Birmingham state herald., 1897-06-22
GREENSBORO.
A Meeting of Negroes, Which is the Initia- tive to Betterment of Their Condi-
 tion-Some Fine Examples.

GfeenSDOro, June Hl.--tS Especial corre- spondence)-On last Saturday there was remarkable meeting of the eolored peo- pie of this county at the court house-re- narkable in this, that it was not called for any political purpose, and not one n word of politics was spoken in the meet ing. In a recent issue of the Watehman, Ad Wimby, the leader of the colored re- publicans of the county, issued cali for mass meeting. It was thought by many that Ad was going 10 make turn in hlS interest for the postoffice. The clans turned out from all over the coun- ty, some coming from Uniontown. The { iuuestion has been asked time and again sawhat was the object of the meeting The aicolored brother did not seem to know, ~l6ut as Ad had called them ard the word -ithad been saunt" of course they came. ,s.imaglne their surprise when Ad sprung 1.-the following programme upon the meet. Ling: % 1. To compare the condition of the col 9'ored race with that of twenty years ago, upon which Rev. Gulley spoke
 2 ITO discourage the tendency of the s,eoored people to leave the farms for. city town life; Phil White, speaker. if B. To discourage the tendency of dur young people to become idlers; A. l.. Mat thews. speaker.
 y 4. To promote the buying of farm lands sand homes; West Jones, speaker. = 9,s D. To promote the esta b!ishment of an g.HS ftcullurdl sch0o1, at or near Cedar vile, for negroes; Elder Bynum, speaker.
 D. To promote the esta blishment of bus f1ness enterprises and manufactures, canl- ming, factories wood works. shops etc; Rev Cole, speaker. slt lz The remarks made by the different stspeakers on these subjects were plain practical and to the point, evincing much good Judgment and common sense. On afthe subject of 'Idleness," Ad Wimby said that they would have to get the white idlsnesS could be discouraged among the young negroes; that the white people would have to step their mothers from feeding them from the white mems kitch- ens-stop the cooks from feeding men not in the employment of the owner of the house. If Ad Wimby will devise some effectual way of putting a stop to ,l this practice, he will deserve the thanks venture the assertion that 10 per cent of the colored population of this town is fed in this manner. Why, the vaga- bonds are heard humming on the streets 4his couplet
 s.i'' Faint no use working so hard,
 For l got a woman in white mans
 yard.'
 e So Wimby certainly told his colored lisnds some wholesome truths. and gave lem some good advice, which if follow ', will improve their condition and make hem better people,
 @ In the course of his speech, Wesley ones gave some of the history of his fe. which was interesting and suggest
 of the possibility of the negro race. lest Jones is a colored merchant in the
 wn. He owns substantial and roomy ' iek store. in which he does a large busi- ess, whites and blacks alike patronzng i'm. He is also the owner of real estate town, lives in comfortable residence, which belongs to him. has money in bank-in fact Vests credit in the con- mereial world is first class, and he has aflassed comfortable fortune. In the course of his remarks he stated that twenty years ago he was not worth nickel; that on one occasion he went to a prominent merchant in this place and asked him to credit him for 10 cents worth of meat which was refused This set him to thinking, and from that mo ment he determined to go to work to live economically and u save his earn ings. Ten years after, the salesman of Preston, Stauffer X Co. came to Greens horo. asked the same merchant, who had refused to credit him for 10 cents if it would do to sell that niggera a bill of goods. The merchant promptly replied Sell him thousand dollars worth if he wants it; if he don't pay the bill wflln
 The experience of Tom Rufln, another substantial and thrifty negro Is equally interesting In his remarks to the meet ing, he excused himself for being late, because he was detained at home issuing rations to seventy-five hands, who lived on his place, and just as soon as he got through he jumped in his carriage and anne to the meeting. Ten or fifteen years ago Tom was worth nothing. but he had grit and energy and common sense. AS he expressed it, he went to work, and every dollar he made he put down in his : pocket, first seeing whether there was a hole in his pocket. Now Tom owns over 1000 acres of good black land as there Is in the county, his mules and farming implemnts. and Is considered one of the successful farmers of the county. His e credit Is good, and he can today make bill of any reasonable amount with our merchants, and can borrow money from our banks.
 We hope the meeting on last Saturday, which was composed, of the best ee- msnt of the colored race in this section, will mark the beginning of a new~era in the history of the race; that the objects of the meeting, which are to encourage thrift and economy and a better condi- tion as to moral and material interests on the part of the black man. will be en- couraged by the whites; that less of poli- tics will be discussed by them, and more attention paid to- the essentials of life.
 Ad Wimby was chairman of the meet