The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1902-09-06

Lie HALL ODJecC OF the Ma
tional Business League is to en-
courage the Afro-American to start
and conduct industrial and business
enterprises; to instill into our people
habits of thrift and economy, and to
help them to see and appreciate the
opportunities for development that
are right about our door, especially in
the South. The three meetings that
have already been held have resulted
in the starting of hundreds of small
business enterprises in nearly every
section of the South. 1t is interesting
to note that where our people own a
house, farm, or conduct a business,
and are honest and economical, they
become conservative, are law-abiding,
and they secure the respect and con-
fidence of both races. -.
Another object of the league is to
exert an influence that shall assist in
taking every idle Afro American off
the streets, and in making him feel
that all forms of idleness are dis:
grace and all forms Of labor honor
able. Booker T. Washington.
The! National Afro-Ame riean Bust.
ness League met in Richmond. Va.
August 25-26-27. .-.
BOOKER WASH1NGTON'S AD-
DRESS.
President Washington said:
This organization, as I understand
1t, has but one object before it, and
from that it will not be turned aside
and that is to develop industry, bust
ness enterprise and habits of thrift
and economy among our people.
This organization had it's beginning
IN a small meeting held in Boston
three years ago and composed of a
lew representative men from various
parts OF the country engaged in va
rious lines of business activity. It's
growth within three years has been
surprising as well as most encourage
ing. 1t has developed to such an ex-
tent that it's membership now com
prises men and women representing
nearly every State in the Union, and
the influence Of this organization has
resulted in the organization of local
business leagues in nearly all Of our
large cities and in many of the small
er towns. >...&
II am glad to say that this National
Business League is composed of work
ers and not mere takers. Those who
are taking part in the program during
the three days session have been asked
to do so because of the fact that they
have actually succeeded in demonstrate
ing their ability to succeed in some
line of industry. We have no one on,l
the program who is to advise others to
do that which he himself has not
DONE ..t r.. .,--:- 4 =
r. FROM SMALL BEGINNING -.
For the main part, those on the I
program will tell in a plain, simple I
way, how they themselves have built I
up from small beginning large and I
successful business enterprises, which +
have helped to secure for them the re-
spect and confidence of both races in
the communities where they live. It I
would be comparatively easy to have
men of eloquences and enthusiasm
speak to you for hours, telling you how
to do something which they themselves /
have not done, but we have determined
to have only those represented on the |
program who have actually succeeded. (
II am constantly surprised, as /
travel among our people in nearly ev-
cry section of the country, to see how
many strong, sensible, quiet men of t
our race there are who are succeeding
in some line of business or industry, in |
a quiet, unostentatious way, and i have
noted that wherever our people make
themselves useful in the community
where they live, wherever they are
thrifty and economical, with few ex-
eeptions that such an Afro-Americani
is given consideration which is not