other course will take
from one-half your citizens interest in the State, and hope and
ambition to become intelligent producers and tax-payers, and
useful and virtuous citizens. Any other course will tie the white
citizens of Louisiana to a body of death.

"The Negroes are not unmindful of the fact that the poverty of
the State prevents it from doing all that it desires for public
education; yet I believe that you will agree with me that
ignorance is more costly to the State than education, that it
will cost Louisiana more not to educate the Negroes than it will
to educate them. In connection with a generous provision for
public schools, I believe that nothing will so help my own people
in your State as provision at some institution for the highest
academic and normal training, in connection with thorough
training in agriculture, mechanics, and domestic economy.
First-class training in agriculture, horticulture, dairying,
stock-raising, the mechanical arts, and domestic economy, would
make us intelligent producers, and not only help us to contribute
our honest share as tax-payers, but would result in retaining
much money in the State that now goes outside for that which can
be as well produced at home. An institution which will give this
training of the hand, along with the highest mental culture,
would soon convince our people that their salvation is largely
in the ownership of property and in industrial and business
development, rather than in mere political agitation.

"The highest test of the civilisation of any race is in its
willingness to extend a helping hand to the less fortunate. A
race, like an individual, lifts itself up by lifting others up.
Surely, no people ever had a greater chance to exhibit the
highest Christian fortitude and magnanimity than is now presented
to the people of Louisiana. It requires little wisdom or
statesmanship to repress, to crush out, to retard the hopes and
aspirations of a people; but the highest and most profound
statesmanship is shown in guiding and stimulating a people, so
that every fibre in the body and soul shall be made to contribute
in the highest degree to the usefulness and ability of the State.
It is along this line that I pray God the thoughts and
activities of your convention may be