Evening star., 1914-12-15
Rapid Advance of Negro.


tllat the negro has made commendable
and rapid progress along economic
h!gieuic. educational, religious and
civic lines within the semi-centennial
OF his freedom, and that the problem
OF race adjustment is becoming less
:.cute and easier of solution by the
wise and conservative leadership O1
men of both races.
That the negro has made rapid
strides toward the goal of economic
Emancipation is conclusively proven by
the latest census statistics. In 1868
there We're 3.96G,OG0 slaves in the south
Their value was approximately 5000
'.''no. or about $500 each AT the
present time 2.10s,1S6 negroes are en-
south alone. and 5.19e,535 negroes are
engaged in gainful occupations
throughout the United States as a
whole.
\ bulletin of the thirteenth census
reveals the startling fact that while
the native white classes constituted a
smaller per cent of the persons en-
gagged in Gainful occupations IN l9lo
constituted u larger per cent The eco
nomic value of the negroes is ap-
proximately $3.50 each, and their total
VaIue as an asset of the south is est1-
mated to be s1o.0oo.O 100000"
Choosing Wise Leaders.
President S. g. Mitchell of Delaware
College sounded optimistic note, not
only for the negro race, but for hu-
lnauity in general. He declared that
one of the most important changes in
the last few years had been that the
people were beginning to choose as
their leaders men with trained in
t.,ile.tS.
III used to he that the only qualifi-
cations for office was the ability to
tell obscene STORIES he said, but this
Is no longer true"
POINTING To the European struggle
l,c urged all to keep in mind constant
" the need of reconciling nationality
and humanity one of the mistakes
"f the past. which he believes is now
beine, corrected was the effort to
remedy economic and social problems
by political remedies. he said.
Rear Admiral Charles *. Stockton.
president of George Washington Uni
vcrsity. welcomed the commission DR..
James II. billiard, director of the Sla-
ter fund, and Dean w C. Ruediger of
the teachers college, George Washing-
ton University, spoke briefly.
This afternoon DIR. Philander +.
ClaXton, United States commissioner of
education, and Dr. Thomas Jesse Jones,
also of the bureau OF education. are to
speak Executive sessions are to be
held this evening and tomorrow morn
ing.
officers We're elected as follows:
President, j. b. Forgan; vice president.
l. L. Rue; executive committee, Mr.
Forsan. MIR. Rue, j. +. Morgan, Daniel
O. Wing and w S. Rowe.
President Wilson's Stand.
Outlining his attitude toward the
negro. President Wilson today told
the university commission on southern
race questions that our object is 10
know the needs of the negro and sym-
pathetically help him in every way that
Is possible for his good and our good
Dl- c. Fl. Brough of the University of
Arkansas, chairman of the commission
told the President the commission was
organized to make an impartial study
OF the race question from the stand
point of the negroes economic, hygienir
civic and moral betterment. He said
that very deep investigation of the
subject was being made with the good
of the negro always in mind
81 am very glad to express my sin
cere interest III this work and sym
psthy with it," said the President, i'll
reply to DR.. Brough.
Il think that men like yourselves can
be trusted to see this great question at
every angle. There isn't any question,
il seems 10 me. into which more c;,ndol
needs to be put or more thorough
human good feeling. than this. ! know
myself, as Il southern man. how sin
cerely the heart of the south desires
the good of the negro and the advance
nent of his race on all sound and sens
ible lines, and everything that can be
done in that direction Is of the highes,
value. 1t is a matter of common un-
GPrlrandip..