Note the contract between the two
races.
IT'S but few years ago that the
willy Japs wers, not known in ciyllIza.
tion and progress. They. too, had the
brain but lacked the application OF 1t.
He comes to America that he may
learn the language and ways Of a
progressive people. He enters the
agricultural field that he may learn
the art.of cultivation. He hires him.
self to the merchant that he may
learn the art Of trade. He enlist in
the army and navy that he may learn
the science Of modern warfare and so
on In all the lines Of business, trade
and the various vocatlons OF life. He
does not question so much the posi-.
tion or salary he Is to receive, that is
not Of primary consideration. HE
wants to learn the secrets Of clvilIza.
ton and after years Of patient toll,
silent and persistent effort, the whole
world is suddenly awakened to the
fact that the little Insignificant Jap Is
a giant in civilization. a power among
nations. They now understand his
faithful adherence TO duty. He was
drinking In his occupation. He was
preparing to apply the knowledge thus
gained to upllft himself and thereby
upllft his race; he stands today prac.|
tcally in control OF trade on the Pa.
clfic coast in the culture Of fruits, the!
fisheries and In some places Is a
leading 5factorLfil tIles rnercan n fJIaf Hafd 4