Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1912-05-24
BOOKER WASHINGTON At WORK
fBy BRADLEY olLMAN.)

There ara many things OF interest
IN FLORIDA at this season. There are
the oranges: or you may like better
the golden grapefruit; or you may pre-
fer to pot alligators; or you can
study the evolutions Of the turkey
Duzzards. as they drift and soar on
the air-current. putting Glenn Curtiss
and the Wright brothers TO the bad.
with their deftly-Doised rugged. sooty
wings.
II none OF these things interest you.
there is the negro; always the negro.
bearing about with him HE problem.
standing-to the thoughtful. serious
tourist-lika g heavily-ioaded inferno
cation mark. on the southern page of
American history. What shall We do
about him? What can ne dc about
himseIf7 what answer Is ne giving
IN Florida 90 bis own embodied Ar
seEsogaaion.
Booker = Washington che woric-
famous educator, 1s wisely end brave
ly giving Ills answers 20 this problem.
lie has recently completed an eight
oays' Journey through lae lane which
Ponce de Leon discovered, but ne did
not travel theirs IN search Of ihe foun-
tain Of eternal youth: ae wart with 3
dozen friends and helpers 20 Pense-
cola, thence 60 Tallahassee. Oeala.
Tampa, Jacksonville and other points,
and addressed vast audiences Oh
whites and blacks, and gave such wire.
hopeful words Of counsel that his own
people responded 20 him with en-
fhusiasm, and his white searers-ev@n
IN the regions made notorious o.
lynchings -expressed approval and
urged him 10 come again and 1eepea
the good influences which ne had al
ready established.
This missionary journey war one
OF several which DIR. Washington has
made through southern states: IL was
under the direction OF ~. 81. Lewey.
president OF the Colored Mems Bust
mesa league OF Florida The object
which DR.. Washington has had IN view
IN all these tours has been 20 ascer-
tain the conditions existing among his
own people and their relations TO the
white race. and 10 encourage public
sentiment In the direction OF plain eie-
mental and Industrial education for
negroes. The state governments a.
ready do something In the direction.
and private individuals help. but not
over 5 per cent of the total black
population OF the south is affected by
0chOafo fsNM k4nsru4ou. Tss.~ao~~mo mmm
others.
Many OF the public school ruperfn-
fendenSs see the need OF a more gen
erai education for the blacks. but are
ehwaFted by an adverse public seugf-
ment This sentiment. hostile OF IN
different. muss be distinctly altered
for good By Or. WashIngson's impap-
stoned addresses 70 sucA large audi
ances in 80 many centegs OF pcpule.
ffon. 10 does what more eloquent
and theoretical speakers often DO not:
he changes the Ideas and the feelings
Of his auditors: people who havs
heard this great man speak 20 audi
ences in the north have little idea OF
his addresses 20 southern gatherings.
where he has his own people before
hiEn. and has also a considerable nuna-
D5g Of white people who begin gns
session IN zll-conceale6 enmity.
The dramatic situation 81 A,-~---- i
SHALL never forget; ths famous negro
leaders faced over eco white msn---
about fifth OF his aossI AUDIENCE
who sat with scowls OF 6icsruss 90
their faces, until ais Kindly appeals 60
their reason and better selves soft
ened them and made them ass friends.
Probably almost every man 10 that
white group carried pistol: oaa or
TWO weepone were displayed openly;
soms OF snoes men nrs1 aavs 4atfaE
part in The oaroaTous syncnings when
6isgrace6 ahs town sifseen moths
ago: but. like a lion facing jackals,
anG vertically with Saa royal mian oi
That king OF tho forests. DR.. Washing
tan stood forth Grom ais ss9fis group
c. fTieBdg alone anG gsv9 battle; q
oaSfIs CT right anG reason against Sg-