Men may make laws to hinder and fetter the ballot, but men cannot make laws that will bind or retard the growth of manhood.

Political activity alone cannot make a man free. Back of the ballot, he must have property, industry, skill, economy, intelligence, and character.

We all should rise, above the clouds of ignorance, narrowness, and selfishness.

We must not only become reliable, progressive, skillful and intelligent, but we must keep the idea constantly before our youths that all forms of labor, whether with the hand or head, are honorable.

Character, not circumstances, makes the man.

We do not want the men of another color for our brothers-in-law, but we do want them for our brothers.

No greater injury can be done to any youth than to let him feel that because he belongs to this or that race he will be advanced in life regardless of his own merits or efforts.