Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-27

churches and three schools. There is a
bank with a capital stock OF $4,000, which
does a thriving business. The assessed
value Of the land in the town Itself Is
nearly s25,O0. There are sawmills, gins.
blacksmith shops, bakeries; all without a
white inhabitant In the neighborhood. The
people are prosperous and singularly law
abiding. Their white n~eighbors have
treated them well. The county. sheriff
employs a colored man to act in the town
In the capacity OF deputy sheriff; ana the
railway and express company have a
colored man in their office since the depot
was established in the town; while tue
Board OF Supervisors appoint colored ROAD
overseers. The town has forty-tour mer-
camille and business houses, big and little,
OF all kinds, which do an aggregate annual
business OF about s60O.000. Surely such a
showing by an exclusively colored COM
munity means very much for the future
OF the colored race. OF course. the foun-
dcrs Of the community were picked men.
Nevertheless, II Is an object lesson full
Of hope for the colored people and there
fore full OF hope for the white people, too,
for the white man Is almost as much IN
terested as the colored man in seeing that
the latter rises instead Of falls. Mound
Bayou has taken the lead IN establishing
the Mississippi Negro Business league. Its
members are, not content with taking care
OF the business interests of the community.
They have recently sent out a circular
addressed to the negro farmer, the circular
being signed by Mr.. Charles Banks, the
president Of the business league. This
! circular COnClOQeS Win the lOllOWlnS au-
mlrable advice: sec TO 1t that your po-
tatoes are well housed for the winter.
Kill enough meat to not be forced to call
on the merchant so early as In former
years. and instead OF spending all the
money you have cleared from your crops
during circus, festival and Christmas times,
or visiting places from which you moved
fthe year before, instead Of spending your
money for things that profit you nothing,
II you have no land, begin to buy; n you
have land and are not out of debt deposit
your money in some good bank and pre-
pare to meet your obligations when due;
II you have land and are out Of debt, buy
more or invest your money in some good
securities. or beautify your farms by build
ing good houses barns and fences; discard
the old common stock of hogs. cows,
horses and mules and buy better grades.
Purchase up-to-date farming implements
whenever practicable and learn to make
your crops as good and as easy as the
ideal western farmer. When the negro
farmer can measure up to what I have
above indicated. he will be a happier and
more useful citizen and his white friends
will delight to have him In the land
Mr.. Knapp of the bureau OF plant in
dustry of the United States Department OF
Agriculture three weeks ago secured a
number of copies Of this circular because
he regarded the advice as so well put, so
sound and so timely that he wished to
circulate It as fas as possible. The people
OF Mound Bayou have done admirably
for themselves; they reflect credit upon
the whole country; and, above all, they
are performing an inestimable service for
the colored race.
IL ta nm aaaxs -aaffnr to do hrafnaa9