Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-05-27
PRESIDENT Tells NEGROES
Their FUTURE IS BRIGHT
encouragement and Advice Given
Howard University Graduates
Uses Siiv~- Trcwel.

, WASHINGTON. ID. C.. May &c
Speaking 90 the colored graduates o.
! Howard University IN this city to-
I day President TAFT declared thar
never at any time has the future OF
! the negro, as a race. appeared more
hopeful and brighter than at the
present day. The President impress
ed upon his hearers the fact tina,
liz is for the negroes themselves to
, work out their own salvation and to
make themselves valuable citizens in
the communities in which they live.
Conditions for the negro I'm the
South. the President said. he beiiev-
ed are growing better and better.
Southern people of the better class
are coming TO look more and more
upon the negro race as one of their
most valuable assets. Mir Taft de
clared, and he again urged upon the
negro The importance of gaining the
respect and the friendship of the
white people among whom he Is to
live
The task of educating the negro.
and especially the educating leaders
among the race. the President as
serted. was a debt owed by the gov
ernment; debt only too difficult OF
repayment because of the constitu-
tional limits OF the government IN
dealing with the individual
President Taft personally handed to
the more than one hundred candi-
dates for degrees their parchment
rolls. When the commencement ex-
ercises were ended he was escorted
to the foundation of the new Car
negie library of the university. where
he officiated at the LAYING Of the cor
nerstone
President a Real Mason.
The President evidently enjoyed
the privilege of being a real mason.
for he not only applied the customary
first dash of mortar. but worked IN
dustriously with the silver crowei ui-.
til he had covered the entire resting
place for the we'll proportioned stone
The throng witnessing the cere.
mony enjoyed immensely the spec
tacle OF the President so earnestly a,
his task. At the last moment Secre-
tary of the interior Ballnger Minis
ter Leger. of Haiti. and President
rhirkle, OF the University, were call
ed upon to WELD the trowel.
BaIlinger Called to Help.
Come on Ballinger. you might a,
well help" said the President to the
secretary of the interior. under whose
department the control of Howard
University comes. But don't put on
too much " the President added. land
spoil the job"
Speaking of the negro in the South.
President Taft said:
Il remember hearing the Rev DR..
Walker that negro who went abroad
and preached in Surgeons pulpit and
was worthy TO preach in that pulpit.
express his friendship for the white
people of Augusta. where spent five
or six weeks. and express his view
of the proposition that the negro race
should be moved to some other lano
than this. They said they were
mighty well satisfied to live in Au-
gusta until they did go to glory. That
is the same sentiment ! found In
Charlotte and Petersburg
In conclusion the President said:
Everything ] can do as the exec,-
tive in the way of helping along this
University I expect to do | expect
to dc 1t because I believe it is a debt
or the people of the United States,
II is an obligation of the government
of the United States, and il is money
constitutionaliy applied to that when
shall work out in the end the solu-
ton of one of the great problems that
God put upon the people OF the Uni
ted States"