at if they took their wives into partnership they
would accumulate more and get along better in every way.

There was no advice given by him more constantly or insistently in
speaking to the plain people of his race, whether in country or city,
than this injunction to the men to take their wives into their
confidence and make them their partners. He recognized that the home
was the basis of all progress and civilization for his race, as well
as all other races, and that the wife and mother is primarily the
conservator of the home.

One of the stops of the trip was at a little hamlet called Damascus.
Here, in characteristic fashion, he told the people how much richer
they were in soil and all natural advantages than were the inhabitants
of the original Damascus in the Holy Land. He then argued that having
these great natural advantages, much was to be expected of them, etc.
Like all great preachers, teachers, and leaders of men he seized upon
the names, incidents, and conditions immediately about him and from
them drew lessons of fundamental import and universal application.

The efforts of the Negro farmers on these trips to get a word of
approval from their great leader were often pathetic. One old man had
a good breed of pigs of which he was particularly proud. He contrived
to be found feeding them beside the road just as the great man and his
party were passing. The simple ruse succeeded. Mr. Washington and his
companions stopped and every one admired the proud and excited old
man's pigs. And then after the pigs had been duly admired, he led them
to a rough plank table upon which he had displayed in tremulous
anticipation of this dramatic moment a huge pumpkin, some perfectly
developed ears of corn, and a lusty cabbage. After these objects had
also been admired the old man decoyed the party into the little
whitewashed cottage where his wife had her hour of triumph in
displaying her jars of preserves, pickles, cans of vegetables, dried
fruits, and syrup together with quilts and other needlework all
carefully arranged for this hoped-for inspection.

The basic teaching of all these tours was: "Make your own little
heaven right here and now. Do it by putting business methods into your
farming, by growing things in your garden the year around, by building
and keeping attractive and comfortable homes for your children so they
will stay at home and not go to the cities, by keeping your bodies and
your surroundings clean