The Washington bee., 1908-09-05


LEAGUE IN BALTIMORE, ON
WEDNESDAY NIGHT, AU-
GUST 10TH.
1t IS we'll that the National Negro
Business League, meets in Baltimore,
a Southern City, where with perhaps
two exceptions, there is the largest
Negro population of any City in the
country. In this city for the most
part thre is athrifty, prosperous and
law-abiding Negro population, and
here the most kindly relations exist
between the races. Much of this, let
me add, is due to the influence Of the
great citizen and Churchman, Cardi-
nal Gibbons, whom every Negro
loves and honors,
The Negro Business League
stands for courageous optimism, con-
s,ructive work and friendly relations
between all classes and races. The
Negro Business League is now com
posed Of over four hundred local
leagues scattered throughout the coun-
try as we'll as hundreds of individuals.
This organization beginning nine
years ago in modest manner, now
represents the humble but courageous
efforts of a race of ten millions of
people to take some part in the in
dustrial, commercial and business ac-
tivity of their country.
Heretofore, for the most part, the
the activities of the race have natual-
" been confined to the production Of
raw material. While not leaving aside
or neglectinE this important function,
this organization would go a step fur
ther and would seek some share in the
placing of products upon the markets
OF the world
As to the success of this organiza-
tion and the need for it the presence
mere today of these hundreds Of sue
oessful, happy, thrifty men and wo-
men. will testify ore-eloquently than
anything I can say.
The National Negro Business
League is composed of Negro men
and women who are actually doing
something in the community where they
live. Show me a man who is doing
nothing in the community, except
talking, speculating, and theorizing
and I will show YOU a pessimist,-one
who believes that the world is a fail
ure because he is a failure. Show me
man who is engaged in business
touching white and black men,actuaL
" achieving something in the worlc
trade and commerce, and I will show
YOU an optimist The man wh'
keeps at work doing something to adj
to the usefulness and happiness o
his fellows. is usually hopeful, Will
the one who occupies himself in find
ing fault with what is being done,
usually miserable and wanting il
hope
This organization is not only com
posed of individuals who are opt
mistic. but Of those who possess cour
age-the only real courage that
worth the name. Any weakling ca
sit down and cry and complain fror
day to day about untoward conditions
that surround him and his race, BIT
the man who starts in business c
some industry in a simple way, q
many of you have done, and quietl
ard persistently battles against power
". lack of experience, want of cor
fdence, and sometimes race prejudic
till throgh his success, he makes a
who know him respect and honc
him. is the one who has the elemen
OF the highest courage. While we
of the highest courage. While we
not overlook wrongs and lnJuSuc
and obstacles needlessly placed in o1
pathway, We are more concerned
finding a way to overcome these diff
culties than iii merely exploiting thel
More and more as a race We must b
lieve in ourselves, in our race, in o
white neighbors and in our countr
No banker ever lends money to m;
who doubts his ability to return t
loan. No people put confidence in
race who doubts its ability ito ST