The Denver star., 1913-07-12
SOUTH IMPREssEs TYLER.
Business League Organizer Says Races
Progress Greatly Inspires Him.

Business League Organizer Says Raes's
Progress Greatly Inspires Him.
Greenwood, Ala.-What l have seen
in the way of material progress among
the colored people on this my first
trip into the south has been a revela-
ton and an inspiration, said the former
auditor for the navy department, Ralph
w. Tyler, now national organizer for
the National Negro Business league.
have been greatly impressed, contrary
to my early teaching and belief, with
the fact that for the average Negro
the south offers the best assurance OF
steady employment unhampered by la
Dor unions and that for the Negro
above the average the south offers the
best opportunity for the accumulation
Of wealth.
1t is true that race discrimination
is oyerhealthy down here; that some
rights are restricted and many prtvi-
leges denied. l do not for moment
condone this restriction of rights or e1-
cuse this denial OF privileges. Both
constitute blot on the pages Of Amer
lean history. However, l recall that
in many of the boasted free cities OF
the north certain rights are but mig
gardly granted, many privileges are
denied, labor is scarce for the Negro,
and accumulation OF wealth is practi-
cally a white mans monopoly. We en-
Joy some rights and a few privileges
up there which our brothers in the
south are denied. They enjoy a mo-
nopoly of labor and an unrestricted op-
portunity to accumulate wealth down
here which we are denied in the north.
In Macon county, through which
rode, l saw 61 600 acres OF farm land
owned in fee simple by Negroes. There
being $1,000 Negroes in this county,
this is an average of nearly three
acres per capita. What wonderful
progress in fifty years! What quick
advance from poverty to aft1uence! In
the adjoining county of Tallapoosa
viewed 25,O00 acres owned and under
cultivation by Negroes-more than two
acres per capita for Tallapoosa county.
l saw stores in this black belt for size.
largeness and quality Of stock the Ne
groes of no northern city can equal.
l have frequently heard Of individ-
ual Negroes who were reputed to own
a thousand acres of land or more, but
i regarded such statements, with the
usual northern pessimfstc apprafse-
ment, as but myth-as the fanciful
creation of the wrongly accused "apol-
ogist." On this eighty mile automo-
bile trip | actually met and talked
with at least five Negroes-Warren
Logan. C. ]. Galloway, A. l. WilbOrn,
+. II. Gamlin and one other whose
name has slipped me-each of whom
owned n thousand or more acres OF
rich farm land. with many acres Of
cotton. corn and grain. AS l looked
upon the scene l thought Of thousands
OF my race in the north with greater
privileges but less land and fewer
houses. and l regretfuily. almost re-
proachfully, recalled the lines. Leon
hath n thousand acres. not penny ]"
1 was in four stores owned by Ne
groes in this belt. two of which had
upon their shelves not less than 5000
and 5000 worth of stock. And was
greatly impressed with the race loyal
ty existing down here, with the al
most clannish spirit which impels Ne
groes to go long distances just in or
der to patronize Negro merchants. In
Macon county A. j. Wilborn owns a
two story brick building. in which is
located his store with its grocery and
notion stock that will approximate So
COO.
Z. II. Gamlin. in the same county,
but about two miles removed. owns n
store equal in size. carrying n stock of
fully 5000 valuation, ranging all the
way from hairpin and a pound of
salt to footwear, bedwear and dainty
lingerie for women In both of these
stores the stock is paid for. the pretty
modern, commodious homes of the pro-
prietors standing near rest under no
mortgage. and beyond the little towns
in which they live and do business
thousand acres of crop filed land bring
In splendid revenue.