Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-07
Leader Of Race Speaks Twice and
Attends Banquet in Omaha.
URGES INDUSTRY ON HIS PEOPLE
Get Close to Earth, Work, Save Earn
ings and Be Decent.
WHITE MAN READY TO AID
Sage of TuskeEec Is OptimiStiC over
NeRro's Future nnd seeks to
Instiu His Spirit I'm All
His Race.

Booker T Washington leader OF the
negro race made two strong appeals for
the negro and to the negro In Omaha
yesterday.
He urged his people in the north TO help
their brethren in the south and TO keep
their feet on the earth-to till the soil
and he pleaded with the white man to
do justice by his colored brother. In the
afternoon he spoke at First Congrega-
tional church under the auspices Of the
social science department Of the woman's-
club and In the evening at the Auditorium
to a large number of people, white and
black And after the Auditorium meeting
he was banqueted by the people of African
Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr.. Washington said yesterday would
be a memorable day to him and Omaha
a distinctive spot I'm his mind, for he had
just learned on coming here of the bequest
of 100000 to his great institute at Tus-
kegee, Ala, by John Stewart Kennedy OF
New York
Mr. Washington was most cordially re-
celved by his own people, who did not try
to conceal their pride in him as one OF
their race and he was given the same
reception in both his addresses. His audi
ence at the Auditorium was large and
representative and it must have made him
feel that his address was heartily appre-
ciated for It applauded him frequently
and vigorously.
How Can They Help southS
How can the negro who lives in Omaha
and the state of Nebraska help the negro
In the south is the question which wish
to answer in my remarks tonight" said
Mr.. Washington in beginning his Auditor
ius address,
Rightly and naturally, the colored people
who live in the northern states are in
terested in the progress of the millions OF
our race who live in the southern states.
We are one people What affects those In
the south affects those in the north. II
| the negroes who reside in the north make
! progress, It helps the interest OF those who
! live In the south II you here in the north
| fail to go forward, fail to take advantage
| OF all your opportunities, you injure and
hold back the bulk Of our race In the
| south.
Those Of you who live, for example, like
] this, have certain advantages as compared
with what our people have in the south.
| At the same time, in my opinion, you have
certain advantages. You hove superior op-
! portunities for education. In most cases
you are sure at all times Of the protection
Of life and property. You have, however,
the disadvantage in great many cases OF
not being able to use your education as
freely and widely as the negro OF the
! south. You are not always free to sell
your labor, whether II is common labor
or skilled labor, where you desire as the
negro in the south can. Here, while you
will find, as 1 have stated, advantages,
you will find your children surrounded
1 In, n offx
! is true in the south You will find compet
tion more severe. You will find 1t harder to
! get upon your feet from an economic point
o fview; but the main thing which want
to impress upon you is that you can help
the negro in the south
How Can They AidF
Constantly the question IS asked me
when l am in the north by members OF
my race in what way can they be Of
service to the millions of our people in
the south. First and foremost, l would
answer that you can help us most in the
! south by helping yourselves. Make the
highest degree of progress here in the
north.
THE large body of white people by
| whom you are surrounded here have never
| seen and will never come into contact with
the millions Of negroes in the south, but
they will judge of the ability, OF the
| progress of the millions in the south by
what they see of your conduct here in
this city II you fail and dlsappoint them.
they will say that the negro in the south
is a failure and disappointment II by
! leading Industrious, economic, high, moral
lives, you make favorable impression, the
white people here will argue that It is
worth while TO help the negro In the
south because Of your progress in this
city. To be more direct and plain, you
can help us in the south by becoming
the owners OF homes here in this city.
am glad 10 note that goodly number
OF the colored people in this city own
good homes. The number, however, should
be largely increased
"You can help us, again, by the kind
of occupation in which you are engaged,
by the making Of a reputation for thor
oughness for energy, for industry in
whatever you engage.
II believe that everywhere In this coun-
try the negro should become more and
lmore a business factor In the community
in which he lives. That is what our people
are doing throughout the south.
save YOur Money.
you can help as, again, by proving to
the white people in a community like this
that our race cannot only earn money
but that It can save II, that It can exer-
else that degree Of self-control, that degree
OF foresight and self-sacrfice which will
enable one to save today for the rainy
day which win come tomorrow. You
have great opportunities here for earning.
You should 10 It that you not only
earn but that you save and that every.
where the race makes a reputation fol
becoming economical. ! should adyis'
everyone In this audience 10 open a bank
account n he has not got one just al
soon as possible, even though the sun
OF money which he begins with may b,
; | very small