Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-10-16

measure offset by equally as posi-
tive declarations in his favor by
Negroes. who represent as much
wealth and as much intelligence as
those Afro-Americans who have con
dcmned him.
DR. Washington shows wisdom i'm
never answering his raducers in
person. but that he feels keenly
their criticisms is evident TO those
VINO are i'm a position to know him
as u.s. He answers his critics.
but some bosom friend or close ad-
mirer undertakes the task and
while his enemies are wrestling and
debating with Dr Washingtons fol-
lower the chiertain goes on undis-
turbed and perhaps smiling over the
discontinue OF his opponent
Truly ne is wise in his day and
generation. some of his critics are
disposed to believe that he possesses
fin many respects the elements of
cowardice. on account Of such
methods. Looking at it from a dis
passionate standpoint. we are dis
posed 20 regard this Fabian policy.
as that OF the most accomplish
ed diplomats OF to-day DIT. Wash
ington would answer well as an Am
bassador 20 some foreign country.
he would puzzle the very elect
and carry discontinue to any one
who antagonized the government
shat he saw ht to represent These
thoughts were fmbued 10y reading his
interesting series OF articles fin the
New York Outlook. beginning Sep
TENDER 4. 1903 The skill in the
marshaling OF facts and the infer
ences I'm favor OF his own people con-
sttute q feature that is as marvel
GUS as it is amazing. Practically
speaking ne oTends nobody. not
even the Negroes. unless it be- on
account of the too fulsome praise OF
those whom the Negroes have been
led Co believe are vitality antago-
nistic 90 their interests
To illustrate our position. it may
Doe well to- quote some extracts from
DR. Washington's articles Under the
caption OF The story Of the Negro, DO
he says:
Some time during the latter part
of 1899, or the early part Of 1900, ]
received through the German En-
hassy. I'm Washington. a letter saying
that the German Colonial Society
wanted a number of students from
TuskeEee 90 go ont 90 German West
Africa 60 teach the natives how To-
produce cotton 10y American meth
DDS.
while 7 had been a student al
Hampton Institute. Virginia. it was
one OF my ambitions. as 10 has been
the ambition OF great many other
Negro students before and since. 20
go out some day 20 Africa as a mis-
siouary. 7 believed that I had got
hold az Hampton OF a kind OF knowl-
edge that would be peculiarly help
ful 90 the native Africans. and ] felt
that my interest In the people out
there. vague and indefinite as 10 was
would In some way or other help
and inspire me in the task OF lift
ing them 90 q higher plane OF civili-
zation.
After ! went 20 Tuskegee ] gave
mp my ambition OF going 20 Africa.
I had not been long there. however.
before was convinced that could
perhaps. bee OF larger usefulness
through the work ] was able to do
TN this country, by fitting for the
same service 1 wanted 20 perform
Africans who came as students 10
America. and by sending from Tus-
kegee men and women trained En- our
methods ass teachers and workers
among the native peoples. The re-
quest ] received through the German
Embassy was therefore particularly
welcome 90 me. for &c gave me an
opportunity 10 realize In direct
way, the ambition ! had never wholly
lost sight Of
"A group of our best students
was selected for this African mission
They went out 20 TogoanI. West
Africa. and began 90 establish sta
lions in different points In that col
""ff anu t4lcu started IN 10 grow
cotton, using the native labor as far
as they were aole. but necessarily. at
first. doing a large part of the work
themselves.
They met all sorts OF difficulties
They found the American cotton was
not suited 20 African soil, and were
compelled 10 cross il with native va
rieties in order TO produce a hybrid
type that possessed the valuable
qualities of both. They had consid
cradle difficulty at first with the ma
tive labOrers. / remember that John
Robinson, one of the party who re-
manned TO carry out the work after
the others had returned home. told
me OF an incident which made me
see in way in which had not been
able 90 see before that the education
OF the native African IN the white
mans civilization must begin much
further back and with much simpler
matters than most OF us are likely 10
imagine
Among the other things this
party had taken out 10 Africa was a
wagon which had been manufactured
by the students at Tuskegee. While
this wagon was being unloaded and
i