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or respects. One race respects another in proportion as it contri-
butes to the markets of the world, hence the value of industrial
training.  The black man that has mortgages on a dozen white
men's houses will have no trouble in voting. The black man that
spends $10,000 a year in freight charges can select his own seat in
a railroad car, else a Pullman palace car will be put on for him.
When the black man, by reason of his knowledge of the chemistry
of the soil and improved methods of agriculture, can produce forty
bushels of corn on any acre of land, while his white brother pro-
duces only twenty bushels, the white man will come to the black
man to learn, and they will be good friends. The black man that
has $50,000 to lend, will never want for friends and customers
among his white neighbors.  It is right and important that all the
privileges granted to us by the constitution be ours; but it is
vastly more important to us that we be prepared for the exercise
of these privileges.
     Those who died and suffered on the battlefield performed their
duty heroically and well, but a duty remains for you and me. The
mere fiat of law could not make a dependent man an independent
man; could not make an ignorant voter an intelligentvoter; could
not make one man respect another; these results come to the Negro
as to all races, by beginning at the bottom and gradually working
towards the highest civilization and accomplishments. Unfor-
tunately, for lack of leadership and guidance, my race, on the
threshold of freedom, began at the top instead of the bottom; we
have spent time and money attending political conventions, in at-
tempting to go to Congress, that could have better been spent in
becoming a real estate dealer, or carpenter, or in starting a dairy
farm, and thus have laid the foundation of the highest citizenship.
    In conclusion, my countrymen, I make, neither does the
great Home Missions Society of the Presbyterian Church make
any selfish plea; it is a plea to save yourselves. Let us do our
duty and the keeper of us all will perform His. The Negro can
afford to be wronged; the white man cannot afford to wrong him.
    Never since the day that we left Africa's shores have we lost
faith in you or in God. We are a patient, humble people; there
is plenty in this country for us to do. We can afford to work




			

OHS Archives/Library Pamphlet Collection

Address of Grover Cleveland and Booker T. Washington