The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-03-08

is the leader of the negro race In
America. In our fair land he destroys
the idols that have been erected by
demagogues and unworthy politicians
and is erecting in their stead schools
of industry and intelligence. He is
taking the benighted, vicious, ignor-
ant and superstitious negro from his
condition and clothing him in the
garments of industry, intelligence
and morality. In short, he is qualify
ing the negro for citizenship. His
work entities him to our aid and CO
operation. l commend him to your
intelligent consideration, and ask
that you extend to him in this great
work the hand and heart of encour-
agement
l present to you the Hon. Booker
T. Washington.
Dr. Washington responded to
Judge Bullock magnificent introduce
ton as one inspired.
He said that he acknowledged the
Indebtedness that the negro race
owed to the white race and freely
acknowledged that the white man
could beat the black man in most
things that were undertaken by the
two races but he said that there was
one thing in which the negro race
excelled and that was in the gift of
song; that no race could sing the
negro songs as well as the negroes
themselves. could sing them.
Then he called upon Major Morton
of the Virginia Hampton Institute
to lead in the singing of some of
those songs, and such singing has
rarely been heard in this community
in many day.
DR.. Washington seemed to have
been very much affected with the
demonstration that was given in
his honor and the extracts that are
here given of his speech scarcely
do him justice. These extracts
only cover the general topics and
lack the fervor and the inspiration of
the moment given him by Judge Bull
locks splendid introduction and the
applause of the five thousand who
were present.
81 have but one object in view in
coming into this state at this time,
and that is to see for myself some
thing of the progress made among the
colored people and of the relations ex-
listing between white man and black
man. I want at the same time. wher-
ever I can, to speak word which
shall make our people more useful and
will further friendly relations between
the two races.
Among the things which have pleas
ed me most since coming into this
state, is the fine character of the ag-
ricultural and mechanical college
which the state has provided for the
education of my race. / have seen the
state institutions of nearly every one
of our Southern states. and the state
of Florida, in my opinion has provided
for the negro in this state the best
plant with the best equipment of any
state in the union. Furthermore, I am
glad to add, that 1t is the best kept
up plant, the cleanest and most syste-
matica1ly arranged Of any that I have
seen. l not only congratulate the
state upon what it has done for the
colored people at this college, but I
congratulate Prof Young and his
corps of teachers for their part in this
work. 1 want to urge on your ministers
your teachers and upon parents, the
Importance of teaching our people the
Importance of saving a large part of
their income / know there are those
outside of the South who do not under
stand conditions, who say constantly
that the negro has no friends in the
South, but for the fact that in every
community in the state of Florida
where the negro lives in large num-
bers, we have white friends who stand
by us, who help US, who guide us, who
sympathize with us, who lend us mon
ey, who give us work, it would have
been impossible for us to have made
as much progress as we have made.
But for the fact that we have more
white friends than we have white en-
emies, it would have been impossible
for us to have earned s50,000,000 every
year. The fact that we have this prop
erty, that we are getting more prop
erty and that we get work is the high
est proof of the friendship and good
will Of the white man in Florida.
"It has been my privilege to travel
rather widely, not only in this coun-
try but in many of the countries of
Europe, and I have studied conditions
and opportunities of the laboring man,
and nowhere have / found place
where the negro can make greater
progress than he is making right here
in the South. We must get rid of our
idle dreams and settle down to the fact
that swe can live here and make pro-
gress.
''In the last analysis, find that the
relations between the individual negro
and the individual white man are
closer in the South than they are be-
tween black men and white men in
any other part of the country. The
negro as an individual understands
the white man better and the white
MON nc an individual understands the