Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-10-06

stepping stone to rise above and better
his condition. There's a way out Of
every difliculty, there's way over
every obstacle. II we are ingenious,
watchful. Industrious and patient
enough to and the way. Just few
days ago came to a river where they
had an oid-fashioned ferryboat. no
ticed that whenever the captain
wanted to cross the river to point d.
rectly opposite on the other shore. he
would always head his vessel upstream
where, 1t would seem at first glance,
he was going In q course that would
lead him away from the place Of his
destination.
That little incident taught me
valuable lesson. for pretty sooh found
out that by heading his boat upstream
he finally got the full benefit of the
current and was really enabled the
more easily to reach the wharf on the
other side. Had he turned his boat at
right angles, he would have drifted
with the current as,d would surely
have been carried far below the point
which he desired. And SO 1t is in our
individual as we'll as our racial life
| II we would cross the river and reach
the goal we must head our vessels up
stream and not be afraid Of the cur
rent of difficulties
This National Negro Business
league has not only justified Its ex-
istence by revealing from year to year
remarkable instances Of self-help and
business achievement, but II the ne
gro race will only follow in the wake
Of its teaching. ut win take you
where you'se gwine1-as Doctor
Washington go pleasingly puts 1t.
Some time ago, while down at Gal
weston, j was invited to go out fishing
in sailboat Being very fond Of
both fishing and sailing Though not
proficient in eitl.er) readily accepted
the invitation had hardly stepped
into the boat before the wind was
| right astern ana we went speeding out
on the gulf from Galveston. After q
most pleasant and successful days
7 outing. we begnn to make the journey
/ homeward. My friend In charge Of
the boat soon found out that we would
have to sail into Galveston harboI
i against the wind. Just as soon as the
sails were hoisted. instead Of pointing
his boat toward Galveston, he headed
her in a different direction and won
dered how we would be able to reach
Galveston by following that course
The wind was strong and the sails
were full. The waters leaped and
dashed in fiendish glee as II they were
eager to capsize our frail barque. bu
the boatsman, not the least bit per
turbed. cried out his orders to thu
crew, and every once in while
would hear him say: "Luffer! Lui
fer!"
OF course did not understand wha
that meant, but could soon see thu
progress which the boat was making
for noticed we had reached poin
NEARLY opposite to Galveston. Thel
after series of "luffering, "tacking,
! "zigzagging' and the like. In due tim
|, we reached Galveston harbor. all sat
/ and sound. without the slightest IN
i llH.st te-.,>ast OF .; 9ean-n-tI ,,,,,r i, 3
Is tE3 9dtaheatt YpaleA zes1s upon 'ne
X Our race is likewise lin boat" "
e are sailing upon troublesome water
It for this is a critical period In our u
g ward struggle. We have set our eyt
t, upon and are determined to reach tt
r, homeward harbor of success; that
L especially true of the members of TIL
s league. But notwithstanding the hea
winds of opposition, or the rolling GU
e rent of competition, or the fra
8 barque Of our limited resources v
d have men aboard who are not afra1
8 to sail in" against difficulties, me
r aboard who understand the elemen1
# Of real progress and, under that gres
s captain of negro advancement an
economic Development, Booker
!. Washington, who Is the "luffer" OF h:
d people, we will reach the port in sdu
q time.
e j want to say that this institutio
9 stands for the cooperation Of the n,
/ Igro along line that was never b.
t fore attempted. / was a member {
) the defunct Afro-American counc
i when 1t held meetings In various cite
{ of this country in order to protes
!, against wrongs and injustices perp,
( trated upon US, and in order to max
g big speeches and addresses and pas
I high-sounding resolutions, whic
D never got before the public as W
i wanted. l finally became convince
u that we were accomplishing but littl
II anything.
i Then ] saw another star risin
} above the horizon. 1t was the M
tional Negro Business league. sa,
[ they had gotten together negro farm
ers. merchants, bankers, inventors
J teachers, doctors, lawyers, for the pun
! pose Of discussing matters Of vita
i Importance to the welfare OF our rae
|. and nation. And noticed that eve
V the reporters listened attentively an
J reported accurately their utterance
/ ana what transpired daily In thei
/. meetings. The papers began to chang
J. their tone; they began to say: 9Th
4 negro people are rising In the scale Q
Z civilization. not through the process q
simply holding indignation meetings
but by the irresistible power Of sell
. help; they are not merely pleading 70
others to help them and grant then
/ sympathy and compassion. but they
4 as e race, are striving In practica
\ way TO help Themselves
a And indeed, my friends, self-help /
I the only kind Of help that is capabl
Of making us 9 people worthy Of TIL
4 worlds respect and deserving Of
place in the history Of races. Outsid