The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1911-11-04
TAFT LAUDS Y. M. c. A.
Its Branches Aid People of all
Races.
Talks at Quinn Chapel, A. M. e.
Church Chicago.
Crowds Throng Sidewalks for
Hours; Gives Praise to
Julius Rosenwald.

JULIUS ROSenWald.
freSldent Taft in speech deliy-
| ered before the members of the South
| SIDE Young Mems Christian Associa-
| tlon, at a mass meeting held in Quinn
chapel, A. M. E. Church, Twenty
fourth street and Wabash avenue.
Chicago, Sunday October 29th, gave
the organization the stamp of his
most hearty approval. The South Side
branch is in a section largely popu-
lated by Afro-Americans and the
| membership will be to a great extent
composed of them.
Ihere is no single instrumentality
Tor the promotion of good morals -
ne said, furnishing healthful occu-
patton during leisure hours, making
a sound, religious club life, equal to
the Young Mems Christian associa-
tion."
he also praised the movement for
colored mems branch on the south
SIDE. He lauded the patriotism of
julius Rosenwald and other expon-
ents OF the movement, and closed his
speech with best wishes for a success
tul issue to the campaign.
The automobile procession escort
ing the President reached the little
chapeI at Wabash avenue and Twen-
ty-Iourth street at 4:3O. The side
walks were damned and had been
1or TWO hours before he arrived, The
church had been filled for the same
length of time
Mr.. w. P. Sidley, president of the
central Y. M. G. A., presided and
Mr.. H. A. Roberts introduced Presi-
dent Taft.
The Presidents Speech.
$50 impressed have I been with
the associations influence for good
tne world over" he continued, that
MR. Mott, who is one of the head
movers In the organization, sug-
gested he would like to have me at
tend meeting to raise money to
build Young Mems Christian assoc
clatlons throughout the orient. 4
threw open the east room of the
White House.
1--WE gathered in there as manv
mllllonaires as we could find. and
raised about 100000. The money
now is being expended and associa-
IONS are being put around the world.
They are dotting the world as light
houses dot the journey around the
world, to help along the Christian
white man, or the Chinamaa, and ali
Others, without respect to religion or
race.
IN Shanghai they have a magnifi-
cent building which 1 helped dedi-
cate: 1t was built through the gen.
crosby OF some American. But the
money so given was supplemented bv
a large fund collected from promin-
ent Chinese mandarins, familiar with
the influence of this institution nnon
young Cinnamon.
Aids Youth in Tropics,
NOW, that, is the case with the
Young Mems Christian association
tne world over. I knew something
ABOUT It's operation in the tropics es-
pec1ally. If you have ever been in
the tropics you know there comes a
time, 4 or 5 O'Clock in the day, when
you feel devitalized. If you have
any taste for strong liquor it comes
on you You take one drink and
the effect is satisfactory.
And as there is nothing much to
90 at night in the tropics, you take
another. If you are at that age when
you feel that nothing can hurt Won
and you are free and away from the
influences of home and of the home
nelghborhood, there is danger.
there is a danger to the men who
go out from here to the tropics, as
TO Manila, that is so great that It
needs positive force to keep them
from going down to degradation.
I'VE have "a Young Mems Chris
tlan association in Manila for Ameri-
cans and for Filipinos. They raised
the money out there from the mer-
chants at time when business was
much depressed. Money had been
given from this country on condition
That more should be subscribed. and
1t was the hardest thing for those
merchants to squeeze out the money
Y. M. G. A. Not Charity.
But with the knowledge they had
OF It's usefulness in keeping men.
upon whom they depended to carry
on their business, with proper moral
ldeals-merely business PROPOSE
t1on-they went into it and raised
the money. Now they have magni-
ncent building in which all the Amer
lean young men gather. And a SINH
lar case arose with the Filipinos.
1T is not charity at all. That
Is one of the greatest features of
1t-that the benefits of it can be
conferred upon young men without
giving them the slightest impression
they are receiving charity. The Sec
retaries of the association are pro-
1esslonal men; they learn the bust
ness; they learn how to spend money
economically, and any one who con-
tributes to the Young Mems Chris
tlan association may know his money
viii go as far as it can to help his
fellow creatures.
The use Of the word charity was
an unfortunate one, for I expected