Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-18
HELP FOR uBER|ANS
Dr.. Washington Pleads for
Race in Africa.
EUROPEANS ARE'N0T FAIR
America, He Declares, Is Best
Friend Of Black Man.
LETTER FROM PRESIDENT TAFT
Read Of Complimentary Dinner to
Minister Lyon and Bishop Scott,
Methodist Missionary.

mctuOO1SC missionary.
Booker T. Washington at compli
mentary dinner last night. given by local
colored men to Ernest Lyon. United
States minister to Liberia, and Bishop I.
B. Scott. Methodist Episcopal mission
airy to that country. denounced the treat
ment the black man Is subjected to In
Africa by Europeans. and declared the
colored race fares far better and makes
greater progress In America than in any
other place on the globe. A letter from
President Taft was read expressing SYM
pathy for tho Lberian republic and COM
mending the spirit which prompted the
entertainment Of its representatives. The
dinner was given In the Masonic audi
forum, I'LL 10th street northwest.
DR.. Washington condemned the disre-
gard Of the rights Of the civilized
Africans by the Europeans and repre-
sentatives Of the European nations
throughout Africa. He declared that the
colored man had reached his highest state
Of development In America and that 1t
was to the Afro-Amerioan that their
colored brothers In other parts Of the
world must look to in every move for
mental or civic advancement. He con-
cluded with a plea for a combined EFFORT
on the part Of American negroes for the
uplift of the race generally.
"Testing Ground Of the Race"
Minister Lyon made a plea for Ameri-
can capital with which. he declared. the
enormous resources Of Liberia could be
developed and the business Of the repub-
lie confined to those in sympathy with its
welfare He styled Liberia as ''the test
ing ground of the negro race" and
though the efforts to improve as nation
had been hampered. he saw success IN
the future. !
Not only do we need your capital, but
we need your sympathy and encourage
ment" Minister Lyon declared. LII
IBERIA can be made an admirable testing
ground for negro enterprise. and in It
the American negro must take che
| initiative. 1t Is an open door for you
| to invest capital and energy and to as
| sist in constructive way the ambition
! of your African brothers"
Bishop Scott spoke of the deep religious
| feelings OF the native Liberians and the
! Christian work which had been In prog
| ress there for a number OF years. He
this work from Americans had been great.
| and In both the north and south. there
had been exhibited an unselfsh interest
| by persons in almost every walk of life.
I'VE are not being deserted in our hour
of need here in America" said the speak
er. MY church-the Methodist Episcopal
has contributed fully S3O0.OOO for the
| work there independent of the missionary
| fund gathered for the benefit OF others.
| To every man of Christian instincts this
must appeal as ennobling I'm the extreme
A History Of Peace.
The address of Emmett ]. Scott. MEN,
Der OF the recent Liberian commission.
was interesting from the descriptions given
Of his impressions Of the country. He
gave q detailed history OF the govern
ment Of Liberia. which he described as
peaceful and guided with a single pur-
pose. even If it had failed at times to
fulfill the expectations Of those who were
| interested in Liberia. He said that In
| eighty years OF autonomy the government
had had thirteen presidents, all OF whom
had served the terms to which they had
been elected.
There has been no revolution in all
that time" declared the speaker. THE
worst which can be said is that several
| officials at one time or another were I'M
peached. Liberia deserves our support
| and sympathy"
Other addresses were made by w. T.
Vernon, John c. Dancy. Judge Robert III.
Terrell. DR.. A. M. Curtis. Prof. Kelley
Miller. H. s.. Cummings Of Baltimore.
l.. Jones, James A. Cobb, Rev. NJ. w.
Clair and others.
President Taft's Letter.
Ralph W. Tyler. auditor OF the Navy
Department, acted as POSTMASTER and
read the following letter from the White
House:
MY Dear Sir:
st am advised that the colored men
of the country are about to give a COM
plimentary dinner Wednesday evening.
November II. In honor of Hon. Ernest
Lyon, minister plenipotentiary to Liberia,
and Bishop I. B. Scott. missionary bishop
of the Methodist Episcopal Church to
Liberia and that they are doing this in
some manner to evidence their deep in
terest in the future OF the Liberian re-
public. ] am glad to express my SYM
pathy with the movement that finds this
mission to Liberia may result In such in
formation that we shall be able to be of
assistance to the republic in its struggle
for existence, and in making its field of
usefulness more extended.
Sincerely yours,
The committee in charge of the ar
rangements for the dinner was made up
Of Ralph w. Tyler. chairman; Lewis E.
johnson, secretary: r. H. Terrell, John
c. Dancy. Rev. B. T. Perkins, P. B.
8. Pinchback. Prof. Kelly Miller. Rev.
| Hurst. James A. Cobb. Prof. Roscoe c.
Bruce. w. Bruce Evans. DR.. w. C. Nc
| Neill, DR.. w. S. Lotion. and DR.. E. D.
Williston.