Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-05-12


mill, all radiate from the little brick
banking house of Charles Banks, and
whenever there is trouble in any of
the business enterprises hereabouts
you will hear once more the laconic
order, See Banks"
In point of wealth among negroes,
Mississippi far outstrips any other
state in the country. Every city worth
the name boasts Of Its negro bankers
and substantial business concerns
among negroes. Clarksdale. Column
bus, Meridian, Greenville, Yazoo City.
Jackson, Vicksburg, and half score
Of others will point to flourishing
bank and many substantial negro dry
goods and grocery mechants. And yet,
apply to an aggregation Of these men
at any time for leader and burst
like that of a political nomination will
rend the air with "Banks Banks"
To many 1t is difficult to understand
this; for, among negro leaders at
least, man of fewer words never
lived. III
1 never saw member Of my race
who SO conscientiously. summed the
attempt at oratory and confined him.
self to few short, simple words and
sentences: Whether presiding over
thousands OF colored people at our Ma
tional Negro Business league, or over
hundreds at his own state league, he
insists upon the barest informal state
ment of the purpose OF the gather
ing, and nothing more. While in no
way seeming timid. he yet brushes
aside all the glitter of the presidents
office, the opening address, the Ia
bored introductories and the like.
Maybe it is this striking novelty that
has gained him the unanimous conf
dence of the negroes Of his state and
Of a large portion of the negroes
throughout the country. He has for
several years in succession been elect
ed first vice-president Of the National
Negro Business league, an oganiza-
ton that comprises practically all the
negro business men Of the country.
In like manner, he has for a number
Of years been president OF his state
league, and last year he was, almost
as it were by state reclamation, elect
ed secretary, and treasurer Of the Ma
sonic Fraternity of Mississippi, an or
der that at It's last yearly report had
paid out $4,000, and contained
balance in cash of $4,000; one Of
the largest negro orders Of the kind
in the state, in money, influence and
reliability.
The peculiar conditions In the south
render It, urgent that whoever aspires
to prominence in any direction must
reckon with the good will Of both
he cannot be wholly white unto him.
self or wholly black unto himself.
This is emphatically, true where the
question Of money is involved. A ne
gro who would be banker cannot be
a very large one without In some way
rubbing elbows with white men In the
same business. In this respect, 1T IS
highly to Charles Banks credit that
he very early established correspond,
ence wherever he needed It, and the
Bank of Mound Bayou now enjoys cor
respondence with banks In Memphis,
in Louisville and in Vicksburg. with
the National Reserve bank Of the city
Of New York and with the National
Bank of Commerce in st. Louis. Re
garding the bank in St, Louis. 1t IS
singular enough that letter OF Just
few days ago from one of It's officers,
Mr.. Eugene Snowden, lies before me,
Mr.. Snowden writes me: 1T has been
our pleasure TO lend them" (referring
races. Paradoxical as 1t may seem,
to another negro bank In the same
connecticut $4,000 each year, and
their business has been handled to-
orr entire satisfaction" When 1t Is
considered that Mr.. Snowden Is
southerner living right here near US,
It can be seen how much man like
Charles Banks contributes toward the
softening down Of prejudice and the
establishing OF genuine confidence be-
tween the races.
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