The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-05-05
Nv Booker 4. Washington, Principal Tus-
- kcgec Institute.

nv BOOKER Il. washington, Principal Tus'
kcgec Institute.
The conference of the National Negro
business League, which assembled IN Bos-
ton In August OF 1900. was unique. For the
frst time since the negroes were freed an
attempt was made to bring together from
NIL over the United states, company OF
representative men and women of the race.
over three hundred delegates were present.
They came from thirty states, aud from an
area which extended from Nebraska to
Florida and from Texas TO Maine.
Muny OF these men once were slaves.
Others were younger men, born since the
civil war aud educated In the industrial
schools and colleges; but they were almost
All alike In one respect, that they had come
up from the bottom ana had gained what
ever OF property and position which they
possessed by their own efforts. The busl
ness enterprises which. they represented
were maniiolu their range and the success
which these men have attained III them
,Ser. obiect-esons " the country. Another
lcssQn, no lees striking WAS tuC conuuCt u
the conference Itself.
The New orleans riots occurred Whlle
the preparations Tor Tie conference Wee
being made. The streets OF New lofh nc
sounded 10 the cries % negrq-hunuhE mon
Just Mt the time when many OF tue uele
10 Boston. When the conference assemble !,
ON the morning OF August twenty thFu
the newspapers We're hlled Nl lin accounts
OF the disturbances at Aaron. Ahd ytt'
throughout sessions which occupied lWv
days ana tWo evenings in which at lrast
two hundred persons spoke, thctc was nor
one single reference 40 tht iluts or 70 tht
conditions which gave rise 10 them ! nest
were business mon, ComC to Rost on Tor
definite purpose with which politics hau no
connection, and they attended strictly 10
business. Nor was this the result OF ieal
or Intimidation, The position OF tue pro
motors ot the league had been plainly stat d
beforehand aud the policy Of the gathering
outlined.
uulliished announcements Of the meetings
Those who are Interested Ia the success
OF he league do not underestimate the In
portaucc Of seeing TO IL thtl inc uc-i" uvt'
not give M any part OF the struggle Tor re
tanning his citizenship. They are against
the repeal OF the fifteenth amendment ant
they believe thDt election laws Throughout
the country should Zoe made TO Apply VIII
,CIal Justice TO black aud white nlibr, lhoS
believe that II the franchise is restricted
IN any State 1t should not be done IN sucl
q way that an igupr1u. White man car
vote white an ignorant black man cannot
1T th" tnuie time they recognize the rae
that 20 retain citizenship ana me rcspnc
oi ,he nation there must go WIN thS re
g1o's dem inds tor Justice, taugihIe, lhaia
putahlc proofs of The progress n tIe race
or. briefly. that leeds and words must q
tngpf her They bcilHtC That helping the ne
glC along commercial lines viii help ll
political status. THIS Is not "a pollura
meeting. II Us business gathering. ron
tics and other general mniicrs pertaining
10 the race are dealt With an the session
Of the National AFRO. American council.
think that a paragraph 10 an ehil"r.l
In one OF the B0ston pnp'rs printed JUS
after the conference adJumn'd, dcscrlhe'
the tone Of the gathering admirably
said '"rhepc was NO politics In this gain
t,.e. There was no clamorlug for right
ug ln - e. fnnd4I