Arizona republican., 1909-09-23

teIlect with which God has endowed you. To all who fail to appreciate somewhat these high and holy privi- leges. the mere freedom was. and is, curse. It is great credit to your race that the great bulk of your people have striven to measure up to the re- responsibilities that have been placed upon them by that act of the immortal Lincoln. Those who have not, have been no honor to you, either nation or state. l might spend all the: ffnfe allotted to me in telling of the grand and noble work of Booker T. Washz ington, but you know of this Under the influence of his work thousands have become qualified for responsible positions in life: worthy of citizen ship in any government on the face of the earth. And the same is true of many other agencies that were put into operation. such as the Freed mans Aid society of the Methodist church. to help your people meet the added opportunities of the hour The financial, commercial, agricultural and other lines of industry show, how. successfully many of your people have made good in the battle of life. :. :.
 The statistics show that thousands who, prior to the proclamation, were merely the representatives of so many dollars of the wealth of another are now not merely freemen. but the possessors of comfortable fortunes tin. some cases large fortunes), while@hun-c dreds of thousands of others have comfortable homes of their own, are successful business men and are an honor to the communities in which they live. If any one shall ever come to this city who shall be a disgrace to his race, I am sure you will all gladly unite to put him where he would be- long. It is most worthy of commenda- tion that the great mass of your peo- pie have aimed to add to their free dom an educated head and Christian life. The school and church are your allies.
 Freedom is nothing: wealth is nothing; education is nothing. All these are worse than nothing unless coupled with pure and honorable pur- poses of wOmanhood and manhood. Without these they are powerful en- zines for evil. No day in all the year can so strongly appeal to you as this one, to reach out and up and around, seeking the best there is in life, aim ing to prove to the world that Abra. nam Lincolns proclamation of free dom was not only a personal blessing, but aA blessing to our nation as well. None there are who would be willing
 
 and few, indeed. in all the south are there who would like to see the old days of serfdom restored. Such a large proportion of your people have made good in a little over one genera tion of time that all are ready to acknowledge the wisdom of that great act. Wilberforce, the great English abolitionist, persuaded parliament to purchase the West India islands from the French government. paying there for g., 2,000.000. so as to set the slaves free. That was seventy-five years since Compare the people of the West Indies with those set free by President Lincolns proclamation and you will find they have not made the advances in any business or honorable sense in seventy five years that the American freeman has in a little more than half that time. s--
 The parade of this morning and this audience have demonstrated that the coloreds. people of Arizona are awake to the great responsibilities, of citizenship. .-.H l
 "Others of us are here to show you our appreciation of your efforts to be ard to do and bid you success. --se
 But who can question that success since the dicovery of the north pole? We are told that the only one to reach there with Dr. Cook was an Eskimo. and the only one with Peary colored man. Perhaps a half dozen of our colored citizens are all