The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1914-03-28
GOOD ADVICE TO FARMERS.
Booker 7. Washington Points Out De-.
feets and Offers Remedy.

IN an aduseSs 10 large gathering oi
farmers at the Tuskegee (AIaJ insti-
tute recently DR.. Booker T. Washing
ton in part said:
Time and money spent every year by
farmers coming here in large numbers
will be thrown away unless each one IL
determined to get something out OF
this farmers conference that he can
take home and put into practice him
self. II each one will do that these
meetings from year to year will be
worth while.
"Many Of us here in the south fail to
realize as farmers the value Of time.
We are continually talking about the
saving Of money, but time is just as
valuable as money.
"In not a few sections OF the south
are people throwing away the days Of
December. January and February, but
they are Just as valuable as the days In
March and April. In every one OF
these months something can be done
on the farm. bitches can be put In
order, fences repaired, stables and out
houses improved. the land turned over
by deep blowing. root and grain crops
cultivated, seed corn selected. tools re-
paired and the dwelling house I'M
proved.
ITO be perfectly plain. too large
proportion Of our race spend the win
ter months waiting until the list Of
March. when they expect some white
nan 10 begin making advances to
hr~l We have now been free fifty
-S,rs. and know that throughout the
49,: the white MAINLAND the colored
am too Is getting tired Of carrying
81 many Negro farmers on his back
wear by year through the system Of
'Glvances' We ought TO be able to
help ourselves more. to carry our
selves. TO provide enough grain. meat,
vegetables and other food to carry Us
from year TO year without having to
go in debt to buy what ought to be
produced on the farm.
County or community can only
grow wealthy as it has a large number
Of Individual producers. II a man has
only what he can buy at a store he
does not increase the wealth Of the
community. Now. after fifty years, let
us be free. II the colOred farmers will
make up their minds to work every
month In the year. teach their wives
and children to be continually produc-
ing something in the way Of vegeta-
bles. poultry. milk and butter. while
the husband is doing his part in rails
ing something TO sustain the family, It
will not be necessary for them to get
advances from anybody. Give your
wives and children a chance in the
house. At present you make them help
you in the fields. so that they have no
chance to plan meals, to raise vegeta-
bles or 10 can fruit Give them a
chance and they will make and save
as much as you do.
white people throughout the south
are beginning to see that the kind OF
farmer who brings prosperity to the
county is the one who produces more
than he consumes, owns a little piece
Of land AMI has some money il the
bank. This kind Of man becomes an
asset instead Of a liability to the
county I'm which he lives. When this
kind Of man drives into town on Satur-
day the merchant. the banker and
everybody else welcomes him. because
he brings into town more than he
takes out.
Cultivate a little land well and see
that your house is fit to live in and
that your wives and children have a
chance TO work in the house Instead Of
I'm the field. Instead Of investing a lit
tie extra money in more land. put II
into your house, build a bathroom and
make the home I'm every way attrac
tive to your children. There is no set
Of black people anywhere in the world
who are permitted to occupy such a
the country as we are. Let US make
up our minds that we are each going
to do our part to develop the farms
the gardens. the orchards, the stock,
the poultry, the fruit, the vegetables,
and have the best OF everything. in
Guiding houses.
ain proportion as we do this there
Will be less effort to replace US by an
other class Of farmers. No matter
what anybody says to the contrary.
the average southern white man likes
the Negro, likes to have him near him.
In the great, big fundamental things
Of life he is ready to encourage him, to
help him and to protect him. Any peo-
pie who can change from the type who
used to come here at the beginning Of
these conferences to the good looking.
intelligent men and women who are
here today Is a great people"