“The race of which we are members feels proud of the part played by James B. Parker in preventing the assassin from firing the third shot, though prejudice has prevented his receiving his due meed of praise. But let us not despair. Mr. McKinley is not dead to this American nation. He is still joined to us by the past, and by the still more glorious anticipations of the future. Heaven has discussed the sins of America as Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley, our martyred Presidents, have walked the golden streets, arm in arm. Too long have we winked at crime, lawlessness and anarchy. And we must yet learn that the highest citizen is not safe so long as the life of the lowest citizen is not protected.”
From Dr. Walker’s celebrated “Reply to Hannibal Thomas,” which he has delivered in many American cities, next will be given two or three short extracts. The lecture, lengthened somewhat by additional facts and tables, has been published in pamphlet form. The pamphlet contains about 31 pages, and is well worth reading.
“Allow me to state that the author of ‘The American Negro’ has given us a book that will pass as a well-written, and in some respects, scholarly production. He has given important and interesting historical information and some advice that no sensible Negro will object to. On the other hand, he has made such sweeping charges against his own race--false charges, slanderous charges, malicious charges--as to entitle him to pass alongside of Judas Iscariot, Benedict Arnold and Aaron Burr, the trinity of traitors.
“In his chapter on ‘Characteristic Traits,’ Mr. Thomas charges that the Negro represents an illiterate race, in which cowardice, ignorance and idleness are rife. In reply, I ask that Mr. Thomas read the history of the wars of this country from colonial times to the present days. Let him acquaint himself with the 54th Massachusetts regiment in the late Civil War; let him inform himself of the deportment of Negro soldiers at Cold Harbor, Fort Pillow, Fort Donelson, Fort Wagner, Port Royal, Port Hudson, Petersburg and Palmetto Ranch. Let him learn something about San Juan Hill and El Caney. Then ask him about this charge. It will fall of its own weight. As to ignorance among the colored race, it may be stated that they have decreased their illiteracy by nearly one-half since emancipation; they have given $13,000,000 towards their own education; they have 17,000 graduates; 500 doctors; 400 lawyers; 1,000 authors; 5 banks; 6 magazines, and 500 newspapers. At the close of the war, there were not more than 75 Negro teachers in the United States. To-day, we have more than 30,000 men and women of the race engaged in teaching school. There are yet many ignorant Negroes, just as there are still many ignorant whites, and the whites had a start on us of 250 years. As to idleness, there is a great deal of idleness among colored people--that is true; but you will find a smaller number of idlers, loafers, beggars and tramps among colored people in proportion to their numbers than among any other race. His criticism on Northern teachers who entered the South immediately after the war to lift up the recently emancipated Negro is unwarranted, as well as is the slap at Northern philanthropists for making contributions out of their princely munificence toward removing illiteracy among Southern Negroes. Their money was wisely spent, as can be clearly seen in the thousands of men and women who have been trained at these mission schools. The great men and women who went from the North to teach the despised Negro did the best work of their lives. Hampton Institute would have done good for the race if it had not educated any other man except Booker T. Washington; for he has inspired his entire race, and is to-day doing for the race what a thousand Hannibal Thomases could not do. Hannibal Thomas is pessimistic; Booker T. Washington is optimistic. Hannibal Thomas is grumbling; Booker Washington is working.