The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-08

i brought about by habitation in the large cities. He stated that the tendency to come to the congested centers was pe- culiar to no people, but that in 1oclxng to the cities the negro people meet with con ditions that tend to degrade them. He declared that in all cities certain indi- vidual rights had to be yielded, and that it was when the individual was not in- clined to yield these rights that he was led to crime. lie explained the fact that 1t was the purpose of the penal institu- ttons to give criminals physical training driving out the animalism, cultivating the brain power and transforming the criminal into a being with reasonable ap- prehension as to what is right and wrong.
 Dr. w. R. Pettiford, president of the Alabama Penny Savings bank, and one of the most prominent negroes in the south, spoke at length upon Some Evi- ' dences of Progress Among the Negroes. {" He emphasized the fact that the negro lives today in a better class of homes is using his education in useful chan nels, and that the educated negro is not found in the jails and courthouses. In this connection the speaker said:
 If you want to find the educated ne- gro and the evidences Of his progress look among the young men and women who are learning useful occupations: search the 200 farms owned by negroes and the 40cO homes built of their own hands; step into the 50 banks established and owned by themselves, and the 10000 stores; locate the owners of the $550, GOO . 900 taxable property; visit some of the 2S,000 public schools with 30000 teachers, and the ITO industrial schools and col leges.
 Tt is not larger jails and the increase of policemen and deputy sheriffs we need, because the policemans clubs and the warrants of the deputies constitute an agency for only temporary reform. The reduction of the number of our criminals and making them lovers of peace and a better life, and enabling them to become , contributors to civilization instead of re- cepients of it's advantages only is the work of education"
 Bishop Elias Cottrell of Holly Springs. Miss, one of the strongest and most prominent negro churchmen in the south, delivered forceful address, touching the white mans duty to the negro Bishop Cottrell stated in the beginning that he had no malice against any man. and was without prejudice of race. He felt that there was much that the negro could do to benefit the south. but pleaded with the white members of the audience to see how l much benefit they could be to the negroes around them.
 
 ject of negro criminals, and to the charge that negroes often hide their own crim- inals; he stated that if it appeared that there was disposition among negroes at times to shield the criminals of their own race 1t could be attributed in part to the belief sustained by the negro that all negroes charged with crime did not al- ways receive justice. He warmly sec- onded the remarks made by Judge Feagin with reference to the negro people flock ing to the cities, and along this line said T have noticed these few days in Bir- mingham so many young men of my race hanging around in the streets. or sitting down doing nothing. They make grave problems for us all to solve, and are a I menace to our well being. I can't see why they will not go out to the country. ] go to work. where they can become inde- pendent. make a competence and breathe | the fresh air"
 Rev. Dr. George W. Walker, president of | Paine college, the institution maintained | at Augusta, Ga, by the Methodist Epis- 1 copal church, south, for the education of negro youth, spoke at length of the edu- l cational efforts made for the colored peo- I pie by that organization. He stated that the fathers brought religion to the slaves | long before freedom That in the Meth odist Episcopal church, south there were | more than 20000 members among the slaves. and that South Carolina and Ala 1 bama conferences each contributed large | amounts of money to carry the gospel to | the slaves. He detailed the organization ] of the colored Methodist Episcopal church | from this membership, and stated that for ! 25 years he had been laboring at Paine 1 college in order to help train teachers | and preachers for the negro people, l Dr. Walker took considerable pains to 1 inform the audience of his ancestry and to assure them that he was not looking for | job. q want you to understand" he | exclaimed, that a southern white mar who prayed with the slaves, and whose father was a slaveholder, has given his life to do for the negro race what he would have any one do for any other ! race"
 Dr. Bray in making the concluding | speech was short but vigorous. Owing tt the lateness of the hour he condensed int, four or five minutes some practical, whole
 some thoughts that might have been am
 plfied in an evenings discussion II,
 stressed character as the true founda
 ton of negro progress and explained t,
 the white citizens of Birmingham that th
 doctrine of good character as the under
 lying basis of education was preache,
 from pulpit and the school room, and il
 the lodge meetings. He was especial,
 N