The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-02-24
TAFT LAUDS
THE NEGROES
President-elect Speaks
In New York.
BOOKER T. Is WITH HIM
More Money Is First Note Of
Speeches.
Meeting II Held to Aid Hampton Insti-
tute and Race Feeling In the
South In Expressly

New York. Feb. 23.-President-elect
Taft and Booker T. Washington. the
negro educator. spoke from the same
| platform at Carnegie Hall tonight in
! the interest Of the movement Of the In
| dustrial education of the Southern me-
| gro.
The meeting was in the interest OF
Hampton Institute under the auspices
| of the Armstrong Association at car
negie Hall.
A drenching rain failed to keep away
a large throng. eager to hear MT. Ta1t
| and learn of the Industrial progress OF
! the Hampton students. nor did II damp
| en- the enthusiasm Of the welcome to
the President elect. The exercises were
opened by Bishop David H. Greer. OF
the Episcopal Diocese of New York.
All the approaches to Carnegie Hail
were carefully guarded by force OF
100 patrolmen. and only those having
cards of admission were permitted to
| enter There were no decorations In
the hall and the audiences attention
| was conferred on a trades exhibit on
the platform. which following the ad-
| dress of Mr.. Taft, showed the students
! Of Hampton at their work in their va
rious trades. This feature OF the pro-
gram greatly pleased Mr.. Taft. who
| TOOK the keenest interest in the work
| of the students.
Mr.. Taft was given a hearty salvo
| of applause as he was escorted to the
platform, with William Jay Schienel-
lin. President OF the Armstrong Asso-
citation; Robert C. Ogden. Booker T.
Washington and Bishop Greer. Plan
tation songs by chorus of Hampton
students. opened the program OF the
| evening. - X. q
Money In Needed.
President Sohiefflein In introducing
Bishop Greer as presiding officer. said
that the Armstrong Association desired
100000 with which to conduct effec-
lively the work Of Hampton Institute.
Bishop Greer spoke of the grave negro
problems now awaiting solution by the
| American people, and declared that In
his opinion, IL the negro were given an
education and fair opportunity he
would work out his own problems.
Booker T. Washington told Of the
Advancement of the negro In Industrial
| endeavors when given a chance to i'm
prove his mental capacity, and learn a
trade At the conclusion OF his ad-
dress. the curtain on the stage, which
| hung from the proscenium arch. down
behind the chairs of Mr.. Taft and the
speakers was raised. showing the stu
dents at work at various trades. The
exhibition was given several rounds of
applause.
Roars of laughter were provoked
when the curtain fell and Mr.. Ogden
started to drag the chair OF Mr.. Tart
back to the centre OF the stage. Mr..
Taft also took hold Of his chair. indi-
eating that he would carry his own
seat. Mr.. Ogden did not think this
prelate's prerogative. and shook his
head and while the audience laughed.
Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Ogden compromised
the matter and assisted each other in
putting the chair In its place.
There were more songs by the Hamp-
ton students. and DIR. Frissell. Presi-
dent OF Hampton school, spoke Of the
work of the schoo
After a short address by Robert C.
Ogden. Bishop Greer introduced Mr..
Taft In q few words, saying that no
one In the American public life better
understood the problem OF the race
question and adjustment better than
the President elect. The audience rose
and cheered for some time as Mr.. Taft
smilingly bowed his thanks for the
cordial welcome.
Taft on the Negro.
Mr.. Taft began his remarks with tn e
statement that nine of the ten million
negroes in the United States live in the
| Southern States.
Now. II you read The Congression-
al Record" he said. and the audience
loud as he recalled one Senator. who
wanted to make the people read The
Record. 1t was. he said a source of
instruction and amusement. This
statement he applied to his subject by
saying The Record had cantained a
reference to moving the ten millions of
negroes out OF the country, backed by
the solemn. scientific statement that
the races cannot live together"
/ The answer was that they are living
together. and any attempt to take any
number of negroes out of any commu-
nifty would create riot.
We have the problem and we have
simply got to solve It," he asserted.
I'VE have a race feeling. 1t does ex-
list, and that's part OF the problem.
II believe in my heart you are going
to work 1t out by realizing that 1t Ia
not to the advantage of either to make
1t difficult for both to live together.
THE negro is absolutely essential to
the South" he said. Hence II Is that
the work of the Hampton Institute has
such tremendous Importance. 1t Is the
solution of the race question"
No unprejudiced person. Mr.. Taft
said, could read the statistics of the
negro race in the past fifty years and
not feel convinced that a solution was
to follow.
"Why." he declared. "a race that can
produce Booker Washington In GEN.
fury ought to feel confident that 1t
can do miracles in time"
When Mr.. Taft remarked II have
been South recently" his audience In
dulged in a knowing smile His ref
erence to good meals also produced
merriment but his point was de-
scription OF the shiloh Orphanage al
Augusta, Ga" in which he pictured
the pathetic scenes.
IT tried to be as dignided al
) could" he remarked. but 1 did need
; nv handkerchief before 1 got out"
AS a result OF this visit and a small
) contribution. Mr.. Taft said he had a
) tele gram saying $4,000 more had been
) subscribed and the mortgage raised on
the property.
} The Lucy Laney Institute at Augus-
} ia. was next described as an industrial
} institution. These institutions. he SAID
} received the support OF the Intelligent
people of the South.
} TT IL very difficult 10 speak in par
liamentary language" declared Mr.
Taft. "of the advocacy of the doctrins
we ought to keep the negroes in iG-
noranoe."
COmpe titiOn in south.
Turning his attention to italian i'm
,nt1rants to the South Mr., TAFT re-,