The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-04-08
Especial BY Fhdmpson's National
~. ~ News Bureau.) r ~ III


most significant event of the week in
political. circles was the visit paid to
PrestdeHt TAFT on Thursday by a DEL
egatton made UP OF twel.e of&Missis-
sippi's most substantial buslness\ and
professional colored men, headed by
Mr.. Charles BANKS cashier Of the
Mound Bay on Savings Bank, and
prominently identified for. many
years with the political and commer-,
cial affairs Of the state In company
with Mr. Banks were the following
well-known. gentlemen; Isaiah T..
Montgomery, founder. OF the town or
Mound Bayou, extensive cotton-p1ant
er and president Of the Mound Bay
GU OH Mill Company, capitalized at
-$t805600;S A. Az Gosey,- secretary OF
the same enterprise; j. H. Oliver,
principal of the public schools at
Clarksdale; w. f. Mollison, attor-
ney-at-law and president Of the Lin
coin Savings Bank at Vicksburg; J.
w: strauther, president of the Del
ia Savings Bank at Greenville; J. G.
Chappelle, editor of the Delta Light
House, OF Greenyille; p. w. Howard,
attorney-at-law,o Of Jackson; w. M.
Cox, Of Indianola, and Wesley Cray
ton, Of Vicksburg, both engaged In
business; w. "A. Attaway, attorney
at-law, at Greenville;- and n. J. Will
son, Of Meridian. treasurer of the
Masonic, Grand Lodge of. Mississippi.
an organization embracing 14,OUO
members, and disbursing annually
over 100000 in benefits and ex-
penses. i - - .. ...- ,...-. IS.
These mon, backed by credentials
from their. fellow-citizens, came to
Washing ton, travelling in O. special
Pullman, paid for out of their own
ockets-*the ~ trip representing "a
caah outlay 81 not. Less than s1..4shQQ
to take UP With the. President in
person a number or issues regarded
by them Of vital Importance to, the
Negro people Of Mississippi and the
South. The address delivered by
Chairman Banks was exceedingly
Well-tempered and stated the whole
case in few words. According to
Mr.. Banks declaration, the colored
people had full confidence in the
friendship Of the President. They
were pleased with the tenor Of his
inaugural, address wherein he dis
avoweu the possession Of the slight
est feeling Of race prejudice and ex-
pressed determination to admins
ter his office In the interest of the
whole people. tney wished to live in
harmony with their white neighbors
n oci cciT IN 80
them in all matters looking to the
general uplift Of the state. It. was
their sincere wish to hold up the
hands Of the President and to sus-
tain his progressive policies in every
way that lay in their power. Fur
Their, however, they were anxious
to carry home an assurance that the
colored people Of Mississippi would
be given just share in the admin
stratipn Of federal affairs, and would
not be debarred from the privileges
that. had been. heretofore accorded
them when the republican party was
in power at Washington. In short,
Mr.. Banks party wanted to stand
by the Taft administration = as
had been the case from the begin
ming; they wanted to have the re-
spect and good will Of the best
whites Of their section; and at the
same time, they wanted Square
DEAF. for the loyal Negroes. who had
sturdily borne the republican banner
in season and out Of season, with
little hope Of reward save their con-
sciousness Of rightsdoing. 1t was al
so developed that not one member
of the party was an applicant for an
office within the gift Of the admin
tration; that few, If any, could afford
to neglect their lucrative business
operations to accept any position
that might be rendered them. They
came to serve no selfish end---they
came to ask the assistance of the
President to bring about the sue
cess Of the three-fold mission outlin-
ed in the succinct memorandum pre-
sented by Chairman Banks.
The reply of the President was
brief, but remarkably to the point.
1t was stated to your correspondent
that Mr.! Taft expressed himself as
being pleased With their evidences
of approval of his utterances and
With their hearty extension of SYM
pathy and support. A lengthy dis
cussion was impossible at the time,
p but the assurance was given freely
and without reservation that nothing
would be done during his stay in
the White House that would work to
the ultimate detriment of the Me-
groes in any section Of the country,
North, South, East or West. All
questions pertaining to the colored
people would he given due considera-
ton as they oafne cup, and he felt