The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-09-02


Highland, Mississippi.
The responses to the addresses OF
welcome by the Governor Of Ken
lucky, the Mayor Of Louisville and
others were delivered by Charles
Banks, Of Mississippi, and S. Laing
Williams, Of Chicago. They were.
unusually felicitous, brief and to the
point. -
The gavel handled by President
Washington during the series was
the gift Of the Masonic fraternity Of
the city. 1t was a handsome instru-
ment, made of mahogany, ornament
ed with sterling silver.
DR.. G. H. Parish was general
spokesman for the clergy and citi-
zens. He agreeably surprised ev-
erybody, including the Chief Magis-
trate himself, by closing his address
OF welcome with poem, reciting
the glories Of Kentucky's favorite
products, written some years ago by
Governor Wilson. The delicate
compliment was greatly appreciat-
ed by the distinguished visitor and
enjoyed by the convention.
The singing Of Major R. r. Nor
ton, the popular commandant Of ca
diets at Hampton Institute, was one
of the real treats Of the League sea-
son. At various places, including the
great meeting at Macauley's Thea
ire, he led a number Of folk-songs
that have been described by Dvorak
and other noted musical authorities
as. 1.-The typical American music"
Major Morton .enunciates the phil
osophy that the Negro who expects
to build race upon a. firm founda-
ton must not be ashamed of his
history, of his traditions, and most
OF all, he must not be ashamed Of his
songs. With the silveryNvoiced Ma
Jor as leader, the audience Joined in
with will in such touching folk
melodies as Swing low Sweet Char
lot, eve are limbing Jacobs Lad
der, Until I reach Ny Home"
STEAL Away,"' IF You go, ri 20
w I'LL hou' 0tC. MdJOT MOCOQ s
thrilling melodies made many friends
for Hampton Institute and created a
sentiment in favor Of carrying the
convention there next year.
The most picturesque figure of the
convention was Isaiah T. MONTGOMERY
the former slave of Jefferson Davis,
VINO finally secured possession of his
erstWhile masters plantation and be-
came a wealthy cotton-grower. He
is the founder Of the thriving Ne
gro town of Mound Bayou, Miss,
where there are in the vicinity of
1900 inhabitants, owning more than
10000 acres Of land.
A place sought by all the visitors
was the Douglass Building, a sub
stantlal three-story building owned
by four Negroes, known as the Doug
lass Improvement Company. 1t Is
located in the heart: of the best Me-
gro centre, and is the only up-to-
date office building owned by Me-
groes in the state Of Kentucky. 1t
has thirty rooms lighted by electric
ity and heated by furnace. In this
building are employed more Negroes
as stenographers, typewriters, clerks,
printers, etc., than are employed by
any Negro concern in the state. 1t
is the home Of the Foreign Mission
Board of the National Baptist Con-
vention, Of which DR.. l.. G. Jordan is
secretary, and OF the executive board
Of the Woman's Convention, Auxil-
iary to the National Baptist Con-
vention, Of which Miss Mamie II.
Burroughs. is secretary. These two
human dynamos are the responsible
managers Of the building and over
see the beehive that is carried on
day by day under it's roof.
DR.. r. H. Boyd, manager of the
National Baptist Publishing House
at Nashville, Tenn, "astonished the
natives" by the immensely of the op-
erations carried on by his printing.
plant. He told of the half-block of
buildings owned and occupied by
his publishing house, Of the books,
newspapers, pamphlets, engravings
and stereotype plates gotten out by
the 100 to $50 Negroes employed
there-printing everything conceiv-
able, says DR.. Boyd, from a business
card to an encyclopedia, the plant of
this company, developed through
the genius and foresight of Dr. Boyd
is valued at $35O,OOO.
W. M. Alexander, National Grand
Master of the Mosaic Temp1ars, and
J. e. Bush, national grand secretary