The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1920-05-08
NEGRO TOURISTS VISIT SOUTH
(By Associated Negro Press)

Nashville, Tenn, May 5.-The
Kansas City Special carrying the
Tive wires of progress" from city to
city, where epoch making events
mark new milestones in the march of
success visited Tuskegee Institute for
two days and more. What trans
pired in that wonderful center makes
a story complete in itself, for every
minute from the time the Special
reached the grounds, amid the well
coming music of the Institute, mill
tary band, until the same band play
ed Till We Meet Again" was crowd
ed with history.
The Special arrived in Nashville
Sunday morning and was met at the
station with automobiles by the local
committee composed of the President,
W. J. Hale, DR.. Henry Allen Boyd,
DR.. G. V. Roman, ]. C. Napier, Ira T.
Bryant, DR.. ]. H. Hale, A N. Johnson
and others. Sunday as in Birming-
ham, the party divided into groups,
and visited the local churches where
they were cordially introduced and
delivered brief addresses making the
welkin ring with the story of group
activity throughout the nation
The big event of the Nashville visit
occurred at the State Agricultural and
Normal Institute, most beautiful
and successful institution only a few
years old. There, in the midst Of the
splendid student body, faculty, citi-
zens of Nashville, and the entire Kan
sas City party, Governor Alexander
H. Roberts of Tennessee, delivered
an inspired message that will forever
mark the turning point of the new
| South's determination to be counted
| with certainty in the world justice
and human brotherhood. There is no
mistaking the sincerity of purpose Of
Governor Roberts, he is an American
of unQuestioned loyalty, a white man
whose conscience is quickened by the
| responsibilities and duties of the
present day, an executive who
| thoroughly feels the weight of his Of
flee as it applies to all the people of
the commonwealth, without regard
to race, creed or color" as he him
self said.
There is one plane above all 9TH
ers," said Governor Roberts, ''on
which there rests the solution of all
difficulties; it is not new, and it is
simple, but it affords the only solu-
tion, and that is the plane of justice"
This justice" he continued with an
earnestness and sincerity that could
not be questioned by the most skep-
tical, applies to all men without re-
gard to race or creed There is no
such thing as one justice for one
| group and another justice for anoth-
or. Those looking for right do not
look for color.
THE Colored race should have it's
| own leaders, and at all times, in every
| avenue of life, needs honest, educat-
ed, high class, dependable leadership,
who will receive the hearty co-opera-
tion and good will of the white peo-
pie. 1t is only through leadership of
this kind that the great opportunities
can be worked out, and the goal of
success reached in educational, indus
trial and religious and political life"
Governor Roberts then called atten-
| ton to the need of such leadership
and unity of action in a concrete way.
He stated that there was about to be
sent to the electric chair, a Negro
whom he had once reprieved, and
whose real guilt was somewhat ques-
toned, but that he was unable to re-
view the case, because the man had
been assigned inadequate legal as
sistance, and he had been informed
that "the evidence in the case had
been lost"
There must be-" said Governor
Roberts, equality before the law, and
that means absolute equality. The
principle of the Golden Rule must ap-
! ply everywhere. A quickened con-
science will demand that these things
be written into all laws.
There will be peace when we have
! justice. AS long as | am Governor OF
Tennessee, l will see people only as
they are, and not as they profess to
be; l will let nothing deter me from
using every force at my command to
uphold the constitution, and give to
every person, no matter how humble.
equal and exact Justice"
Thus spoke the Governor OF Ten
nessee, He said much more that
was just as good, and just as straight
forward, and just as earnest. He did
not mention politics. But the speaker
who followed him did. 'c~t speaker
was Nelson G. Crews. the ~ell-1nown,
forceful. eloquent, successful editor
Continued on Page 81