The Rising son., 1907-08-24
Son for Reaches More

with the fervor, sincerity and In.
tense earnestness which character.
ized his utterances on this occasion
The prevailing tenor of the address
was do something to help yourself
If you would rise in the world: sue.
cess is an individual problem" The
speaker emphasized the necessity of
grasping our opportunities and not
only getting an education, but to de-
velop the means by which that edu-
cation can be utilized. Education is
of little value If it be not applied to
some tangible purpose; to increase
our productive ability and placing our
talents in touch with the markets.
One Negro succeeding in business will
do more to elevate the race in the
esteem of those whose opinion is
worth while. than all the talk, resolu-
! tions and abuse that might be in
dulged in from now until doOm's day
The object of the league is to fos-
| ter the habit of getting the most out
of the things at hand and that its in
! fiuence is making for concrete re-
suits is convincingly shown in the
fact that before the advent of the
league eight years ago, there were
but two banks in the country con-
Quoted by Negroes: now there are "a.
with more in prospect. From n mare
handful of poorly stocked drug stores
a few years ago, there are now 15S,
the majority of which are first class
in every detail. Ii is now a poor
community indeed that has not its
colorod grocery, dry goods store, mil
lirery establishment, tailor shop, ETC.
together with splendidly equipped
professionalzInen who are serving the
thrifty, industrious and self-respecting
masses as doctors, lawyers, teachers.
editors. to be holcful in the future:
the Negro has accomplished much,
and it is the purpose of the league to
open ways through which he may ac-
cOmplish more We should have an
abundance of race pride. The speak
er was greeted with Geafening
round of applause. which lasted sew
eral minutes, when he severely
scored that class of Negroes who are
ashamed of their racial identity and
who are trying, after a feeble fash
ion, to pass for something they are
not. There was demonstration of
approval almost equally as strong
when DR.. Washington declared that
the Negro is not seeking social
equality-has no desire to mingle
with people who do not want him,
and that there is not the slightest
foundation for the pretense in some
quarters that the Negro is trying to
dominate the politics of the country.
All that any right-minded Negro in
the country seeks is equal justice in
the courts and equal protection under
the law. Given the same chance and
fair play, DR.. Washington believes
that the enterprising Negro will not
be "down-trodden." He enunciated
again his time-honored shibbOleth that
IAN inch OF progress is worth a yard
of complaint" AT the conclusion of
| the Wizards eloquent plea for self
| lhelpfulness there was q storm of ap-
pause from the vast audience in
which there was large number of
white people who had come out to
hear the races peerless leader to-
| learn why the Business League has
such firm hold upon the confidence
and affection of the energetic Negroes
here in Topeka and in every section
of the country.
Second only to the address of Dr.
Washington was the interest mani.
30, II ,t, tt,n
Vernon. Register of the United States
Treasury, who was born in a Missou-
| ri log cabin and has risen by his own
might to the highest position in the
nation held by member of our race.
DR.. Vernon's subject was The Negro
and the Nation"
Among the significant features of
nual meeting of the National Negro
Bankers Association: the formation
of National Association of Negro
| Undertakers; the organization of the
State Business League of Texas: the
symposium of the development OF Ne
gro towns; the lively interest mani.
| tested in the reports from representa-
tives of 81 Negro banks, which con.
stitute the National Bankers Asso
citation and which association has
grown out of the constructive spirit
OF the National Business League.
| There was practically no change in
the roster OF officers elected for the
ensuing syear. and Baltimore was
chosen as the next place Of meeting