Franklin's paper the statesman., 1908-09-26
0DDFELLOWSHIP
TYPICAL OF BEST
Continued from page two

Do they rule where minoritieS denv
to majorities the right to ballot and
pass discriminatory laws to still fur
ther humiliate and subjugate this ma
jority in its helplessness.
81 ask again, if he means that all
the people shall rule without regard
to race or color as the organic law OF
the land demands. Do the people rule
where mobs wreak their fury and ven
geance on the helpless and go unwhip'
ped of justice?
"Fully conscious OF these injustice5
throughout the country, realizing the
untoward conditions among many o.
our race, we must go forth to the task
of lifting them to higher efforts and
to a nobler conception of life and its
duties. We must train them out OF
the lower self into the higher self, out
of the ignoble into the noble. They
must be placed on the march toward
progress by teaching them the value
of industry, sobriety, decency and
orderliness in every life. We must
labor to reform the criminal clement
of the race-not that this is more our
duty than that of any other race with
its criminal element but that the
crimes of this element are made to re-
fleet upon the better element of the
race in a greater degree than is true
of any other race.
1--WE save ourselves by rtscuing
these. The humanitarian phase would
suggest that we help weaker bro
ther. More vitally essential, however,
than the work of reformation is the
work of prevention and this must be
accomplished by the proper training
of the youth of the race. Our boys
must be taken from the streets ana
from idleness which leads to crime,
and developed in brain, body and soul
that they may form better type OF
American citizenship, and become in
dispensable to the progress of our
American life.
"The superior man takes his place
naturally in the ranks of the aspir-
ing and successful. He thus helps
society and by this uplifting influence
in turn is strengthened by the elevat-
ed companionship which it brings.
I'VE work for larger things than
mere individuals. We work for larger
things than race or country. We
work for all humanity. This is d
great age-an age when only superior
mental ability gives rank place and
power-and he who is best prepared
will find his way to leadership, self
reliance and just appreciation by
his fellow-man.
LET us resolve that we shall stand
for better things in life-that by a
sane, positive, conservative policy We
shall be ever advancing and teaching
the race a lesson of moral strength
and lofty endeavor which leads to
achievement.
"The problems of our large cities.
the tenement house question, the
reaching out for those whose lives are
not touched by the refining influences,
should and do appeal to your great
organization.
"In this great work OF rescue ana
reform you shall find the greatest op-
portunity and win great laurels.
Il am hopeful, ever hopeful, with
regard to the future of the Negro in
America With his professional men
winning honor and competency in all
the avenues of life with his artisans
filling the necessary and varied places
in the industrial life OF the nation,
with his thousand and thousand homes,
with his children in the schools, with
his realty holdings in city and on the