The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1913-04-04
WASHINGTON'S VEINS OF THE
WEST.
Continued from Page ~

is a disposition at every point that
| have so far touched to keep the
Negro out of the skilled labor trades.
He can practice law, or medicine or
preach, but finds little opportunity to
teach school or work at a trade. In
many Of the hotels where | have
stopped, it has been interesting to
note that Japanese, white people and
black people are employed as SER
wants. In most of the large hotels,
however, the japanese seem to control
the work and they are mighty good
hotel workers. The Negro waiter and
porter in the hotel has to compete
with the Japanese and it is a pref
ty hard job. The Japanese are steady,
reliable, sober and are always on the
job.
| have visited and spoken to the
faculty and students in practically all
of the Colleges, State Universities
and Agricultural Colleges in the
states that | have traversed, and it is
very noticeable that these institutions
have gone further in technical and
industrial education-in a word, in
applying education to the needs aud
conditions of the people than is true
of the same type of institutions of
in Eastern states. It is also noticeable
that the general average of intelligence
of any audience that n addresses in
states like Idaho and Washington is
much higher than the old Eastern
states. ! have never been among a
people anywhere in the world who
read so much as is true of these
Western people, and they read the
higher grade of publications. In pro-
portion to the population the stand
ard monthly magazines and high type
weekly publications have a larger
circulation, | think, in the West than
in the East. 1t is not only true that
the white people are great readers,
but the same is equally rue of the
colored people. They know what is
going on inn the world, and anyone
who comes into this part of the
United States expecting to find igno-
rance will soon be undeceived. 1t is
interesting, too, to note how, in cities
like Spokane, Seattle and TacomaAall
the leading business men in the white
race work together practically as one
man. | have never been anywhere in
the world where the Chamber of
Commerce is such a center of activi-
ty and life as it is in these cities.
/ have neve spoken to a set of bust
ness men who showed such a high de-
gree of intelligence and enthusiasm
oo I houo COO, Il, Tho DOnrdc of VNro In
and Chambers of Commerce that ]
have addressed. | am glad to add
that in most of the cities where there
is any considerable number of col
ored people, they also have a Negro
Business League or ONE such organi.
cation, and are beginning to organ
ize themselves in business and com.
mercial directions. In several of the
large cities people have goot
church organizations and good church
buildings. The ministers, as a rule
while they have many difficulties tt
contend with, are of a high type
unsel1sh, intelligent. Tacoma, Wash
ington, where there is a large grouI
of fine colored people, seems to harbol
less prejudice than any city that
have been in. In Tacoma thtre seem!
to be practically no race discrimina
ton, and one finds here, as l have
stated, a fine aggressive class of col
ored men and women. At every
point that / have touched / have sim
ply been overwhelmed with kind
nesses and attentions shown me b!
members of my W race.
(Signed)
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON.