The Washington bee., 1909-03-06
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THOUSANDS TO STATE FAIR
One of the Most Notable Addresses
Ever Delivered Here by a Color
ed Man Was That by DR.


Tampa, Florida, Feb. 26-With
thousands of people, white and col
ored on the grounds, yesterday, Ne
gro day rrc, ed the biggest day of the
Florida State Fair with the exception
of Bryan day For the first time in
the history Of the state the Negroes
were given an opportunity to demon
-strate then progress along all lines,
as the day was especially set apart
for them by the fair management.
Everyone pronounced the day sue
cess from every standpoint, and it
reflects considerable credit to the fair
management that everything went cff
SO smoothly and with so much en-
thuSiasm.
The weather was ideal for the DC
caSIcn. and this O. :rsnteed mu Il
larger aIcndance than would haze
otherwise resulted In the morning q
parade Vi thv S,hcCI children WIS
formed at the Odd Fellows hall, Scott
street and Central, which marched %
the fair grounds reaching there about
II O'Clock. This was the signal for
general gathering at the grounds
and thousands gathered at the grand
stand where an address was delivered
by DR.. John c. Dancey, recorder of
deeds, who came - the city from
Washington, District of Columbia, es-
pecially to be present at Negro day.
In his address DR.. Dancey express
ed his qualification for the opportu-
nifty of addressing the colored people
Of Florida and reviewing with them
the progress which has been made by
the Negro race in the forty-four years
since emancipation. He declared that
Florida, the Land of Flowers" to
which the people came from all over
the world for the purpose of regain
ing their health, still possessed the
fountain of youth for which Ponce
DeLeon sought. He reviewed the
growth of Florida in the past few
years and commented on the improve
ments made at Pensacola, Jackson
vile and Tampa. He spoke of Tam
pa in particular, declaring that no
city in the south has made greater
strides forward than Tampa, the
greatest cigar manufacturing city in
the world
Have Done Their Duty
Speaking of the enormous part
which manufacturing has played in
the development of the South since
lhe war, the speaker declared that the
colored people had done their full
share in the development. Tampa, he
stated is a more cosmopolitan city
than any other in the South, embraC-
ing every important nationality Of
the world, each of which is doing its
part towards founding the future
greatness of the city. In speaking OF
the rapid strides made by the color
ed people, the speaker related an
anecdote about a Georgian who had
locomotive a xtrof1td
not believe that it would go even
after examining it. Finally the en-
gineer started it off and the engine
rapidly went out of sight. The farm
er then expressed his views that "the |
blame thing would never stop" DR..
Dancey declared that it is the same
way with the colored people.
Dr. Dancey then highly comph-
mented the fair association for the op-
portunity they so generously gave
to the Negroes of Florida to show
tie world what they have been doing
the past forty-four years; the large
crowd present enthusiastically attest
ing their approval for the opportunity
afforded. The interests of the two
races, the speaker contended, are
identical; harm to one means harm
to the other; help to one race means
a corresponding benefit to the other
race. He compared the situation in
this regard to that presented by capi-
tai and labor, the latter feeling the /
benefit of prosperous season expert !
enced by the others; slump of labor
means a slump for capital.
Pay Much Taxes