Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-02-27

TO use their minds and their hands
and their legs in productive occupa-
uons. You give them the instrument
by which they can help themselves.
ana then If they are a race that has
the spirit 60 help themselves. the
future is before them and the oppor-
turity is thtirs
Nr. Taft went on 20 give as illus
tTatons of the negro's self-initiation
some Of the things he had seen re-
Gently IN the South. One thing was
a home in Augusta kept by an old
negro and his wife, where the orph-
an negro children OF the city were
sheltered.
1T is very difficult" said he. Ito
speak in parliamentary language Of
the advocacy Of the doctrine that we
ought 10 keep the negroes in igno-
rance. J think the statement refutes
itself and it does not awaken the
sympat thy Of the intelligent South.
One of the dimcnlties IN the South
is that it is not the negroes only
that need education. ana mean
that literally"
Hampton Institute. ~ was an
rounced needs S2,QOO.OOO for an
endowment and -Tuskeree Institute
L r
TAFT said that Il doesn't speak well
for the Intelligence OF the rich men
of the country when two institutions
like these go IN need.
The President-elect was warmly
chcered az the end OF his address.
Booker IT. washington told OF an
old NANNY dowu in Georgia who
had had tho honor or cooking din
nor Tor Mr.. Taft. When somebody told
her she ought TO be proud she ad-
mitted that she had "neber done
hoerd oh him befoh." She had
never heard OF his public service. of
his character. OF his election. in
Tact she knew nothin about him
except that che N look as if he been
reg'iar az his lneals."
Dr.. Washington said in part:
Judging from what has been said
and by what has been done through
out his career ! feel safe I'm stating
that the negro race and the white
race in the South VIII have no truer
and wiser friend than President
Taft I feel sure. further. that he
viii inspire MS with the same conf
dcnce, and will exhibit the same in
heNible determination 20 deal Justly
with all sections and with all races
as his great predecessor has done.
\ few months ago IL was my priv
ueEe 70 return to the old farm In
Virginia upon which I was horn and
spenc my early years as a slave.
had been absent for forty years and
II was my FIRST visit since the days
OF slavery. ] met on this farm one
OF the grandsons OF my former own
er, who was made the executor OF
my former masters estate. Among
other interesting things. he showed
me the inventory of the estate which
had been entrusted to him. AS I
read the items | found so many acres
or land, valued at so many dollars;
so many houses, valued at so many
dollars: so many horses, valued at
SO many dollars; so many cows. valu-
ed ar SO many dollars Further
down / found the word Rocker,
valued at $400. II during the wears
that have passed have been
able to make my mind and body
worth more than $4OO to the cause
OF civilization IL is all due to the in
huence and the WORK of the Hamp-
ton Institute, where I was educated
and where received the inspiration
that led me TO devote my life TO the
cause OF education in the Southern
States
In all these matters relating 10
the upiift OF the negro we must bear
IN mind that there are two classes
or white people in the South one
class that expresses itself as not be-
heving In the education Of the ne
gro; there is another class, a grow
Ing class, a cultured and important
class. that believes in the education
or the negro. and while you do not
hear great teal from them in the
public prints or on the public plat
form they are nevertheless In their
daily lives manifesting their interests
In the most practical form.
We must not, however, let our OBJ
t!mtsm overshadow the actual facts.
Conditions are improving but there
IS much TO be done for this genera
tion, much for the succeeding gene
rations, before the life OF the negro
In the South win be placed upon a
plane where II viii not hinder or
retard the progress of the remaining
portion OF America.
Other speakers were Mr. Ogden.
William jay Schiefelin and DIR. n
b. Frissell, president of Hampton.