Oakland sunshine., 1915-03-20
WHITMAN FAvORS
! JUSTICE FOR ALL
New YOrk's Governor Proud Of
Our Success.
COLOR PREJUDICE A MENACE.

In Presenting the Spingarn Medal to
Or. Ernest {. Just States Chief Ex-
ecutive Says the Award Is Given In
the Spirit Of Fellowship, Brotherhood
and of Americanisna.
New York.--The National Association
For the Advancement OF Colored PEG
pie added another victory to It's many
brilliant efforts in behalf of the colored
race In this country at its annual meet.
ing held in Ethical Culture hall, In this
city, on the evening OF Feb. II when
Governor Charles S. Whitman deliy-
cred an able address and presented the
Spingarn medal to DR.. Ernest Everett
lust of Howard university.
Governor Whitman said:
Il know you viii pardon-perhaps
you will appreciate "a very short
speech from me tonight, and / know
that you will under>tand my leaving,
although I should be very glad to re-.
main and enjoy the speeches which are
to follow, and am sincerely sorry that
l am unable to- III the gain or loss of
one race oil the rest have equal claim.
1t is altogether fitting that this great
audience, white and black, shoEld unite
in doing honor to one whose achieve
Inent and attainment reflect so much
credit upon American institutions,
american training and education,
American life, and particularly as they
do upon the colored race to which he
belongs.
"The brilliant young man to whom
the committee has awarded the Spin
garn medal has achieved distinction
In a field where competition is the
keenest and where real worth is the
final test In the New England col
lege. where few of his race have been
found, he was the leader In scholar
ship, receiving special honor, and since
his graduation mucr Of his time has
been given to successful scientific In
yestigation, and his contribution to
medical science is of no mean order
In the highest and best sense he has
been giving himself to his own people,
modestly and unselishly giving of the
results OF his own intellectual endeav-
or, trying to improve the medical edu-
cational facilities for the colored. peo-
pie.
"a distinguished scholar writes Of
him, His most recent work Is Of the
greatest significance and would insure
him wide reputation were he white
man. l have no right, Of course, to
take issue with this statement, tor the
writer Is far better Informed than am
l, but / am slow to believe. / hate to
believe that in the field Of medical
science my countrymen are ungenerous
and unwilling to ward just need
of praise and the proper recognition to
real scientist Of any race
sDr. Just has made the most Of the
opportunities offered to the boys Of our
land, white and black. His success Is
a reason for qualification to every loyal
American, demonstrating as 1t does the
possibilities. with opportunity, Of
race which In years gone by has suf-
fered so cruelty at the hands Of the
white man. 1t is interesting, too, to
note that he was chosen from among
long list Of candidates for this bnnor,
every one OF whom reflected crecit
apon his race and demonstrated the
ability of a people who little more
than a generation ago were In dark
ness, to compete with other Americans,
and almost ali of them, as | am In
formed, are working with and among
the colored people. Education, Inn
proved conditions of living, opportu-
nifty and achievement, have not torn
them away from their own or separat-
ed them from their kinsmen and their
kind.
THE success of this young man has
been called lesson to the Negroes Of
this nation. And SO it is. 1t is just as
truly lesson TO the white man Of the
nation His rights are dear to him,
but unless we are going to concede
that American institutions are wrong
and that the trainers Of the federal
constitution and federal laws are
wrong his rights should be just as dear
to Us as they are to him. Speaking
for moment for the state, discrmina-
ton as against any race Or class or
creed must ia the end injure all. We
are one people in New York. We have
common duty and con mon destiny.
and for selfish reasons if for no other
the rights Of the weaker must be
guarded and protected by the stronger,
and the sacred privileges Of American
citizenship must be denied to none"
In presenting the medal the governor
said:
"Dr Just, on behalf of the committee
1t is my very great privilege, and es-
teen it great personal honor, to pre-
sent to you this medal. 1t is the first
time that it has been presented, and |
am sure that you appreciate, as we do,
tie honor OF being its first recipient.
And | know. and we want you to
know, and we want those whom you
represent and those who know you
and honor you and love you to realize
and believe the truth as it Is the truth,
that the spirit which has prompted the
award Of. this medal is the spirit OF
fellowship. of brotherhood and Of
Americans"
In response Or. Just said:
81 thank the association for the
award not so much for myself, but on
behalf Of the students whom ! repre-
sent.''