The broad ax., 1911-08-26

loyal white friends the Negro could not
have made the progress that he has made
in Little Rock and throughout the state
For q few minutes permit me TO 80 into
particulars as TO the conditions and op-
portunItiss and the progress Of our race
IN the state OF Arkansas.
Let me use the state Of Arkansas - an
example Of what n possible for the Negro
81 practically every one Of our southern
stakez, to say nothing Of opportunities
Tat are open to rs In northern and west
ern states. repeat that my experienes
and observation convince me that With
few exceptions where the Negro = trying
% 1--we q decent llfe Is willing 70 work. TO
savs money and TO advance IN an he
IN the southern communities, a. else
where. white friends who are anxious and
willing to encourage him
In Arkansas for example. I ind BY the
ofhciAl records that there are about co.
80 Negroes: that they constitute about q
per cent Of the total population Of the
state These 10000 Negroes within forty
ave years OF freedom have accumulated
taxable property In Arkansas to the
amount Of so 5Oo.004 According TO the
ofncial records kept in your state. the col
state taxes ISL 900 toward the support OF
government in Arkansas during the past
year.
One Of the objects Of this National Ne
gro Business league Is to not only teach
our race to Eet hold OF things. but 70 hold
on to those which We get
About 20 per cent OF the cotton raised
in Arkansas is produced by the hands Of
Negro farmers I am safe in saying that
the Negroes n Arkansas produced last
year about ~ 90 bales Of cotton. valued
a. about g. 10000 Tho question Is. How
much Of this S2tO00 on remains IN the
hands Of the race today and how much
Of It has been spent for things that We
could have done without?
The Negro farmers ~ Arkansas pro-
duced last war about 100000 bushels Of
eorn. valued a. 100000 The Negro
farmers OF Arkansas produced last year
N. 900 bushels OF oats. valued at $1,000.
They produced last year about 5000
bushels OF wheat valued AT $4,000 They
produced last year about 5000 bushels OF
Irish potatoes and sweet potatoes. valued
AZ about Sss1 900 The total farm products
OF the cnlored farmers OF Arkansas for
is10 amounted to 50 00op n We add TO
this what the colored people earned in
other occupations. such as professional.
domestic and personal service. trade. man
ufacturing and mechanical pursuits. the
people Of our race In this state earned at
least 81. 900 last year.
The great question. then. e, How much
q this wealth remains IN our hands In
Arkansas, how much OF II has been put
intp land, how much INTO houseA how
much into the bank. how much into the
schools. how much into the churches and
how much has gone In directions which
are calculated to make Us q stronger. q
more useful. intelligent, moral and re-
Mgions race7
Takinr the southern states as a whole.
I ind that colored farmers last year pro-
duced kEoooo0 bales OF cotton. valued at
about S119 .o00 Colored farmers In the
south produced last year 80. 900 900 bushels
OF corn, valued at about S96.o0oooo. How
many Of these millions Of dollars today re-
main IN our hands and how much has
parted from US?
The eolorsd farmers OF the south pro-
duccd last year 10000 bushels Of oats,
valued At over 6.OooOoo. They produced
last year $4,000 bushels Of wheat. valued
At nearly Sl.OO0Ooo. and q. Ooo.ooo pounds OF
tobacco. valued IT about S.o0o.0oo.
II Il estimated that the total value Of
] the farm products Of colored farmers Of
the south last year amounted 70 30. 900. :
ooo In addition to what was produced By
the farmers, / am safe IN saying that
those engaged in other gainful occupa-
tons, such as professional service. domes-
tic and personal service and trade and
manufacturing and mechanical pursuits,
earned last year at least $40, o0o. 900. max
ing the total earnings OF our race IN the
south alone something over S7oo. 10000.
I repeat again and again that Il = TIE
duty Of the Negro minister. the Negro
teacher, the Negro business man. Of the
leaders OF our race everywhere TO see 10
Il that larger proportion Of the tremen-
dous amount earned BY our race q IN
vested IN lands. houses. banks. schooA
Industrial institutions. colleges. CHURCHES,
30 invested that Il win remain for an
time in the possession OF this generation
and succeeding generations. II 10 per cent
only OF our annual earnings were set aside
for such investment as ! have suggested
the race would have every year Eo.ooo.ooo
which would 50 into its permanent en-
/ richmenf and enlightenment
There Il another feature % race develop
ment to which cannot Ian % call your
attention az this time
This refers % the mRttsr o. seeing 20 q
that the youths Of TIE race n q larger
measure prepare themseIFes for BsTyics
n the fundamental GtffIe9 trades. Too
large a proportion q youths are content