The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-07-18

and kept them away from many
meetings of "a helpful nature, held
in cities far from their homes. With
out condoning the mischiev Gus
opinion handed down by the Inter-
state Commerce Commission, we
propound this query to the leaders
of the National Afrp-American Coun-
Gil the Niagara Movement and the
Constitutional Leage:
What is to be done to nullify this
decision and to bring the issue
squarely before tribunal of higher
Jurisdiction?
Industrial education Is making
healthful progress in the District OF
Columbia. Time was when the pro-
fes6iOnal instinct was so strong In
the national capitol, any man who
dared to venture in and make plea
for the idea Of working with his
hands, and placing manual train
ing and domestic. science on par with
the classics as a means Of uplifting
the race would be greeted with scant
countesy-if permitted to talk at ALL
1t has been within the last few years
that DR.. Booker r, Washington has
been a welcome, visitor here, espec1-
ally among the "dicty' folks The
Tuskegeean began bH dropping a lit
tie seed in fertflsBoAf,, and then came
back at intervals to water the indus
trial sprig and to build lattices upon
which the vine could climb.
1t did climb and grow in strength
until today the spirit OF practical in
dustry has taken root in the most
substantial families and received the
heartiest encouragement at the hands
Of the most enlightened citizens Of
this country. Booker r. Washing
ton Is not now merely tolerated;
he is the toast. of the town." and
no auditorium is large. enough to
hold the crowds which flock to- hear
him whenever he is announced to
speak. He has simply educated the
people up to his ideals, ITO his stand
ards, by patiently working out re-
suits that could not be denied notice
and which finally appealed to the
good sense Of those who were wise
enough to be impressed by cold facts.
Gu Of this systematic inculcation
Of the industrial idea by Booker
Washington, the District OF Column
bia IS likely to have, at no distant
day, full-fedged industrial instf-
L
Will offer ito the struggling and am
bilious Negro youth of this vicinity
the same opportunity for the acS
quirement o. a useful trade or train
ing in agricultural and Kindred arts
that is now open to the black boys
and girls Of the far South. At a
largely-attended meeting at Conven-
ton Hall Sunday or 80 ago, the
matter was brought UNANIMOUSLY be-
fore the people through the efforts
OF Rev. 8. Geriah Lamkins, a promi
nent minister Of the city, and the
plan has now been endorsed to thou
sands Of the constructive forces OF
the District, including Commissioner
Mcfarland, who never gives his in
huence to a project until he has ex-
amined site and to take steps to
erect the necessary buildings. A
fund Of $4,000 IS to be raised as a
nucleus, and there Is every reason to
believe that before that Is fully in
vested in land, brick, mortar and
lumber, philanthropic persons can
be found who will carry the amount
forward and lay the foundation Of
an endowment reaching up to a >Aalf
million. In a recent sermon, DR..
Lamkins referred touchingly to the
devotion OF Frederick Douglass to
the practical training OF the Negro
boy and girl, and told OF the great
work Of the late W. w.
Browne, founder Of the True Re
formers, and Of the priceless labors
Of Booker r. Washington, the pio-
neer OF applied industrial education.
He urged the people OF the city to
see the necessity for an industrial
institute here, as these philosophers
saw it, and believed that such an
institution would greatly relieve the
reactionary conditions that are keep
ing our young folks in poverty, tend
ing TO crime, and that 1t would con-
tribute to the making Of purer homes
build up the churches, and help the
business enterprises Of the commun-
ity in a way that nothing else can
do. Dr.. Lamkins has undertaken al
big project, but Westinghouse
know how to do things on big scale
and it is thought that they will per
nit 20 nHeful an institution as hcI
proposes to fail through apathy and
neglect.