The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1910-01-27
(Horace D. Slatter.)

(Horace D. Slatter.) ~.
Tuskegee Institute, Ala, Jan. 20.
More than 1000 Negro farmers With
their wives and children attended
the iannunl session OF the Tuskegee
Negro Farmers Conference, which
was held here yesterday in the In
stitute chapel; The farmers confer
-ence-is- hut one OF tina many ways
the institution, makes Its influence
felt upon Negro life, and the real
worth Of the work is felt in the fact
that this year farmers from as many
states as -Ainbama, Tenn essee, Arkan-
sas, Mississippi and Louisiana have
taken a prominent part in the meet
ing, while greater number Of visit
ors from a distance, prominent white
and black men from all, portions Of
the country, are attending the ses-
sion. ',.,t.F ~. 4 SO a.. :. .
According to the usual custom Of
these meetings, DE-. Wash1ngton IN
opening the conference, gave what is
regarded as the most important de-
hyerAhce, With the possible exception
~ Of the daelaratton to the public.
This year, however, Mr.. J. M. Parker
- VI zig WSIi huOWu LII Ol - NJ. IdI-
ker & Co. cotton factors, New Or
leans, La, who is perhaps the larg-
est Individual cotton planter In the
country, gave a strong, sensible and
forcfble address to- the conference.
Various farmers detailed their ex-
DerienCes In the meeting; all discus
ing the one general subject, "Land
Getting" which for the purposes of
the morning session was sub-divided,
How I bought my farm" and "Wo-
mans part In farm buying. .-. -
Rev. T. O: Fnller. president OF
Howe Institute, Memphis, Tenn,
opened the session with prayer, fol-
lowing which DR.. Washington deliv-
cred the opening address, DR.. Wash
ineton gave his usual common sense
advice to the people Of his race and
was enthusiastically cheered by the
immense audience delivering hts
address before the farmers and 9TH
err visitors, DR.. Washington said In
part: =: = rs -. H...., -
LAS we meet In these annual; con-
,1eran eaSr We 400 4stia keep IN mi l16s bat
the TIME and money spent IN 1coiat
ing here will be absolutely wasted
unless improvems can be seen
where we live as a result Of these
meetings. It Is easy for people to
yield to the temptation of going to
some large gathering and hearing
addresses or delivering addresses
and then fall to put In practice what
they have heard after they reach
home. =
The people Of the community
where you live should be able to
see signs Of Improvement each year.
They should see Better school build
ings, better. church houses; should
be able to note that the school house
is either painted or whitewashed,
and that they have comfortable seats.
by reason of your coming to
these conferences, when one passes
by tyour-~ dwelling house, he should
see that there is whitewash On the
outside of your house, that the fenc-
es and outhouses are whitewash ed
and the gate and everything about
the house is in I good repair. He
should beishbe to sec that the window
glasses a9eup OF broken.
"Furth&mGwe expect every person
who comes to these conference.-the
learn to grow, not only plenty Of cot
ton hut nlentv of good vegetables.
He should have fruit trees, grain,
poultry, pigs in plenty. BY reason
~ these conferences we should see
fewer people In idleness and there
sloud be tar less crime in each COM
munity.
There is no excuse in a climate
like this, for anyone being In want
or in poverty. We have right about
us the best soil and the best climate.
In this soil any kind Of vegetable can
be grown; all kinds Of poultry and
live stock can be raised, and under
Of ct q ~ 10 nj
sary for strong, able,bodied men
during the month Of January to be
tankering around asking somebody
to run" them during the year.
"One reason why 80 many Of our
people are poor is that they throw
away too much money In the fall Of
the year for things that they can do
without. Too much is thrown away
for cheap, useless patent medicines
organs, lightning rods, cheap pictures
and useless furniture. Let us throw
off these hurtful habits.
I'VE must learn, also, that no man
can succeed as a farmer until he
LEARNS to work 900 days in the year
instead ff 156 days in the: year
The farmer is the only man engaged
in business who expects to succeed
10y working only half Of the year
The merchant works every day il
the year. The same Is true of the
banker; the same is true in moss
every class Of men who are In bust
mess except the farmer This means
that there must be, idleness. We
must learn that Saturday is just as
valuable q workday as Monday. We
must keep our women OF the streets
and from public places where they
have no business.-------------
Right here. as ] have stated, we
have rare opportunities for money
making, and / am glad to say thai
many thousands Of our people are
making progress year by year, while
others are standing still or goint
backward.
81 want you to fully realize thu