Franklin's paper the statesman., 1911-08-26
NATIONAL
BUSINESS
LEAGUE

oustrial enterprises without nrn anu
loyal white friends the Negro could not
have made the progress that he has made
in Little Rock and throughout the state
For a few minutes permit me to go into
particulars a- TO the conditions and op-
portunitles and the progress OF our race
In the state OF Arkansas.
Let me the state of Arkansas as an
example Of what is possible for the Negro
In practically every one of our southern
states, to say nothing of opportunities
that are open to US In northern and west
ern states. I repeat that my experience
and observation convince me that with
few exceptions where the Negro is trying
to live a decent life. is willing to work. to
save money and to advance in all the
fundamental things OF life he viii md
in the southern communities. as else
where white friends who are anxious and
willing to encourage him
In Arkansas. for example. i md by the
cfYicial records that there are about +oo-
900 Negroes; that they constitute about q
per cent of the total population of the
state These 10000 Negroes within forty
five years OF freedom have accumulated
taxable property in Arkansas to the
amount of so 500 oo4 According to the
oficial records kept In your state, the COL
orrsf reSyee IN Ararss,rnS p1id IN sceAi -HYi6
state taxes sSsl. 90 toward the support of
government in Arkansas during the past
year.
gro Business league is TO not only teach
our race to get hold OF things but to hold
to thosc which VIC get
About 20 per cent of the cotton raised
in Arkansas Is produced by the hands of
Negro farmers. 1 am safe in saying that
the Negroes In Arkansas produced last
year about TO cnO bales of cotton. valued
al about 1ai. .coo.opo The question is. How
much of this s24. oo.cco remains in the
hands Of the race today and how much
OF II has been spent for things that We
could have done without,
The Negro farmers of Arkansas pro-
ducei last year about 100000 bushels OF
corn. valued at x.eoo.0oo. The Negro
farmers OF Arkansas produced last year
$50 600 bushels Of oats. valued at 5000.
They produced last year about $500
bushels OF wheat valued at $4,000 They
produced last year about <32.0Qo bushels of
Irish potatoes and sweet potatoes. valued
at about Scal 900. The total farm products
of the coored farmers of Arkansas for
1910 amounted to SSe- on ON. II we add to
this what the coiored people earned in
other occupations. such as professional.
domestic and personal, service. trade. man
ufac,uring and mechanical pursuits. the
people Of our race in this state earned at
least tsS.na-oro last year.
Tho great question. then. is. How much
Of this wealth remains in our hands in
Arkansas. how much of II has been put
into land. how much into houses how
much into the bank. how much into the
schools. how much into the churches and
how much has gone in directions which
arc calculated to make us q stronger, q
more useful. Intelligent. moral and re-
ligious racer
Taking the southern states A. a whole.
md that colorcd farmers last year pro-
duced t6oo.o 900 bales OF cotton. valued At
about tslS. 900 900. Colored farmers in the
south produced last year $50. 900. 900 bushels
OF corn. valued at about SIS 0oo How
many OF these millions of dollars today re-
main In our hands and how much has
parted from usr
The coiored farmers Of the south pro-
duced last year A.5oo. 900 bushels of oats.
valued at over = ooo. 0o0. They produced
last year $4,000 bushels OF wheat, valued
at nearly 100000 and q, 900 900 pounds OF
tobacco. valued at about 100000.
1t Is estimated that the total value of
the farm products OF colcred farmers of
the south last year amounted to &no nno.-
ooG. In addition to what was produced by
tho farmers ] am safe in saying that
those engaged in other gainful occupa-
tions, such as professional service, domes-
tic and personal service and trade and
manufacturing and mechanical pursuits,
earned last year at least taOo.0oo0O0. max
ing the total earnings of our race in the
south alone something over 500. 900.
repeat again and again that It 10 the
outy OF the Negro minister. the Ne8ro
teacher, the Negro business man. OF the
leaders Of our race everywhere to see to
II that larger proportion of the trcmen-
dous amount earned by our race 10 in
vested in lands. houses. banks, schools,
industrial institutions. colleges. churches,
10 invested that II will remain for all
time in the possession OF this generation
and succeeding generations. S1f 10 per cent
only of our annual earnings We're set aside
for such investment AZ have suggested
the race would have every year t70.oooooo |
which would go into its permanent en-
richment and enlightenment.
There In another feature OF race develop |
ment to which cannot fail to call your
attention at this time.
This refers to the matter of seeing to Il |
that tho youths OF tho race In a larger |
measure prepare themselves for service |
in the fundamental skilled trades. Too |
large proportion Of youths are cont~n. !