The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-05
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Booker L. Washington Speaks

TO the Editor OF The Age-Herald.
Booker T. Washington, principal and
founder of the famous Tusxegee institute
for negroes, arrived in Dadeville Sun
day afternoon and delivered a telling ad-
dress at the county courthouse to 100 or
500 persons, one-thrd of whom were white
people.
DR.. Washington spoke one hour and II
minutes, holding The rapt attention of the
crowded courtroom throughout. He was
introduction by Prof. j. p. Oliver, super
intendent of education for Tallapoosa
county.
Among the other white citizens present
were Mayor George DouvilIe, Col. J. C.
Buger, former member of the Alabama
legislature; Judge G. j. Sorrell, Rev l..
f. Whitten, pastor of the Baptist church;
Prof j. E. Hendley, principal of the city
High school, and others, who went for
ward after the address and extended
congratulations to the noted negro leader
and educator and expressed their delight
with the sensible and eloquent address.
Reaching Dadeville from Tuskegee insti-
tute in automobiles loaned for the occa-
sion by white citizens of Tuskegee, Dr.
Washington and party of nine persons
had Travelled about 40 miles, passed
county owned by negroes, and miles of
farm land in Tallapoosa county owned by
negro farmers, had seen thousands Of
acres of corn, some four feet high, and
cotton four inches high. together with
gardens of vegetables. The speaker, hav-
ing seen every evidence of the prosperity
of his race in Macon and Tallapoosa
counties, was in optimistic spirits and
spoke freely and profitably.
He had already SDOken TO largo a1ldi-
ences of both races at Pleasant Grove
schoolhouse and at the New Adka church.
After short prayer by the Rev. j. F.
Whitfield, pastor of the Methodist church.
and the singing of two plantation melo-
dies led by Thomas M. Campbell, United
States district demonstration agent, Su-
perintendent Oliver was introduced by I.
j. Edwards, county supervisor of schools
under the Jeannes fund.- who in turn in
troduced DR.. Washington.
Stay in the country; stay on the farm;
save your money, save your time; work
800 days in the year instead of $50 days;
buy a home, settle down, build up
reputation for reliability, become an asset
to the state instead of a liability lengthen
your school term; cultivate friendly rela-
tions between the races; look upon all
honest labor as honorable; get rid Of
gamblers. loafers and whisky drinkers and
blind tigers" were the ringing sentences
of DR.. Washington's speech here today
DR.. Washington said the world hears
much about the bad negro, but hears
little about the economic, thrifty and
reliable negro. He declared that the
negro was better off in the south than
he is anywhere else in the world.
He congratulated the white people OF
Tallapoosa county upon its large number
of prosperous negro farmers and the cit
izens upon the beautiful negro school
house in the CITY limits, and thanked
them for the encoura cement given T. j..
Edwards in his work.
Il want my race to not be simply toll
Grated in this country, but sought after
and earnestly desired because of his skill
and reliability" he emphasized.
Speaking to the white people. Dr. Wash
ington said:. 1--WE have been standing by
you all these years. Now we want You
to stand by us, give us better schools,
better schoolhouses, better teachers,
longer terms, and we will show you what
practical education is worth TO the state
of Alabama"
One of the leading white citizens oi
Dadeville declared after DR.. Washington
speech that much good was accomplished
by the meeting and by the negro leaders
sensible advice to members OF his race
This was the substance OF the addresses
delivered earlier in the day at Pleasant
Grove schoolhouse and New Adka church
At the latter place it was necessary so'
DIR. Washington to speak from wagor
| in the open. while the immense crowd
white and coIored stood under the shade
of the trees in front of the church.
| The trip was planned by Clinton j. Cal
loway, head of the extension department
| of Tuskegee institute. DR.. Washington
was accompanied on his tour by Warrer
Logan, treasurer; Prof. J. r. F.. Lee, di'
rector of the academic department; w.
| Wilborn, Rev. A. F. Owens ana otners
A. F. OWENS.
Dadeville Ilne q. 1913.