It is
a recognition that will do more to cement the friendship of the
two races than any occurrence since the dawn of our freedom.
Not only this, but the opportunity here afforded will awaken
among us a new era of industrial progress. Ignorant and
inexperienced, it is not strange that in the first years of our
new life we began at the top instead of at the bottom; that a
seat in Congress or the state legislature was more sought than
real estate or industrial skill; that the political convention or
stump speaking had more attractions than starting a dairy farm or
truck garden.
A ship lost at sea for many days suddenly sighted a friendly
vessel. From the mast of the unfortunate vessel was seen a
signal, "Water, water; we die of thirst!" The answer from the
friendly vessel at once came back, "Cast down your bucket where
you are." A second time the signal, "Water, water; send us
water!" ran up from the distressed vessel, and was answered,
"Cast down your bucket where you are." And a third and fourth
signal for water was answered, "Cast down your bucket where you
are." The captain of the distressed vessel, at last heading the
injunction, cast down his bucket, and it came up full of fresh,
sparkling water from the mouth of the Amazon River. To those of
my race who depend on bettering their condition in a foreign land
or who underestimate the importance of cultivating friendly
relations with the Southern white man, who is their next-door
neighbour, I would say: "Cast down your bucket where you
are"--cast it down in making friends in every manly way of the
people of all races by whom we are surrounded.
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