The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-01-29
30 ooKER WASHINGTON U,
\! ON RACE QUESTION.
Address at the Columbia Theatre Last
Week by the Renowned Presi-
s5g dent Of Tuskeegee Institute. IS

lS$Ino 0tate, 10th. y. Etr-'.,% {lsn. ~, .
After his. introductory remarks,
Booker Washington addressed the
gtnass meeting at the Columbia theatre
#Thursday night in the following Ian
ssguage: .....1... !. *
"I count it a high privilege to be
( permitted to come here at your invi-
tation to speak at this race confer
ence. Not only am I glad to be here
E because of my faith in the good out
| come Of such policy but because Of
Amy faith in and respect for the leader
1of this movement, Rev. Richard Car
roll. ..".,.. ..
i!f "I was born here in the South my
! early boyhood was spent in slavery
here in the South, and there is no
spot on earth so dear to me as the
\ soil Of our Southern States where we
Of both races for so many years have
lived and toiled.
"We Of, both races are to live here
i'm the South side by side for all time,
no matter what theories may be ad-
/ vanced and emphasized. This, to any
sensible man, it seems to me, is the
) fact which we must face. Since we
are to remain together, the question
! which we should constantly consider
is, How can we do it in peace, i'm
| harmony, and in way that each race
will serve the best interest Of the 9TH
er, in way that each race will be
made more happy, more prosperous
because Of the presence Of the other? I?
cit is the extreme of folly, and al
J most crime, for any individual, or
/ group of individuals to pursue a
course which will encourage racial
strife when two peoples are to re-
main together for all time. In the
Il case Of the negro, rs is known, he
His not here on account of his own
S choice, but was forced into this coun-
Sstry against his will. Since this is
a consideration is due him
cannot perhaps be invoked for
any other race.
The only way for any one to pass
judgment upon the negro race, is
him to place his hand upon his
Heart and put himself into the posi-
ton Of the negro in South Carolina,
land then ask, under such circum-
sA 9ssAAttances, how he himself would wish
treated. When each man has
s5asSeo5hsientiously answered for himself
question, I believe he will have
large degree solved all of our
afoblems.
1T was glad to sec that brave,
IsGkkE0ng white man from Mississippi a
days ago It the Southern Cotton
aF6wers' convention held in Birming-
9ssaifam stood up and said that he had
ssG0tten to that point where he was tir-
%of hearing the negro continually
kused. That opinion represents the
saRktitudc of thousands of our best
Rssppthcrn white people, The negro has
faults, he has at the same time
good points, and you often get bet
3g erSresults by calling attention to the
4 Yong points of race than by dwell
|ISsil1g ;|3Sl1g too continuously upon his weak
The negro. like any other
of people, needs encouragement
SS|Ss SsgsS well as chastisement.
The Black Man Opportunity.
want to emphasize to my race,
sa6e fact that we have many advan-
slEEIslses before us in the Soutll-advan-
ages scarcely afforded amy othe,
of people anywhere in the world
are in the same relative stage of
Iayiization. We must not yield tc
iifSaekshe temptation of overlooking ON
SsS5SH &gS our opportunities, BY
ssSsAnphasizing and overstating our gri.
sI. & Any black man who is 'worth his
can build decent home, car
a respectable family, can secure
Of the work that he wishes, car
Educate his children, can have free
dom of religious worship, can secure
maintain the respect and conf
fence of his neighbors Of both races
urthcr, our opportunities in thu
South are not confined to these di
Any black man who has tht
ability and the ambition can go int
gtS business, can succeed in commercial
ISs and banking directions as many ar
already succeeding here in the South
The negro race is given free oppor
tunity to enter the educational ant