The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1913-04-25
PROGRESS MADE
IN GREAT CAUSE
City Of BrotherIy Love Wei
comes National Association.
SERIES OF LIVELY MEETINGS

Oktt1kO W SuVI6t "IN stNVO
Fifth Annual Conference Of Notable
Organization For the Advancement
of Colored Americans Attended by
Hundreds - Mayor Blankenburg's
Warm Greeting.
By N. BARNETT DoDsON.
Philadelphia. - This gracious City
Of Brotherly Love has just concluded
playing host to more than 200 dele
gates who attended the fifth annual
conference of the National Association
For the Advancement of Colored Peo-
pie. which met here from Wednesday.
April %, until Friday. April Is.
Seldom If ever in the history of this
city. where the seed Of every humani-
tartan movement has found fertile
soil and its tender sprout been nur-
tured and fostered into full grown
and healthy tree. has such repre-
sentative body of faithful workers
been gathered at one and the same
time in so worthy cause. w.. -
Millionaire and laborer. clergyman
and laymen. jurists, editors, legisla-
tors, white men and women as well as
black. foregathered to debate and de-
liberate upon the condition of fallen
and downtrodden minority. The key
note Of the conference from its open
ing session to the parting word was
equality of opportunity. equality at
the ballot box and in the courts of the
land"
Possibilities Of the Race Outlined.
Able spokesmen of their own ap.
peared to lay before the assembled
delegates the possibilities of the color
ed race. Noble examples themselves
Of the possibilities Of people If given
the long withheld and looked for op-
portunities. they came to plead the
cause of their brethren who were still
kept down. And their appeal found
an answering note, not only in the
words of encouragement. in the ap-
plause and hand clapping that greet
ed their efforts on the part Of their
Caucasian brethren, but in the gener
GUS offers Of moral and financial as,
sistance.
Mayor Blankenburg. carried into Of
fee two years ago on the crest of q
great reform wave that swept the
country and washed Philadelphia in
It's course. ever champion Of right
against wrong and sturdy friend Of
tie downtrodden and oppressed. well
coined the assembled delegates at the
opening session in Keneseth Israel TEN
pie.
Mooref1eld Storey Of Boston. national
president Of the association, presided
at the opening session Of the confer
ence, which was called to order In the
Jewish temple on Wednesday evening
Rabbi Joseph Kraukopf> Of Keneseth
Israel followed Mayor Blankenburg
and delivered an inspiring address, In
which he addressed himself particu-
larly to those men and women who in
other fields and in different denomina-
tons had ever championed broadness
and fair play.
Oswald Garrison Willard to the Fore.
Oswald Garrison Willard Of New
York. chairman Of the executive board
Of the national association, also spoke
In the course Of his remarks Mr.. VII
lard quoted from a recent address by
Charles Edward Russell Of New York.
recently candidate for governor on the
Socialist ticket.
1.-The nation cannot endure half with
rights and half with none,'" he quoted.
"'any more than 1t could endure half
slave and half free. 1t Is not merely
the black disgrace before the world Of
an enlightened people that plays these
sorry tricks upon defenseless minori-
ty. There is also the other fact that
whenever the rights Of one man are
destroyed the rights Of all men are
impaired.
"'Every time justice has been per-
verted to wreak popular prejudice upon
a colored man the whole system Of
justice has been weakened for every
body. Organized society will not
stand such strains. You cannot delib
erately foster ignorance and lawless-
ness without paying the price
This Is practically the crux Of the
situation which the National Associa-
ton for the Advancement Of Colored
People Is trying to obviate." continued
Mr.. Willard 1T does not even ask a
special indulgence for any of their
shortcomings or beg for them unusual
economic and educational opportuni
ties because Of their disadvantages
and the frightful inheritance of vice
and ignorance which was the chief
bequest Of slavery. II merely asks
equality Of opportunity. equality at the
ballot box and In the courts Of the
land"