Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-10-28

rbs True Ref,rmers' Association of Rich a.d and Its Wonderful work-The Re- nsrkable Business Capacity of Full p,aoded Negro--A Unique System.
 There was published recently an ac- oount of the banking and insurance fea- turas of the True Reformers' association af Richmond, of which the Rev. ". w. Browne was the founder and is now the controlling influence. Any one familiar ss;th the development of the work of inc True Reformers will admit that MT. Browne has remarkable head for busi- oass He is a pure African in feature and characteristics, and his ancestors &,nnst have belonged to the trading tribes ,f the west coast of Africa He undoubt- $ odlv inherited his knack of organizing hnd controlling business enterprises. He aas no technical, scholastic or business Education.
 The fifteenth annual meeting of the rrne Reforlners has just been held in Richmond. It was one of the most i'm sortant meetings of the order ever held. rbere were 800 delegates in attendance. )ue of the most important propositions ,bmitted to the meeting was made by V. Norval, that $20,000 be appro- ;ated to purchase all the right and tle in the plans of the order upon hich Mr Browne held a copyright. be onestion of purchase had been made snecial order at the previous annual eeting. Mr Browne was asked to state bat he considered fair price for his ans and the like and named $40, GOO. T. s. P. Miller of New York made address explaining the value of MT. Eowue's plans and 1abors to the True bformers and the Afro-American race moved that $50, GOO be given to him. hid great excitement the motion was and of the 300 delegates only 20 Fed ill the negative
 In speaking of this action and of MT. bwne's work a prominent New York Smber of the order, who has just re- GzfBed from Richmond, said:
 Fifteen years ago an obscure negro &n the wilds of Georgia migrated to $hmond, poor and friendless and al st ignorant of the alphabet Yet he Messed fertile and active brain. He hoached some friends later and told hl if they would help him secure q F dollars he would show them what onld do by putting a banking sys- X8I ill operation. Many of these people Edahed at Browne and his ideas. Some The was either crazy or fraud. But kept hanmering away and finally H6feeded in finding persons willing to Ez2nee the required capital. How ! do you suppose it was? One hun = W and fifty dollars was the capital 5&h became the foundation of the gi- nc snperstructure we have today n was the capital on which Mir. Sne has built banking system nm Epny other in operation anywhere, henomena1 success of which is ad- td on all hands. He simply put in Bn machine for gathering in the Ees of his race.
 &eglnning ill Richmond as his head zers, he has succeeded ill putting stem Ill operation ill nearly every own and hamlet i'll Virginia aud any lodges ill 19 other states of |non, with total membership of ,O00 Ill the space of 15 years he Rsbursed over $250, 900 and pur-
 over $l00, 900 worth of real es- Many of the buildings owned by Ter are paying 10 and 15 per cent
 investment. It is but just and lat a man who has accomplished
 n for the order should be paid
 mely for his idea, as he crystal
 Into a system, under which the
 now working. I do not think
 at all excessive. ''
 :. F. Miller of New York,
 Rn of the committee on banking
 nrance, and his associates exam
 books of the bank and found
 pt h the most simple and accu-
 hner The system is extremely
 lhls committee had placed be-
 na table in the bank $25 900
 silver and paper money This
 enough for the downtrodden
 no has staggered under bur
 snofance and poverty for 200
 Was delivered from bondage
 M acre of land or a penny to
 hsntution has now ill it's em-
 iVo negro clerks, men and
 With 200 boys and girls in
 10 De placed ill active service
 as the necessities of the order
 al,e the opening of branch
 the like. It is sort of busi-
 S The True Reformers expect
 reforming in this new field
 0uslness capacity of the Afro
 negro has been thoroughly es-
 The business in all depart
 " order during the past year ssl, ,7i3.04, an increase of
 is per cent over the business nh~W0 ,a. ,a Under the masterful di- 1lkSU, '. ". Browne we expect to uSO one success to another. y urng Pr1as'l Prasul aquafters of the order in 1T scnoe, ut . ohe Of the largest and fin