Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-11-28
CONVENTION OF
+. BUSINESS LEAGUE
National Body Held Inspiring
| Sessions IN Philadelphia.
BIG INCENTIVE TO THE RACE

Most Fereibls Address by Booker T
Washington In Defense Of His coun.
trymsn Thrilled His Audisnos--Num.
bar Of Important Topics Discussed
BY the Delegates.
! Philadelphia.-The fourteenth annual
meeting Of the National Negro Bust.
ness league, which finished its three
days session in this city Friday, will
80 down In history as the most sue
cessful meeting ever held up to this
time. 1t was successful in point Of at
tendance, interesting program and as
to arrangements for the entertainment
Of guests.
The Negro business men Of this city
sustained the traditional reputation Of
Philadelphians for hospitality. Begin
ming with the opening session at 10
o'clock Wednesday morning. there was
not a dull session during the meeting
nor moment when interest and ear
nestness was not intense. Too much
praise for the success attending the To-
cal arrangements cannot be accorded
Charles III. Brooks. chairman Of the
committee of arrangements, and his
energetic assistants on that committee.
t OF course the greatest interest cen
tered in the address of Dr. Booker
T. Washington, which was delivered
Wednesday night at the Academy Of
Music. The speaker when he arose
faced veritable sea Of faces. Every
available space in that vast amphi-
theater was occupied by men and wo-
men Of every nationality, eager to
catch the inspiring words Of the races
greatest leader.
The applause, tumultuous and spon-
taneous which greeted him told better
than any word description how high
they held him and how deep rooted Is
the confidence of the race reposed in
him. Five thousand people sat before
him, at times convulsed with laughter
at his humorous sayings, at times
speechless in admiration, again en-
thralled by his forcible eloQuence
The doctor drove home to the hearts
of his great audience his arguments
in favor of the necessity of character
building. industrial and commercial de-
yelopment within the race and the cul-
tivating Of the respect Of the best
white citizens.
. His defense of his race was the
strongest yet heard coming from his
lips. and his opumism-his express
ed confidence in the belief that pres
ent handicaps simply constitute an in
centive to forward movement which
must eventually batter down every
wall erected by race prejudice-was in
fectious. He reviewed the record of
the race made during the fifty years
Of freedom which this year marks. he
presented brilliant panorama Of the
races progress from abject slavery and
miserable poverty to free people
with possessions amounting to over
500, 100000. He fguratively drew
aside the curtain which separates the
future to show where the achieve
ments Of the first fifty years Of free
uoAl, LIZ" 0IAAVSL AL ACtAOoPSSSt "Vuiu
land the race when the century of free
dom had been recorded. The famed
constructive Negro statesman was at
his best.
Every word he uttered went straight
home to abide with his audience as
constant prompter to highest achieve
mehts. And when be concluded and
sat down amid prolonged applause
applause whose spontaneity showed
how thoroughly the speaker had his
audience with him-every one in that
vast ssemblage felt that here was
Moses, with divine inspiration. who |
had been sent to lead his people up !
and out Of the slough of dependency |
to the high plane of useful activity. a
leader who means to make his race |
dwell more upon the permanent good
which can be achieved rather than
upon the distractions in the form of
Unjust race discrimination and restric-
ton which he at no time justifies, but
condemns. and which, at best, can be
but a temporary hindrance to a race
to succeed.
Following the calling Of the national
body to order by DR.. A. B. Jackson,
president Of the local league, and the
Of the various commit
tees. a number of topics were discuss
I'd by delegates who had previously
been assigned to speak on them.
Among the subjects spoken on at the
morning session were
Potato Growing" Making Farming
Pay" "Growing and Marketing Water
melons and Cantaloupes," Poultry
Raising" and Building and Contract
ng."
Wednesday afternoon John Wanna
maker received the delegates In the
'nmous Egyptian hall Of his Broad
street store. after which the members
we're conducted through the estab-
ishment Following this. automobiles
we're placed at the service Of all for q
,ightseeing ride about the city.
At the Wednesday evening session,
'ollowing the address Of welcome by
Director Of Public Safety Porter. In
he absence of the mayor. and the ad-
lress OF DR.. Washington. the follow
ne subjects were discussed by assign
ID speakers: managing a Lille OF
Drug Stores" 1.-The Retail Drug Busi-
,ess." Real Estate and Building"
Making Rootblacking Pay" "shoe
Polish Manufacturing" and THE
Work of the Virginia Organization
Society" = 'H
At the Thursday morning session
he following subjects were discussed:
Experience as an Architect and