The Colorado statesman., 1912-05-18
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
ON The NEGRO

the International Conference on the
Negro was held here in Douglass hall
Most of the delegates from abroad
were on the grounds the night before
and a number Of them were here sew
eral days looking into the work in the
shops and the class rooms and study
ing some of the unusual methods they
lind in operation here for work among
the surrounding rural nero popula-
ton
Mr.. Scott, who called the confer
ence to order, spoke as follows:
AS chairman of the committee on
program, l have the honor to call to
order the first session of the Interna-
uonal Conference on the Negro.
"The committee has arranged for
two sessions daily, at $50 o'clock
each morning in this room, Douglass
hail. and at 7:30 o'clock each evening
in the Institute chapel
THE map you see on the wall in
front of you will show those sections
of the world where negro peoples live
In large numbers, and as the sessions
proceed we shall try to indicate with
red push buttons the sections repre-
scented by papers, discussion, or dele
gates.
The germ idea out of which this
conference has grown was suggested
by DR.. Washington in an article con-
tributed by him to the New York Inde-
pendent, March Is, 1906. at the time
of the agitation for reform In the Bel
gian Congo. This article was, in a
way, a call to the friends of Africa
to meet in international council for
the purpose Of organizing a society
which should stand in it's relations to
the civilized world as sort of
guardian of the native peoples Of Az
rica. friendly power an influence
with the public and in the councils
where SO often, without their presence,
or knowledge, the destinies of Afri-
can peoples and of their territories
are discussed and decided
Later. as 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 as in
America, 1t seemed best to include in
this conference all those who were
Interested in any practical and con.
structive way in the progress and fu-
ture of the negro.
I'm preparing the program the com
mittee has labored under considerable
difficulty 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 first
tentative program that was sent out
have later. for one reason or another
found it impossible to be present. In
other cases. persons whose names
should have been upon the program,
but of whose presence we were not as
sured, are with us today. Although 1t
vas 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, as far as
possible, to one definite subject To
day, Wednesday, the subject for dis
cussion is '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 Washingtons opening ad-
dress contained this statement in re-
gard to the purpose of the conference
and the circumstances under which 1t
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 have
wanted to learn something in regard
TO the work and methods of the Tus-
kegee Institute. These letters have
come from many parts of the world;
they have come from missionaries in
Africa. Australia and India, from off,
cials of the colonial governments in
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
j recall at one time that I received
letter from a man in the south OF
Russia. who wanted to establish
school for the Muzhiks, or Russian
peasants. At another time | received
letter from a missionary in the New
Hebrides. who was engaged in teach
Ing type of black people there, of
whom I had never before heard. In
addition to these letters I have re-
ferred to, we have at Tuskegee, every
year, / should say. from so to 100
visitors, who come here for the ex-
press purpose of studying the work Of
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