Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-07-03
WELCOMES RACE PROBLEM
DR.. Booker 7. Washington Says
Big Issues Are Needed.
Urges His People In North to save
Observation-Disclosures Southern Mil
lions VIII he Judged by
Representatives Here.

Booker T. Washington, speaking in the
First Church Tuesday night, told in an in
teresting and eloquent manner of the prob
lens arising on. OF the presence in this
country of ten millions of his race, and
Of the work being done at Tuskegee and
similar Institutions to solve these prob
lens The speaker was introduced by
President Guy Potter Benton of the uni
versity. After the address a collection
was taken for the benefit of Tuskegee.
DIR. washington spoke, in opening, Of
the pleasure it was on the 50th annlver-
sary of the battle Of Gettysburg to speak
In the home town of the late Gen. o. O.
Howard. who did as much as any man
to win that great battle and later did
much to help the millions of men and
women whom the war had set free.
1T Is not a misfortune" said DR.. WISH
ington. that a nation has before It large
and perplexing and complicated problems.
These war against provincielism and keep
the country from breaking itself up into
the pursuit of local Issues and inter-
ests" The question presented by the
black men let loose among us after slav-
cry Is of this kind Il believe that in
this country there is patience enough,
forbearance enough, humanity enough to
enable these races to live and prosper
side by side"
FINDING A CHANCE.
Or. Washington sketched rapidly his
own experience from his slave birth
through his boyhood in a West Virginia
coal mine where he heard two men tell
ing of a school where a negro boy could
work his way, to the time when he ar
rived Mt Hampton Institute after days
Of trampng In search Of this school.
ragged and grmy, and passed his exam
nation by cleaning "A room Immediately.
At Hampton he found a chance.
When DR.. Washington first devoted
himself to teaching his people he found
among them an immense ambition for
book learning. Gradually he and the
other teachers worked the curriculum
around to the needs of the ncgro until
they were teaching the ordinary pursuits
of life. When the colored people came to
know about this. they protested violently.
They said the negro had been worked
for $50 years. and it was not right to
work him now. Dr. Washington and his
colleagues had to teach them the differ
e1ce between being worked and working.
This they have been teaching and the
people of their race have been learning
ever since.
The instruction at Tuskegce aims to
instill into the boys and girls of the color
ed race a sense of the dignity and beauty
of all kinds of labor. instruction in
about 20 different industries is given
there. They are primarily taught to
make a living for as Or. Washington
puts it: 1T is hard to make Christian
of hungry man" An old negro put the
same thought differently. DR.. Washing
ton said to him. why do You always
make speeches urging the other farm
ers to own pigs He answered.
when all my neighbors own their own
pigs. | can sleep better every night"
RACE JUDGED BY THOSE HERE.
DR.. Washington glories in his race and
is glad to belong where there are prob
| lens to face. He is confident that they
are doing much to solve these problems.
In closing he gave an Inspiring resume of
the progress his people have made in 3.
years. He added with pride: Not one
graduate of TuskcEee has ever been
within the walls Of a Jail or penitentiary."
After his main address Dr. Washington
spoke to the members of his own race
! present He reminded them that they
were the representatives. of their race
here among the northern people and that
by them the millions in the South would
be Judged He urged them first of all to
save their money. not for the money
sake but because the ability to save
money indicates the ability of a race to
go without to-day that they may have
| to- morrow" He urged them # any OF
them did not have a bank account tc
start one just as soon as they could sc,
through their prayers tomorrow.