The Washington herald., 1909-05-27
TAFT ADDRESSES
NEGRO GRADUATES
Continued from Page One.

7
Il 81 as entitled to figure IN that ca
pacity.
When your president came 10 ne and
asked ne 20 come 10 Howard University
Ae said that he expected 70 celebrate the
laying Of the corner stone Of a new build
ing here. given by Mr. Carnegie. and
that, incidentally, these would be COM
mencemeut exercises. I am q fairly
good hand at a tTOwel. and I thought
possibly might engage in the exercises
of laying the corner stone without being
Involved In q speech But I find It 70 be
otherwise. Nevertheless, / an glad 70
seize the opportunity OF looking into your
faces-you young men and women who
are about 10 90 out into the world and
meet the obstacles which are before you
Rnd 10 overcome them successfully as I
sincerely hope you may. I an glad 10
be able to be here TO testify 20 you my
profound sympathy in your careers and
my hope that they al may be successful
This institution here is the partial re-
payment Of a debt-only partial-to q
race 20 which z government and the
people OF the United States are eternslly
Indebted They brought that race into
this country against its VII. They
Rre planted here irretrievably. They first
put It IN bondage and then they kept II
n the ignorance that that bondage
Seemed 70 make necessary under the sys-
ten then n vogue Then they freed Il
end put upon it the responsibility OF
citizenship. Now. some sort OF obi
cation follows thato chain OF facts
with reference 10 the people who are re-
sponsible for what that government did.
The obligation would be clearer. or
rather the method Of its discharge would
be easier, were II not for our constitu-
rional system which throws generally
upon the States the burden Of education
and leaves 10 the general government
only certain limited 5uriSdictian with
respect 10 the people
Carrying Out Obligation.
However, in 50 far as the District Of
Columbia IS concerned, and the estzb-
Hshment Of Institutions OF learning in
this District we are free from any en-
baTrassment with respect 70 the carry
Ing out OF the obligation. and i is fitting
that the government Of the United States
should assume the obligation Of the es-
adjustment and maintenance Of a first
class university for the education Of
colore6 men. an far from saying-and
I wish 10 put into this caveat IN advance.
II order not 70 be met BY an argument
which has weight, but has not weight
when improperly Use6-that the colored
race to-day. al o. them. would be better
on Il they ali had university education.
i think they would be IN a very bad
way i they had. because they would not
know how TO use Il, and they would not
ind means OF using il. No race would
be better or Il they were ell educated
as university men The great body Of
The cOlored race. as the great BODY Of
the white race, must depend for their
livelihood upon their manual labor, skill
ed OF unskilied, OF upon some occupation
which requires less education than that
which IS conferred by e university, and
Il Il Is TOO widely extended the effect
of It IS TO put a lot OF men into life who
90 not find occupations which are suited
20 their taste, and 10 make them unhappy
and really not IT for the life which IS
before them.
''On the other hand, that admission Is
far from q concession that 4 Is not
necessary for the success Of the coIored
race that there be among them leaders
Of that race fitted By university educa-
ton for that leadership. There IS not
any likelihood with Difference 20 persons
who occupy a different position. that
government or in the generosity Of indi-
vidusls who found coIOred colleges and
universities, there IS 10 be much OF an
opportunity given as IS likely 10 lead too
many colOred men 10 acquire university
education as compared with the number
OF colered men that there are in the
community, and especially south OF Ma
son and Dfxon's line
The opportunity that there Is for edu-
Gated colOred men TO aid their race in
the struggle before them for economic
success and the maintenance OF them
selves as worthy and valuable members
OF the community, the opportunity that
Ehsrs Is for university men among col
ored men 70 assist IN that movement,
say, Is very great, indeed
Laws of Hygiene
Through the South one OF the things
Ehat is essential is the cultivation Of
greater sanitation and greater attention
70 the laws Of hygiene among the coIored
Eace. What they need II the South Is q
great many more physicians OF their own
color and race 20 tel them how to live
and 10 enable them 20 recover when they
are subject 10 the many sicknesses 10
which they are subject by reason OF the
7 have had occasion 10 look into Il.
and am glad TO offer 10 the young doc
Tors 70 whom 1 an addressing myself
an opportunity for a successful liveli-
hood as Physicians in the growing South
eTn communities, where there are 50
many COiOred people coming to the front
Rnd where physicians. well educated, are
sble 10 make q good livelihood on the
one hand, and on the other 10 do a sub
stantial good 10 their race.
The benefit that teachers educated here
can 90 10 their race goes without saying
OF course, the basis Of the education Of
the oelored people is in the primary
schools and IN the Industrial schools
IN schools framed after Hampton an6el
Tuskegee and even those less ambitious. /
but stil furnishing an Industrial depart 1
menJ- In these schools must be intro /
duced teachers from such university in 4
stItuJiOns as this, and il Is in furnishing
The material for the faculties Of those 4
snsller-not smaller. but less ambitious /
sehools-that such an institution as this /
shan have its chief function
Then, 100. among the colored race, the /
ministers have a great influence. Now.
il they are TO WELD that influence they
NeLli-4ot Ne toO Li4sili5 eCucaleQs Iney can \
not know too much in order that they
may carry or their sacred function and !
discharge il 70 the highest benefit Of the
race
7 say these things with a good deal OF
emphasis because I know there are many
who dispute the wisdom Of large contri-
buttons 10 universities Of the colored race
Ike this. and at one time I was very
much perDleXed with the argument 70
know whether or not II was proper. But
what Is the fact2 There are four unlver-
stiles n this country, besides Howard
University, devoted 20 the colored- race;
these are Lincoln, Fisk, Atlanta. and
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