The Denver star., 1913-10-04
Encouraging Report Of Race
Progress In South.
SPIRIT OF COMPETITION.
Remarkable Advance Made by lndivid-
uals In Montgomery Interestingly
Told by Traveller In Quest of Faets
About Conditions as They Actually
Are-Work of Local Organization.
By RALPH w. TYLER.


BY RALPH w. TYLER.
Montgomery, Ala.-A visitor to this
conservative city, where Jefferson Da-
Wis took the oath as president of the
Confederacy, is struck at first with
how far into the background of the
past the Negro has pressed the then
status of his condition. Then the city's
colored inhabitants were either housed
in master owned shanties or the SER
wants quarters of 1.-The big house." To
day they are either housed in comfort
able cottages or commodious residences
which they themselves own.
Then the problem was one which the
abolitionists of the north We're trying
to solve. Now it is problem the Ne
groes of pretty Montgomery are solv-
ing themselves. Another thing WHICH
impresses the visitor to Montgomery Is
that the apparent conservatism. char
acteristic of the city. among our people
is quickly dissipated when you men
ton the city of Birmingham. for it is n
matter of confident belief with them
that they have achieved and are
achieving more in the way of material
progress than their fellows over in the
pittsburgh of the SOUTH
This rivalry existing between these
two cities makes for greater progress
among the people of Montgomery.
Montgomery's $4,000 population is
about equally divided between the two
races. The city lies in the cotton belt
of Alabama. and cotton growing would
be n lost art were it not for the colored
laborers took drive and, lest you
think the race here are not progress
sive. will state my drive was in a
handsome touring car owned by Ne
gro. was shown the beautiful homes
owned by our people and had pointed
out to me seveiHil hundred coZy mod
ern cottages owned and occupied by
colored citizens.
The colored people OF Montgomery
are making remarkable progress. and
the local Business league here is ac-
tive in fostering and extending bnsi-
ness establishments among the race.
the president of the league. ]. II. Fa-
gain. being one of the most energetic
men / ever met in a similar capacity.
They have real Negro Business
league In Montgomery. one that be-
lieves Negro business league should
be no pent up Utica, but an instru-
ment to advance the race along every
possible worthy line. For instance.
the leagne here is active IL its efforts
to improve the school, facilities. the
anti-tuberculosis crusade. the Hale in
frmary and the employment of n col
ored matron in the waiting room Of
the railroad station.
Among the business establishments
in Montgomery which are owned. con
trolled and manned by orr folks are:
Two bakeries. one bank. two butcher
shops. more than dozen blacksmith
shops. three well furnished barber
shops. one carriage shop. one jewelry
store. two motion picture theaters.
three very successful realty companies.
eight shoemaking establishments. six
tailoring establishments. one large
transfer company two funeral direc-
tors. one up to date drug store. two or
three insurance companies. one cloth
ing store. several first class grocery
stores. one harness manufacturer and
two wide awake newspapers. The
professional men compare most favor
ably with any in the country.
was much impressed with one par
agraph in a recent letter sent out by
the Negro Business league OF Mont
gomery to every member of the league
that ut should be remembered that we
are building a race within great CIV
ilization which is exnctinR and calls