Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-03-17
eREETS THOUSANDS
Booker T. Washington. the Great
Industrial Leader, was Given
a Rousing Reception by
Des rloines People.
He Greets Thousands at all Three Of His
Meetings Sunday and Hundreds
y We're Tunred Away at Each
Meeting.

Booke- 4. Washington can truly say
event, vidi, vici" in respect to all OF
his lows meetings. The reception giver
him at Des Moines was magnificent
greater than any other private citizen
would receive. 1t was free, enthusi
astic, loyal gretting by both white and
colored people, as one could see who
witnessed the masses crowding and
rushing to get seat or standing room
or even to get glimpse of the dis
tinguished American citizen.
The Register and Leader of Monday
March 18th, had almost verbatim re.
port of his address delivered at the
union meeting of the colored churches,
written by Mr.. F. w. Beckman, and !
would advise all of our readers to send
in for that issue. The article is about
four columns in length. Below we give
a few of his best points, taken from
the Register and Leader, as we cannot
better it.
Washingtonisms.
I Don's get to a point where you feel
ashamed of the good old songs Of our
race.
Don t ever grow so intelligent and
prosperous that you III feel ashamed Of
the race to which you belong.
| know some people Of our race who
would rather be third class imitation
white people than first class Negroes.
If I could go back again into the
world from which came into this, and
I could choose what manner Of man I
should be and what sort of skin 7
- 10 in
an American black man.
You Negroes of Des Moines have two
great responsibilities resting upon you:
To see to it that you save yourselves
and keep saved, and to see to it that
you set such an example here as will
create public opinion in favor Of the
Negro in the south and not against him.
If you haven't got little piece Of
land that's you own, get it as soon as
you can.
Every Negro should have a home so
comfortable and happy that no child
would think Of leaving 1t.
You parents haven't done your duty
by your boys and girls tuntil with an
education in books you we seen to it
that they have learned q useful trade
for making an honest living and that
they have learned the beauty and dig
kind Of idleness.
Since went to Europe and saw the
people there, I've quit abusing the
white man in this country; he's the
best white man I know anything about.
Learn to save something of what you
get hold Of.
When you get home, take the wife Of
your bosom and tell all your business;
tell her what you re making; tell her
how much you owe-tell her everything
and let her be real partner with you.
Remember, the Negro has chance.
Remember that what other races have
| done, we can do. Remember that we re
living, not dying; succeeding, not
failing.
BY F. w. Beckman.
As father admonishes his children,
so Booker T. Washington, the leader Of
people Ct his race in Des Moines last
night.
He spoke to many hundreds Of them
in great union meeting of negroes, in
Plymouth Congregational church. They
could not be counted by ten hundred,
nor twelve hundred, not possibly fifteen
hundred.
The large main floor of the church
auditorium was compact mass of
eager, attentive dark-skinned faces. The
galleries were thronged with mingled
blacks and whites, and even the annex
and it's galleries were filed. Never be-
fore in Des Moines, and possibly never
before in Iowa, were SO many negroes
assembled in a single audience. AS
Booker T. Washington looked over the
assembly he expressed amazement and
said, ~ might almost say had no
idea there were so many colored people
in the whole state of Iowa. I question
whether there are many more left out
side of this meeting.'
Mr.. Washington talked plainly, though
kindly, to these people of his race. He
told them Of their faults; he reminded
them of their duties; he pointed out to
them their possibilities; he held before
them i'll and through all that he said
the great inspiring hope that no matter
what the past may have been, nor what
the present now is, the negro is living,
not dying, succeeding, not failing, going
on and up, not backward. "What others
have done, we can do" he declared in
his final words. f'It is possible for us
to become great, useful and powerful
people. E"
Booker Washington expressed himself
as genuinely pleased by the outpouring
of such an audience of his own people.
81 was never more proud Of this race
of mine than tonight" he said. "I
was proud as I heard the splendid sing
ing Of your chorus-that was Inspiring
and uplifting. I am proud as I look in
to your faces now. I see you healthy;
/ see ycL strong. bodied; I see you we'll
looking; see you good looking; see
you fine looking; I see you well-dressed;
I see you PROSPEROUS and happy; see
you hopeful. Why should any man want
to get out and away from race like
thisY'' The audience was great dem
tonstration of what men and women may
do in climbing upward, even men and
women like the Negroes of America,
who have had impossible obstacles to
meet The audience was like great
experiment from some great laboratory
IA world, or a cosmic laboratory-an
| it demonstrated the possibilities that lie
in the black man.
Booker Washington did not come on.
to the platform to make his address
until after 8 O'Clock. Because the meet.
| ing was a union meeting Of all the
negro churches of the city, there were