The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-26
BOOKER STILL TALKING SENSE

siit NllDtTLOT is one OIL the
oldest and strongest Of the institu-
tions for the higher education OF the
negro in this country. Ii was found
ed by the late Daniel =. Payne, Bishop.
md one of the leading spirits in the
establishment of the African Metho-
dist Church. The late commencement
occasion was converted into sort of
memorial celebration Of the one hun
dredth anniversary of this eminent
man, and ii was made all the more
memora BILE by the notable address Of
Booker Washington, which abounded
In striking epigram and sound advice
to the negroes of the country, and
particularly the negroes Of the South.
About two weeks ago the Colored
Baptist Missionary Conference of New
England resolved to storm Mr. Taft in
the White House at Washington with
New England 10 demand his co-opcra-
ton in rGhting the wrongs from
which the negroes in the South are
alleged 10 be suffering. II was a fool
ish and mischievous thing for the
Yankee negroes to suggest, and it will
II the proposed pilgrimage shall be
Undertaken.
Booker Washington knows the
South and the Southern negro bet
ter than any other negro has ever
known them. and there was a great
bearing upon the present and future
OF the race. His text was taken from
the Holy Scriptures-"The heavens
We're opened and saw visions OF God"
and his argument was that here N
Tho South the American negro must
work out his own salvation; for in
the Southern States where the bulk
OF the negroes live, 100000 of them
there are opportunities for develop
ment in material, cduca tional. profess
sional and religious directions" to be
found nowhere else in this country. or
in the world. Besides using the
strength of numbers to improve their
: ccNdihon, the negroes must cultivate
pride OF race. If there is any one
human being whom I detest" said
Washington. ct is the man wo-
man who is ashamed OF the race to
which he or she belongs; who Is all
the time trying TO get away from the
race; who would rather be q third
rate white man than a iirst-rate black
man" Washin gton would have the
negro to be what ne is, what he can
not help being, what he is not re-
sponsible for being. and. 10 make the
best possible negro Of himself he
would have the Southern negro to
plant himself in the South 10 stay, to
enlarge his possessions TO own It's soil,
or SO much Of it as he can turn 10
good account; for. as he expressed it.
"a landless race means a poverty
stricken gaze: a landless race means
n dependeH. race, with uncertain en-
ployment one that lives by picking
up odd Jobs here and there landless
race means non taxpaying race, an
unsettled race, th,iftless race
Washington would have the negroes
TO buy land in the South, and 10 buy
It now. Two hundred million acres,
or over so per cent of the total land
I area of the South is unimprovcd 1t
as it can be bought now. There has
been an enormous increase in the value
OF land in the South in recent years
Lands which were selling al from $3.50
to SIS the acre fifteen years ago are
now selling al from $50 TO 500 the
acre. THE wealth Of the South has
bsen increased BY the rising land val
ues alone over $4,000 900 Washing
ton would have the negroes to buy
land. and to buy it now If they do
I not. il will be only little time be-
fore other purchasers will take 1t
and make the most of 1t Nothing
could contribute more to the indepen-
dence and progress OF the 5000, BOO ne
groes in the South Than for them tc
have in the next twenty years one o.
two hundred thousand Intelligent. sue
cessful and independent farmers, CON.
posed OF the educated men OF the race
scattered throughout the country
There are places In the south for a.
900 additional dry goods stores, ans
there are colored people enough tc
support these dry goods stores Con.
,inuing in this strain Washington
said
There are openings in the South 70,
at least 5000 additional grocer,
stores, for $500 additional drug stores
a ,t,,sr ..t.
n 1000 shoe stores. 1000 millinery stores
and there are communities in the soutl
where 1000 additional negro bank:
can be opened and supported I'uriheI
than this, there aresplaces in the Sour
where q least seventy 1--WE self-sovern
Ing, self supporting and sclfdirectins
towns or cities may he established
where the colored people can hav.
their own mayoritthe own Board o
Aldermen, their own self-governncn
Z from every point of view In the las
analysis. local self-government Is tn