The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1911-08-18
Special to the Globe:

Special to the Globe:
Little Rock, Ark, August 16.-The
twelfth annual session of the Nation
al Negro Business League opened
here this morning in the Kempner
Theater Hon. J. E. Bush, one of
the leading Negro business men in
this city presided at the opening ses-
sion. After preliminary remarks Mr..
Bush introduced Governor Donaghey,
who was to deliver the address OF
welcome on behalf of the state. The
Governor was received amid deafen-
ing applause. He said he was glad
# the opportunity to welcome the
Ne@ro business men of the country to
Arkansas That such a gathering
could not but bring good results to
any people.
While you are said to be an imi-
tative race, you never commit suicide
or suffer from nervous troubles. An
other distinguished feature of your
race is your loyalty Your record of
faithfulness to your trust during the
civil war is dL imperishable asset to
your race. Your victors returned 10
us our property and our families
were protected from acts of dishonur.
This is a monument m3ra enduring
than brass or marble"
DR., E. c. Morris, president of the
National Baptist Convention, well
coined the delegates on behalf of the
religious organizations of the state.
When he arose to speak his recep-
tion was equal to that given the gov
ernor. DR.. Morris, in his characteris-
tic manner, told what the churches
had done and are doing for the Ne
groesjof Arkansas, and urged the busi-
ness men not to forget the church in
their desires to succeed in business.
He welcomed the delegates to all the
churches and to the hospitality of
the religious people.
In the afternoon DR.. Booker T.
Washington delivered his annual ad-
dress to perhaps the largest number
of Negro business men ever assem-
bled in this country. He said:
"This session marks the twelfth
year of the existence of the National
Negro Business League. While it is
among the youngest of our national
organizations, / think we nave lust
cause to feel proud of its growth, sue
cess and influence. Starting in a
simple way, it has now grown to
The point where it brings together at
these annual meetings the strongest
and best men and women of our
race. In connection with the national
organization, there are now In exist
ence about 500 local leagues scattered
throughout the United States.
The peculiar value of this league.
however, is not in the size of the ma
tional organization nor in the num-
Der of local leagues, but in the work
and influence of the league in turning
the attention of members of our
race to the rich opportunity that is
right about them in their own com.
munities for industrial and business
growth. The value of the league con-
sists mainly in the new spirit that it
has put into the race-a spirit that
turns the impossible to the possible.
from that which is artificial and un-
stable to that which is natural and
enduring.
The National Negro Business
League, too, is unlike many other or
ganizatiOns in the fact that il
is not secre organization;
it has no grips and pass
words, and offers no sick and death
benfts Nor is this in any sense a
political organization. Let me and.
too, that the Business League is not
in opposition to anv other orpanizo.