The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-05-05
ADDRESS OF JOHN r. SCOTT
p. y. r. G. Z. o. of o. F. of Florida


Grand Master, Officers of District
Grand Household. Members of our
Worldwide Fraternity, Ladies and
Gentlemen-Every citizen of this Brick
City. wherever he may be. boasts much
of Marion county and glories greatly
in Ocala. When I arrived here yester-
day, l saw among q crowd on the pub
lie street a brother gorgeOUsly be-
decked from head to waist with badges
and both hands full Of them. Every
badge bears the fraternal chain with
our three links; every link bearing its
own significant letter. Immediately
after this chair is ripe, luscious wa
termelon, cut SO that its sweet looking
red hearted meat melted our longing
appetites. Under this melon are these
words: Marion county leads"
With that chain representing our
immutable principles, reinforced by the
all-good Florida Favorite and uni
versally beloved watermelon, l can't
see why Marion county should not
lead, and where il leads others Will
gladly follow.
y fc.y weeks ago Jacksonville, my
home city. had 40 days of horserac-
ine. Turf men brought their thorough
brrds from all parts of our country;
and thousands of people crowded the
city and thronged the race track. 1t
is said that one Of your own native
white citizens from the outskirts of
this city went to Jacksonville to see
the sights. Though an old man. this
was the first time he had ever been
outside of Marion county. He visited
the lookout tower of the colossal fed
eral building in Jacksonville. Looking
south he saw the beautiful, ever flow
| ing, murky waters of the st. Johns
river rolling and on to the broad
ocean. He beheld the 12-story marble
Atlantic Band building; the skyscrap-
ling Seminole Hotel, and the other
| towering buildings. The colonel saw
it all, but said nothing. His guide and
escort said to him: Colonel, how do
YOU like these splendid scenes? What
do you think of jacksonville" The
colonel replied slowly, Il reckon 1t
will do tolerably we'll Jacksonville is
a right smart town. But il never will
be much" Why do you say that, COL
onel?" The colonel replied, Because it
can't be, the reason, it is too far from
! Ocala."
| While listening to the very cordial
address of welcome, and the EXPIRES
sion of good will and good cheer with
which your honor has ushered US into
this city, I wished from the depth of
my heart that all of our cities in Flor
ida were nearer Ocala along these hos
pitable and essential lines. We may
not have the privilege Of meeting here
again soon, and we may do we'll TO
ihave a plain face to face and soul to
soul talk. Your advice is wholesome
and uplifting.
1t is easy find fault. The man who
is satisfied with present conditions and
accomplishments will make pro-
gress. What is true of the individual
is also true of the race.
Ladies and gentlemen, for my spe-
cial purpose on this occasion l desire
you to do me the kindness to ina CINE
that l am a white man. To this you
will necessarily have to place great
tension your ina gination, and pos
sibly close your eyes. l will assist you
by my own auto suggestions. II
were white mana member of the
Caucasian race-I do not know how
would feel or what 1 would do. but
conscientiously and firmly believe:
| LIST. That 1 would De justly proud
Of my race variety. In its varied
achievements in science and literature
and art. and its leadership in the var
of civilization, 1 would INCREASINGLY
glory. These mighty results would
stimulate me to greater and nobliel
efforts. ITO whom much is given, OF
him much is required" 1 would reat
history and honestly endeavor to un-
derstand it as the teaching of phil
osophy by example. ! would go bach
into the remote past and note we'll ths
pit out Of which were dug. and tn,
rock from which We were hewn.
History informs US that in So B. c
when the all conQuering army Of Ju
Illus Caesar invaded the Southern por
ton of Briton they found us-we whit,
men-barbarians living in caves. TIL,
historian says that at that time W,
white people were such abject, ignor
ant, superstitious, degraded and con
temptible slaves that any one of u
could be bought for two drachms
Of our money.
Knowing this as l do, If I We're
white man, l would be in sympath.
with you negroes whom my race ha
held as slaves for nearly $50 years. a
a white man. l would be willing I
allow you negroes as long time. an
give you the same unhindered oppor
tunities that my race has had. l woul
not discourage you. l would encoura e
you. l would take time and eXamin
carefully before 1 decided whether i
was impossible for you all to max
honorable, decent, respectable men an
women of yourselves. / would recog
nize the fact that my race variety Ia
received superior training. and ha
superior examples; and an infinite1
better chance. l would not therefor
measure your progress by the height
of the civilization to which we hav
attained. 1 would accept the rul
stated by your own Fred Douglas
when he said measure the negro b
the depth from which he has come.
were a white man l would be char
table and just to your race.
AS patriots and soldiers you hav
blood of you black-Skinned negrOe
patriots from Crispus Attacks at Bos
] ton. and others a Lexington. New Oh
leans, Fort Wagner. Milliken Ben,
Jones Island and at San Juan Hill Ia
y fortified the tree of American libert,
iron letters of Spain from the Quee
Of the Antilles.
In peace you negroes as a rule az
law abiding, and decent citizens. II
true, that sometimes a bad negro rur
amuck and we white people have
To- =