The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-10
BOOKER T. WASHTNGTONS
TOUR THROUGH DELAWARE

Murphy, editor Of the Afro-American
Ledger; F. F. Johnson. OF the same pa
per, and Harry T. Pratt. principal Of
owner OF the Times.
From Hampton Institute, Va.-Msj.
Robert Russo Motion. commandant OF ca
oats and executive officer OF the school.
and w. T. B. Williams. field agent OF
the Slater and the Anna T Jeanes edIoa-
tional funds.
Others who accompanied the ''Tuskegee
wizard" were his travelling secretary.
Nathan Hunt. of Tuskegee. and many
prominent ministers. teachers. and bust
ness men OF the State OF Delaware.
The principal meeting Of the tour was
held Sunday afternoon in the Grand
Opera House at Wilmington. The large
auditorium was taxed TO its capacity.
Not many times since It's erection has
this playhouse held such q vast assem-
blage, nor one made up Of such distin-
guished factors IN the nations varied
activities
Following the opening address OF Gov.
Pennewill and President Of the Council
Banning. which evoked a storm Of cheers
and eliminated in the ehautauQua salute.
DR.. washington came forward and in
two-hours' speech completely cspti-
waited all classes of his hearers and as
sured the success Of his mission in the
state of Delaware. It was several min
utes before he could begin his remarks,
so enthusiastic was his reception
DR.. Washington's address was pro-
nounced by those who have followed him
closely TO be one of the happiest deliv-
erances of his life. He was in an I'M
usually good humor. So adroitly did he
sandwich" his bits of irresistible hui
NOR amid problems of the most serious
character. commIngling the grave and
the gay. that he kept his audience alter
nately rejecting upon the duty Of the
hour and convulsed with laughter over
the homely stories of the peculiar folks
he had met in the South's BLACK Belt"
The application of his pointed witt
cIsms never failed to bring down the
house" In the course of his remarks.
he took occasion to pay a richly-merited
tribute to T. Thomas Fortune, who. the
speaker said, had carried on for a quar-
ter OF century a mighty fight for the
betterment of his people.
The keynote of Dr. washington's speech
and the tenor of which he repeated, with
local adaptations throughout the state.
is found in this striking paragraph:
IT have but one object in coming 10
the State OF Delaware. and that is TO
see for myself something Of the condi-
ton and needs of the masses of my
people in this historic Commonwealth"
DIR. Washington. noting that the negroes
of Delaware own 20 per cent Of the
farms they cultivate, recognizing in this
the friendly encouragement that they are
receiving at the hands of the best white
people, who give them lucrative employ
ment. said. in conclusion:
LET me add that the negro throughout
the country is making immense progress.
There is nothing to discourage us We
are making progress in getting land, in
building homes, in saving money. in go
Ing into business We are making prog
ress in education. and we are also max
ing progress. despite statements to the
contrary, in the type of white people who
are not afraid or ashamed of the fact
that they are interested in the develop
ment of the negro race. The best type
of white people are no longer frightened
away from trying to help the negro by
the bugbear of social intermingling-so-
cial equality. II you please
*s*s
On Monday morning the party set out
for its itinerary of the state, The first
stop was made at the extreme end Of
the route. at Georgetown. Sussex Coun-
". Here former Congressman H. r. Bur-
| ton presided. and County Judge Henry
c. Conrad introduced DR.. Washington.
At Milford the wizard spoke in front
of the National Hotel, and, proceeding
to Dover, another address was delivered
from the veranda of the Richardson