The Colorado statesman., 1911-12-02
PRESIDENT TAFT TALKS
TO CHICAGO NEGROES
PRESIDENT ADDRESSED LARGE
AUDIENCE AT MEETING OF COL
oRED YOUNG MEMS CHRIS
TIAN ASSOCIATION.

|
the Young Mems Christian association
at Quinn Chapel A. M. E. church.
| Every seat in the house was taken
and several thousand were on the out
side.
The president praised the work OF
the association and joined in honor
ing julius Rosenwald and others,
whose beneficence has made it possi-
BILE to start the Y NJ c. A. movement
for colored men. On the platform
were Cyrus H. Mccormick. John "
Farwell, julius Rosenwald, n. w. Har-
ris, L. WILDER Messer, William C. Sid
ley, DIR. Geo. C. Hall. DR.. II. J. Calls,
DR.. VIM D. Cook, Adelbert H. Rob
erts, Rev VIM Bradden, Major r. r.
Jackson, Rev. H. S. Graves, Col. John
II. Marshall, Morris Lewis, S. Lang
Williams, DR.. j. T. Jenifer. Major
Buckner. President Johnson and 9th
ers. Guy Guernsey, George Il. Foss,
Major Archie Butt and Secretary Hill
lis accompanied the president to the
platform.
The presidents address follows:
Il count it my good fortune that |
am able to be present and to testify
to my intense interest IN the move
ment for the Young Mems Christian
association among the colored men of
Chicago.
Il am familiar with the operation of
the Young Mems Christian associa-
tion and the system that it has adopt
ed the world over.
1T has fallen to my lot to help
dedicate buildings of the Young Mems
Christian association in every part of
the world, beginning with Dayton,
Omaha, Seattle, Shanghai, Hongkong,
Manila, Memphis and number OF
others-they don't come to me all at
once-on the isthmus, in the army and
in the navy.
Il speak with the confidence OF one
who knows when | say that there is
no single instrumentality for the for
nation of good morals, for the furnish
ing of healthy occupation during leis-
ure hours, for the making of a sound
religious club life, equal to the Young
Mems Christian association.
so impressed have been with its
influence for good the world over that
when Mr. Mott, who is one of the head
movers in the organization, suggested
that he would like to have me attend
a meeting for the purpose of raising
money to build Young Mems Christian
associations throughout the Orient, |
threw open the east room OF the
White House and we gathered in there
as many millionaires as we could find.
and we raised upward of 1000, 600 for
the purpose.
Il say we raised it-that is a
pleasant form of expression. | mean
that Mr.. Mott and those who were act
ing with him induced the gentlemen
who were there 20 contribute, so that
the money was raised and is now be-
ing expended and Young Mems Chris
tian associations are being put around
the world; they are dotting the world
as lighthouses dot the journey around
the world to help along the Christian
white man or the Chinaman and all
others, without respect to religion or
race.
In Shanghai they have a magnifi-
cent building which | was permitted
to take part In dedicating, which was
given through the generosity of an
American donor. but the money so
given was supplemented by large
fund collected from Chinese man.
| darins who had been familiar with the
influence Of this institution upon
| young Cinnamon, who were not con-
verted Christians, but who had seen
| its work, and that at a time In their
| lives when they were prone to yield
to the dissipations of life, and when,
because their leisure hours were TAX
Ell up with refined and moral enjoy
ment, they were saved from destruc-
ton
Now, that is the case with the
Young Mems Christian association the
world over.
Il know something about its opera
tion in the tropics, especially. II you
have ever been in the tropics you
know there comes a time, fe III or five
o'clock in the day, when you feel
devitalized, and when, If you have any
taste for strong liquor, it comes on
you, and you take one drink and the
effect is satisfactory.
And as there is nothing much to
do at night in the tropics you take an
other, and if you are at that age of
youth when you feel that nothing can
hurt you, and you are free and away
from the influences of home and of
the home neighborhood, there is a
danger.
There is danger to the men who
go out from here to the tropics, as to
Manila, that is so great that 1t needs
a positive force to keep them from 60
ing down to degradation.
Now, we have Young Mems Chris
tian association in Manila for Ameri-
cans and for Filipinos. They raised
the money out there among the mer-
chants at time when business was
depressed.
| Money had been given from this