El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-25
Says His Purpose Is to Pro
mote Friendly Relations
Between Black and White

That the effort of the negro race
should be to arrive at point in all
lines Of labor, business and profess
sion where the people of the neigh
borhood in which they live viii no
longer feel. we are merely tolerat-
ing these negroes here" but viii feel
I'VE really need them and we don't
want to get rid of them" was the lead
ing declaration of Booker T. Washing
ton, and which embodied a thought
that ran through the entire trend Of
his speech when he addressed an au-
dience Of white people and negroes at
the FL PasO theater Sunday night
which filled it to standing room ca
pacity.
DIT. Washington was introduced by
Prof. William Coleman, principal of
the Douglass negro school, as "a man
who is sowing the seed of the spirit
OF peace and prosperity through the
land and who has done more than any
other man to make the problem no
longer What shall we do with the
negroE but What shall the negro do
with himself?
Washington arrived in Ell Paso Sun
day morning in the course Of a lecture
tour of the state in response to an
invitation extended by the Texas State
Negro Business league and by other
negro organizations Of the state. Fol
lowing the main address at the FL Paso
theater talks were made by him Sun
day night at the Second Negro Bap-
list church and at the First Negro
Methodist church He was the guest
Sunday evening OF the negro women Of
FL PasO at a dinner at the home OF A.
Perett, 5O7 South Campbell street.
His One Object in Coming.
DR.. Washington said, IN opening his
address:
Il have but one object in coming into
this state at this time, that Of seeing
for myself what progress our race is
making with it's Opportunities, and to
note also the relations existing be-
tween black men and white men and
70 say a word wherever I can that
will encourage further progress among
our people, and that viii further pro-
mote friendly and rational relations
between black man and white man"
The Race Question
Taking up the race question in Texan
There are about 100000 black peo-
pie IN the state Of Texas. SO far as
human Intelligence can penetrate, 1t
looks as II these 100000 black people
/ are likely to remain in the state Of
/ Texas. It looks further as II the num-
/ Der is going to increase from year to
year. 1t is safe to say that within
7 a few years there viii be a million
I black citizens in the mOnWealth OF
Texas No matter what our individual
opinions may be, no matter what our
wishes may be, these people in all
human probability are here to stay
/ Living by the side Of these 100000 col
| Ored people there are about 5000. 900
white people here Then we have a
population of about 1000 900 Of people
/ Of both races living In a great com
I mOnWealth. Under such circumstances,
what is the duty Of the intelligent and
/ the colored racer Plainly, ii Is to use
/ his influence in the direction Of pro-
noting everywhere friendly and ra-
[ tional relations between these two
rs IT possible for these two races.
I unlike in color, unlike in tradition, to
Z live together in peace and harmony for
all timer In my opinion Ii is, and that
opinion Is based largely upon the fact
/ that they have lived together and are
[ living together with few exceptions,
/ in peace and harmony. There is no
/ greater enemy today to a state than
I the man, whether he be black OF white,
/ who would spend his time and energy
I in stirring up racial strife. There is
| no greater friend today to state than
/ the man whether he be black or white,
who uses his talents and influence to
| promote the progress Of both races and
I to see TO it that Deace and good viii
[ are maintained. What has been done
[ is the best guarantee OF what may De
! done in the future
! The Negro as a Producer.
An interesting trea tment Of eco
l nomic conditions in the state as re-
] CARDS the negro was given. In THIS
/ connection DR. Washington declared:
/ According to the most accurate rec
/ ord that we can find. the cOlored peo-
/ ule In Texas now own and pay taxes
! upon $50 000. 600 worth or property In
Z 1000 the cOlored people in this state
/ owned and paid taxes upon $1,000
| farms: during the last 10 years they
[ have bought 1000 additional farms
| While this Is not as great a gain as
I hos been made by cOlored people in
( some of the other states, It indicates
I progress in farm getting, and urge
upon our people with all the emphasis
| that I can command the importance OF
{ fbafr owning land. Of their getting out
l OF the cities into the rural districts
( onto the soil. AS a rule. our people are