The broad ax., 1909-03-13


sentative men of both races met in
one place at the same time to do joint
honor to two great Americans, one
white, the other black; one free man,
the othera slave, and yet their inter
est and aims were one and insepara-
BILE
The souvenir program bore pictures
OF Lincoln and Douglass, with these
inscriptions: "our Lincoln, 1S0o-1S65;"
'fOur Douglass. 1s1T-1S95." =
The dominant note struck was an
optimistic one, and all the speakers
held ND to the members Of the league
the promise that the Negro, II he win
hold I'D his head and do his work,
must eventually overcome every preJu-
dice and in the strength Of his own
manhood take his place in the nation
unchallenged and respected.
Paul Il. Bray, chairman Of the league,
acted as toastmaster, and when the
coffee cups were put aside he arose
ana in a few brief words introduced
as the first speaker the Hon. Leslie
Sutherland
Mr.. Sutherland spoke briefly, paying
a high tribute to the Negro race. which,
despite its handicaps, was working out
fits own destiny, and then gave way to
the first formal speaker Of the even
ing. Mayor Nathan A. Warren
Mayor Warren on behalf Of the city
welcomed the league to Yonkers and
took occasion to express the pride he
felt in addressing such a splendid body
Of intelligent citizens as he saw repre-
scented before him. He said that men
OF discernment and worth now see no
color or creed ana no nationality when
measuring men, but that the test was
eimply the amount of honesty and In
dustry displayed, and In this regard his
observations convinced him that the
Negro race was quite as worthy Of re-
gard as was any other.
The mayor took occasion TO remark
mon the movement which Is under
way to erect in Yonkers a monument
to Lincoln and asked the members Of
the league especially to do al they
could to assure the success OF the
project.
IN closing Mayor Warren said civic
urIde bears no superficial distinguish.
ing marks OF race or color. Honesty
Of purpose and intelligence OF execu-
ffon are. the only standards we pro
calm. and | feel it Is high time that
you realized just how anxious we are
70 look upon yOu not as a race apart
but as men like ourselves, whose ad.
vice we seek and whose cooperation
we REQUIRE to raise the banner Of civic
purity and with the strength Of oui
arms Keep II from ever being tral led
A the dust Of municipal dish0nor."
POSTMASTER Parsons. the next SPEAK
er. was assigned the toast. Lincoln
Had He Lived. The speaker said be
had only one excuse for his presence
snd that the fact that Lincoln.
first public oflce was the postmaster
ship Of New Salem. IND. Lincoln, he
said. was the frst to express the belief
that the foundation Of our national IN
teerity rested largely upon universal
education. haring. fought FOR his Be
FIefs IN the legislature OF bis own STATE
before be made the issue a national
enc upon DIS entrance intO.th largel
arena
The postmaster called atfention 4
Ezncoln,s pride h bis origin aud said
enc Of his claims to greatness sNas nj
Intense dove FOR the comman peoFie. q
whom BE- aerer forgot that be VA
one. Lincoln. said the spealor, mus
have had some definite plan for tn
future OF tie people Sc heed. and "a
sneaker uas inclined e believe tia
lincoln would have the Negro. edueatl
himself along industrial lines and tx