The colored American., 1900-09-01


Excerpts and Paragraphs on the Per-
sonnel of the Conveution-Permane
organization.
Boston, Mass. Special The Business
Convention was monumental success.
No ore who looked into the earnest
faces of the $50 delegates present, OF
saw that surging. anxious thrnng that
stood in front Of Parker Memorial
Temple awaiting the opening of the
doors, filling the street from curb to
curb, and that large auditorium within
five minutes after the door was open,
or saw what interest the convention
aroused IN the community and the
space given to the reports of its nro-
ceedings by all the newspapers OF Bos-
ton and vicinity can doubt that An
other thing. the leadership of Mr..
Booker IT Washington was ackno WI
edged. The most ardent and pertinent
carper and critic was silenced Mr..
Washington and the Convention car
ried Boston by storm. At the morning
session the Hon. John J. Smith of B 70
ton Welcomed the delegates to the city
and iu the evening Mayor Hart came in
and in most pleasing and encourag'
ing speech surrendered the keys to the
city. A notable feature the conven
tion was this: There was no crying
about prejudice or railing against con-
dItions The speeches were all nauly.
The Convention was called to order
by DR.. Samuel T.. Courtney, chairman
Of the local committee. Hon. Lewis
F. Baldwin, former councilman and q
successful real estate dealer of Cam
bridge was made temporary chairman.
After the appointment Of the proper
committees on credentials. resolutions,
etc. MI Andrew F Hjlyer Of Wash
ington, d e., was introduced 70 read a
paper on the ColOred American in Busl.
ness MIR. Rilver is q graduate Of the
university of Minnesota. He was one
of the founders and for many years a
director NJ the Colored Building associ-
alton of Washington, where be now re-
sides. He has com piled and published
three editions of directory of'..coloTed
business men and women OF Washing
ton. and was the founder and frat pres
ident Of the Union League nf cnlnred
business men Of that city. Mr.. Hilyer
he's been close student Of the indus
trial and business status Of the race,
and has had exceptional opportunity
to study the question at first hand.
His address was full of statistics
showing the business status of the race.
He said that the census of 1690-twen'
tv'five years afteremsnc1pation showed
more than 30 900 colored business men
and women-besides many more whose
business was such that the census did
not separate the "pronrietors" fr'm
those following that "occupation." On
his trip South last winter IS the agent
of the Negro exhibit at Paris he had
personally visited 143 first.class places
of business kept by persons of color in
i cities and towns-PrOf. Du BHis he
said, has collected statistics of 1905
snch places. and estimates the amount
of capital invested by Negroes IN bust
ness to be over eight and three quarter
millions Of dollars.
Mr. Booker T. Washington was elect
ed permanent chsirman, MIR. Lewis +.
Baldwin vice-chairmsn, presiding
throughout the deliberations NJ the con-
vention with great ability; Mr.. Il. Il.
Cooper. secretary.
Mr.. Giles B. Jackson OF Richmond,
Va. read g carefully prepared paper on
The Negro ia Real Estate" In open
ing his pauer, Mr.. Jackson said that
Negro bank 10 Richmond, Va. loaned
that city 800 900 io order to pay the
school bill. The Negro as real estate
dealer is gaining property IN the South.
One twentieth of the property tn seven
counties in Virginia is owned by Ne
gIOes.
Turned loose on the Sd day of April,