Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-05-17
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
on the NEGnO

1uskegee, Ala--The frst session o.
The Inter national Conference on thu
Negro was held here In Douglass hall
Most OF the delegates from abroad
were on the grounds the night before
and . number Of them were here sew
sral days looking into the work In tht
shops and the class rooms and study
ing some OF the unusual methods they
6nd in operation here for work among
ths surrounding rural negro popula
ton. g-
Mr.. Scott, who called the confer
snce to order, spoke AZ follows:
"Aa chairman OF the committee or
program, have the honor to call &c
order the first session Of the 1nterpa
tional Conference on the Negro.
THE committee has arranged FOL
two sessions daily, at $3.50 O'Clock
each morning IN this room. Douglas
hall, and at 1880 o'clock each evening
In the Institute chapel. @@
"The map y0u see on the ra'l IN
front Of ycu Win show those sections
OF the world where negro peoples liva
IN large numbers, ana as the sessions
proceed We shan try to indicate with
red push buttof's che sections repre-
scented by papers. discussion. or dele
gates. r.
"The germ itea cut Of which this
conference has grown was suggested
by Dr.. Washington In an article con.
tributed by him to TIE New York indie
pendent March is. 1906. at the time
Of the agitation for ,eform in the Bel
gian Congo This article was. In q
way, q call to the friends OF Africa
to meet In International council for
the purpose OF organixing society
which should stand n its relations to
the civilized world as sort OF
guardian Of the nstivs peoples OF A.
fica, friendly power. an influence
with the public and IN the councils
where 30 often. without their presence.
or knowledge. the destinies Of Afri-
can peoples and Of their territories
are discussed and decided.
Later, az the notion took more
definite form. and as the notion that
education In some form or other must
be the basis Of the solution of the
negro problem in Africa, as well a. In
America, It seemed best to include In
this conference all those who were
interested IN any practical and con.
Otructive way In the progress and fu-
ture Of the negro.
Tn preparing the program the COM
mittee has labored under considerable
dificulty because of the distance
which delegates have had to travel.
and because Of the uncertainty as to
their ability to be present A very
considerable number Of those whose
names were printed upon the nrst
tentative program that was sent out
have later. for one reason or another,
found 1t impossible to be present. In
other cases, persons whose names
should have been upon the program.
but Of whose presence we were not az
sured, are with us today. Although II
was not possible to get their names
on the printed program. We shall new
ertheless look forward to hearing from
them from time to time during the
course Of the sessions.
you will notice We have had to Ar
range the exercises In such a way that
each day will be Devoted. ~ far as
possible. to one definite subject. To.
day. Wednesday. the subject for dis
cussion IL Conditions Thursday.
Missions Friday. Methods As far
as possible. we hope the arrangement
will be adhered to.
"And now It only remains for me to
present DR.. Booker T. Washington. the
chairman who will preside during the
deliberations Of the conference"
Principal Washington's opening ad
dress contained this statement in re
gard to the purpose Of the conference
and the circumstances under which Il
came to be summoned:
'For some time past. I have receiv
ed an increasing number OF letters
and inquiries every year, from persons
outside the United States, who hav.
wanted to learn something in regart
to the work and methods Of the Tus
kegee Institute. These letters hav<
come from many parts Of the world
they have come from missionaries IL
Africa. Australia and India, from offi
cials OF the colonial governments II
Europe. and from all sorts Of persons
who are interested directly or indi
rectly. in lifting up the man at the bot
tom In any part Of the world.
II recall at one time that received
letter from a man In the south o.
Russia, who wanted to establish Z
school for the Muzhiks, or Russian
peasants. At another time I received
. letter from missionary In the New
Hebrides, who was engaged In teach
ing a type of black people there. o.
whom ! had never before heard. IL
addition to these letters I have re
ferred to. we have ut ,Tuskegee, every
year, should say, from so to 10t
visitors, who come here for the ex
press purpose Of studying the work o.
the school. Sometimes we entertain
visitors of that kind without knowing
that we are doing so. At one time We
found that we had with US as a stu
dent the son Of wealthy Chinese
merchant. who. without at first disclos
ing his purpose or identity. had come
here 40 q student In order to get ae
,quainted with tho school from the in
side. with view to establishing I
somewhat similar institution in hi.
own country. Before, and since then
We have had students from India and
Japan, who came here with a similar
purpost in view. For a number Of
years past we have had at Tuskegee
from 100 to 125 students from differ