The Washington bee., 1909-01-09

and indicates a greater amount of
energy, tact. patience and deterr,ina-
ton than is required in the average
community made up by a population,
less liable to change.
Where the patrons come and 90,
you must of necessity depend upon
a transient trade to insure success
this it would seem would ALWAYS
create an element of uncertainty for
the business men so environed. and
IN some measure prevent the launch
ing out into greater ventures in the
prosecution of his business. Then
you have entailed conservatism, Dor
dering on timidity, which would most
likely prevent that amount of success
possible under different circumstan-
ces.
Wise indeed must be those men
among you, who are sufficiently con-
servative to not overreach in the mat
ter of investment, and at the same
time sufficiently progressive to keep
pace with the demands of these in
tenSely commercial times.
My observation would lead me to
believe that in no city of this coun-
try is competition more rife than
here. Entitled to Our respect and
approval then, are these men who
here succeed in a legitimate business.
Every encouragement should be Civ
en- you as an organization and as in
dividuals for the success of the work
with which you are meeting.
Every man who strives for a lead
ership does well when he extends a
for the business and industrial prin-
fealty to his race and demonstrate his
belief in the possibility of the race
than when he approves your efforts
by his words and by his acts.
The race has need of its business
men. Any people whose sole accom-
plishemnt is based upon the hazard
of political fortune, or who depend
entirely upon their professional men
to make a place for the race, will
find themselves on a sandy founda-
ton. and when the storms come and
the winds beat upon this Tace, its
house will fall.
No man is so politically indepen-
dent as that man who has an assured
income and who San express his
opinion untrammelled. without fear
Of being reduced to want or bring
ing distress to his loved ones. In
the various communities of this
country, the Negro business men are
more and more becoming factors in
the political life of the race. To
these men the temptation to be venal
does not come. They are above want
and can put the temptation behind
them. H.
| would not have you understand
me to say that the possession of prop
erty or money can take the place Of
an upright character. because venal-
ity in politics is not necessarily linn
tied to the poor-however, removing
the necessity for yielding~to temp
tation is a step forward toward the
publication of politics.
The successful Negro business man
can stand out for alL-the rights OF
the race and uncompromisingly de
mand that Justice be done his people.
This attitude, whsGA known by the
masses of the people, bu tends to
popularize him, and his leadership
eventuates as a consequence.
The next step is natural-that is
the demand of his community or
State for consideration. These de
mand accorded and his place as
leader suggests his selection as the
logical consequence.
There are instances when these
successful business men, by reason
of their diversified interests have
found it necessary to decline posi-
tions of trust and honor. In each