The Colorado statesman., 1916-07-29

Inc 4TeSIo Is COiuluB ~ De one VI
the great assets of Southern indus
trial life, according to report brought
from Kentucky to the convention of
the National Association of Manufac-
turers held recently at the Waldorf
Astoria. 1t was brought by Frank d.
Rash of the Kentucky Manufacturers
association. who, although a manufac-
turer, gave the convention a treat in
old-time oratory as good as if he did
nothing else for living.
mo longer" said Mr.. Rash, does
the gallant, bewhiskered southern colo
mel surround himself with cupbearers
and lounge on the broad veranda of
his colonial mansion, all the while sip
ping the seductive mint julep from
the frosted cup of silver. And though
the Kentucky colonel still lives, you
viii now see him donning cap and
overalls and leading the forces of in
dustry in bringing Kentucky's marvel
GUS mineral wealth to the use of man.
kind, or yet. perhaps, as the execu-
tive directing his staff in any one of
the many manufacturing enterprises
springing up within the borders of the
commonwealth.
Much has been written and said
concerning a so-called Negro problem
"a great part of this at long distance;
and 1t may be that the first-hand ex-
periences and observations of a south
erner. may be of some interest to you.
AS respects the completeness of the in
formation of many writer's on this sub
1ect, the average southerner cannot
avoid regarding some statements as
did the two old Irish ladies. The arch
bishop had preached a fine sermon
on married life and it's beauties. The
two old ladies', both with figures and
families of ample proportions, were
heard coming out of church comment
ing on the address.
"Tfs a fine sermon his reverence
would be after givin' u.s. said one to
the other. 1T is, indade,' was the re-
ply; and 1 wish 1 knew as little
about the matther as he does.'
I'm expressing the belief that Ne
gro labor is one of the greatest as
sets of southern industry it is de-
voutly to be hoped that such express
sion will not be considered in the light
of an attempt to point out any COM
mercial advantage of one section of
the country, but rather a desire to
present the idea of the thoughtful
southerner of today and to pay just
tribute to the worthy southern Negro.
THAT remarkable man, Booker Il.
Washington, pointed out to the people
of his race that their only hope lay In
work, hard work and efficient work in
the fields, the forests. the factories,
and the mines, in the industrial school,
and in the college and in the profess
sions, and to that end never ceased
his call to service. You will recall
his wonderful address at the opening
of the cotton states exposition in At
lanta in 1895. which did more than
any public utterance of any man to
temper suspicion and race hatred and
to bring about better understanding
in the South, and while the Utopian
state in this understanding has not
been reached and may never be, yet,
nevertheless, we are day by day and
year by year approaching Booker T.
Washington's dream for the South.
Having had opportunity to observe
the application of the industrial prin-
ciples Booker T. Washington laid
down for the southern Negro, or, as
to that, for all peoples, it is gratifying
to bear testimony to the correctness
of those ideas, If such testimony were
needed, and in which the best thought
of the South will join"