The Colorado statesman., 1922-01-21
.BOOKERT, WASHINGTON
five YEARS after
(By KELLY MILLER)
Dean of the Junior College, Howard University.

confusion he maintained a calm and
unruffled exterior, albeit there may
have been inner groanings of soul too
deem for utterance. A quick apprecia-
tion and proper appraisement of values
are characteristic of men of long eX-
perience in handling practical affairs.
What others acquire by experience he
gained through instinct. Booker L.
Washington could mingle with kings
and potentates with the dignity and
nonchalance of one to the manor born
and could sup with a peasant in a log
cabin in Alabama and make himself
an agreeable guest in this humble en-
vironment He received a gift of
million dollars from admiring philan-
thropists and endured the bitter abuse
of his own race with equal equanlmlty
and composure. EXcitability OF tenn
perament is considered characteristic
of the Negro race, and yet he was
steadied by natural ballast that held
him in stable equilibrium. A SIMPLE
unadorned story of his life in up From
Slavery" recorded without the least or
namentation or studied style, takes
rank with the great biographies OF eel
ebrated men. 1t was easy to pelleVe
the genuineness and sincerity of his
purpose because of the naturalness and
simplicity Oh MS SplIll.
His whole propaganda was based
upon the philosophy of peace and good
between the races. The Apostle Paul
advises that we should, if possible, live
at peace with all men. Booker T.
Washington always found 1t possible
His task was a most difficult and del
icate one. Up to his time the white
man of the South, the white man OF
the North. and the Negro were of di-
vergent minds as to a proper plan OF
racial adjustment There was some
thing of cooperation between the
North and the Negro, but the southern
white man was left out of account. lie
essayed, and in large measure succeed
ed in bringing these three factors into
harmonious cooperation. An ardent
disciple of General Armstrong in pro-
noting the gospel of industrial educa-
tion, he gave that doctrine an empha-
sis and application which 1t was I'M
possible for the founder of Hampton
to do The unpreparedness of the Ne
gro to compete in the skilled pursuits
of life with requisite expertness gave
him a strategical advantage IN proHot-
ing this practical gospel.
The apostle of the new method
came upon the scene at a critical time
reconstruction program which attempt
ed to enforce political equality had been
oyerthrown The carpetbagger, native
white and Negro politician had been
driven from power but were still hang
ing on to the lingering hope OF re
gaining the blissful seat. The section
al hatred engendered by the war was
gradually yielding to the modifying in
fluence of time. The attitude of the
North was hesitant and equivocal; that
of the South was growing assertive
and hopeful Political discussion hinged
upon the wisdom or unWisdom OF en-
forcing the war amendments to the
constitution Force bills Were intro
duced in Congress to compel the South
to yield to the declared and decreed
will of the nation, but We're defeated
by skillfully manipulated combinations
The question of the industrial and eco
nomic rehabilitation of the South was
supplanting agitation for political re-
construction. The wounds of war We're
slowly healing. The North and South
were gradually gravitating towards a
basis of common understanding. The
nation was growing tired of the con-
tinual agitation of the race question.
which for fully a generation had all
but absorbed public attention. Up to
this time every Negro leader had
IDENTIFY espoused the old political plat
velopment of the race had been given
little earnest consideration. The gospel
of race development, according to
Armstrong, was deemed decidedly un-
orthodox. The northern philanthro-