31 



living questions of the present and of the future will take the place 

 of the dead issues of the past. God grant that day is not far 

 distant ! 



It is because I believe this exhibition will greatly promote a closer 

 political union, and bring into most prominent view the identity of 

 interests of the different sections of this country, that I feel the 

 greatest interest in its being undertaken ; and it is for the reason 

 that I hold this conviction that I have introduced into this address 

 the allusions to the past and to the political aspects of the present 

 and the future, which might otherwise be considered out of place. 



I have endeavored to treat the great industrial question as one not 

 in the least degree depending upon our present party divisions or par- 

 tisan politics. The subjects we are now considering are above politics : 

 they are the elements of political science which control men and make 

 parties. 



It is one of the plainest facts to one who comes among you simply 

 as a student of events, and who addresses you with no reference to the 

 pending election, that your solid South is being rent by forces that will 

 bring right-minded men of the South into zealous co-operation with 

 like-minded men of the North ; that your future leaders will be those 

 whose interests are in the living present ; and that your own dead past 

 will bury its dead. [Applause.] We can see more clearly than you 

 can yourselves that the color line is fading away ; that if any city, 

 county, or State attempts to deny to any man, black or white, the 

 right to speak, act, and vote as he pleases, that section is becoming 

 poor. Emigrants shun it, self-respecting white laborers leave it, and 

 its colored laborers remain only until they can get means to move 



We see other sections of your Southern land that are more wise, 

 where the black man is permitted to have the white man's chance; 

 where schools are maintained and justice is assured : and these sec- 

 tions are becoming rich and prosperous. For such examples one need 

 not go bej'ond Atlanta and Chattanooga. One need only to illustrate 

 the process to which I have referred by one of man}' cases that I could 

 >cite where the negro farmer who had migrated from one State where 

 he was abused to another where he was trusted, and, in the second 

 year from that time, received from a banker an advance of one thousand 

 dollars on the cotton crop that he and his children had made, and used 

 the money to pay for the land that he had, hired. 



More potent than prejudice or passion these great forces slowly but 

 surely work. The} 7 may be retarded, but cannot be stopped. Liberty 

 and justice shall surely govern this fair land. 



Steadfast in truth and right 



This Nation still shall be ; 



" Good, great, and joyous, beautiful and free: 



This is alone life, joy, empire, or victory." 



[Warm and continued applause.] Such is always the imperative 

 law : no man's property is safe, and no man's welfare is assured, where 



