Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-09-29
RACE WIDE MOVEMENT
SOUTHWESTERN CHRISTIAN Ap-
vocATE DISCUSSES MEETING
OF NATIONAL NEGRO BUS
iNESs LEAGUE. f

MESS LEAGUE.
The National Negro Business league
Is an organization with purpose. 1t
is seriously at the job OF awakening
the negro to an appreciation Of his
opportunities and the necessity OF
building financial and commercial
basis upon which he may build still
greater and larger life. This organ
ization Is the most influential race or
ganization extant. 1t touches more
people than any other. 1t touches
them more definitely and at the point
where they are much in need OF help.
There Is little OF the National Negro
Business league of which any one
could complain. There Is a great deal
which everyone can praise. The prime
leader OF this movement Is DR.. Booker
Il. Washington, and he never gave
himself more unreservedly and
thoughtfully to the development OF a
movement than he has given himself
to this movement. The league is race
wide and takes in its scope all classes
of our people. Specifically, 1t is q
business league; in fact. IL Is g race
wide movement, dead In earnest for
the lifting of the ocean level OF the
races life by reaching hitherto un-
reached classes of people and bring
Ing them in touch with all that Is
good In the race. The organization Is
the strongest, the most practical OF
all the organizations OF the race.
Numbers count. They always have
and they always will The last SEES
sion OF the league was largely attend
ed. The number of persons coming
up from Oklahoma to Little Rock,
Ark, was revelation. They showed
that the negro was thoroughly capable
of meeting new conditions. OF settling
upon new territory and making a foot
hold for himself. The business enter
prise of the negroes from Boley and
Muskogee and other towns of Okla
homa was marvel. And to the most
skeptical their success, illustrated In
the spacious exhibition presented. was
genuine inspiration.
Because of the success OF this move
ment, the distinguished men that 1t Is
able to bring together, and because
OF the outstanding character OF DR..
/ Washington, 1t commands large atten-
ton. The city Of Little Rock and the
state Of Arkansas were all agog in
the reception of the National Negro
Business league. Last May Little
Rock had entertained the Confederate
Veterans, and the hosts OF that occa-
sion Joined hand with the negroes OF
Little Rock to make the reception OF
the Negro Business league worthy.
not only OF the hospitality Of the ne
groes Of that city and state. but OF
the whites as we'll.
Governor Donaghey Of the state OF
Arkansas delivered with others, an ad-
dress OF welcome, the most practical,
broad, sympathetic address we have
ever heard from a southern official
for some time. The governor caught
his audience and he WAS given q great
ovation. He not only remained
throughout the morning session, but
he returned In the evening with q
large number of friends and remained
throughout the entire session. and APP
parently enjoyed to overlooking the
mastery address Of Dr. Washington.
The address and the attitude OF Gov.
ernor D0naghey were In the interest
of peace and good will between the
races, and he who delivered such q
message at this time is Gods anoint.
ed; and as for him who would at.
tempt to widen the chasm between
races, 1t were better that a milestone
were tied around his neck.
OF course. the dominant personality
OF the business league movement is
DR.. Washington. One of the tasks OF
the league Is the promotion Of peace
between the races. II 1t did nothing
else, this fact would more than JUS
tify It's existence
The sessions were held in the
Kempner theater, one Of the exclusive
theaters OF Little Rock, Not only so.
but the white people Of Little Rock
were sol1citous for the welfare Of the
delegation. and everything that could
be done was done for the comfort OF
the league.
The program was a strong one. It
was arranged by the corresponding
secretary, Mr.. Emmett j. Scott, q man
Of almost superhuman strength for
continuous work. In this program hs
had picked out strategic men in all
parts Of the country as II he had them
upon his flnger-tips and knew them
by note. No man could sit during the
+ program and listen to the stories or
successes in town-building. In bank
ing, in manufacturing and In various
other lines without the conviction
thar the negro is making good and
Will eventually come to his own. The
principal address during the occasion
/ was delivered by DIR. Washington. 1t
was strong, pointed and masterful. In
his ability to soften racial antipathy
and promote inter-racial good will as
a basis for inter-racial cooperation,
there is not man In the race who
approaches DR.. Washington. In the
handling Of this delicate phase In the
Il S..S III s,i%