The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-09-18

] t0nHoo80o SlSy SHaS oo"O otTVUS Ha0S
Men, and They Should Pool Their
issuss-BeaIe Street For Mile or
Moro Should Be Lined With Negro
Business Houses.
Memphis, Tenn. - The possibilities
this city offers to the race for indus
trial and commercial development are
not exceeded by any other city in the
country and equaled by but few. Mem
phis is a commercial feeder for three
states-Tennessee, Arkansas and Mis-
sissippi. The white captains Of indus
try here having realized this have been
pushing their wares into these states,
and in return for their output secured
capital to further develop and beautify
this strategic business gateway. There
are 10000 colored people in this city
and employment for all, for Memphis
is a great manufacturing center that
utilizes their labor in preference to
the foreign speaking immigrants.
Beale street, the principal Negro.
business street, is lined with Greek
restaurants of doubtful sanitation.
whose patrons are exclusively Negroes,
and Jewish new and second hand
stores, whose sales are made almost
exclusively to the Negro race, to none
Of whom they give employment Mem
phis numbers among our race some
strong, intelligent and well to do men
who, If they harmoniously co-operated,
would make this city the pace setter
for all other communities. have
visited Memphis three times within
the past year and 'regretfully observed
the lack Of team work on the part of
our people.
Men In accord and those in opposi
ton frankly told me without solicita
ton that fractional differences which
ought not to exist and lack of cordial
cooperation alone prevent the proper
development Of the possibilities lying
all about them. Memphis is more a
city Of individual efforts than co-opera-
tive efforts in so far as the race is con-
oerned. The individual efforts have
counted for much, but cooperative ef-
forts would count for more. l repeat
that Memphis has some strong race
men. earnest race men and men who
are actually doing things-men like
Thomas 81. Hayes, Robert Church, DR..
Terrell, DR.. Bentley, Attorneys Settle
and Booth, Messrs. Clausen, Saunders,
Scott, Roddy, Ward and others whom
I might name. $751;.
Were these men and others to come
together in an effective business organi-
zation, pool their issues and cooperate
Memphis would become for the Ne
groes Of Tennessee, Arkansas and Mis-.
sfssippi what It is for the whites Of the
same states-a commercial center-and
not only would it be dotted with retail
stores, but wholesale houses and manu-.
featuring establishments, owned and
controlled by men Of the race, would
be inspired into existence. There are
two substantial and well conducted
Negro banks in Memphis--the Solvent
Savings Bank and Trust company, the
oder Of the two financial institutions,
and the Fraternal Savings bank. Were
these two banks to merge they would,
as one big, strong institution, command
larger working capital, draw q vast
" larger number Of individual deposi-
tors and be In a position to make
amply secured loans that would de-
velop Negro business enterprises in
this city. Not only this, but q bank
formed by, the merging Of the two
would give employment to a larger
force Of members Of the race than the
two now working as separate institu.
tons Memphis presents a wonderful
ield for race operation and co-opera-
ton. II some race man not affiliated
with any of the factions or some man
from the outside with a capacity for
organizing and harmonizing would en-
ter the field and by a master stroke &C.
ment erstwhile factions Beale street
for full mile or more would be lined
with Negro business houses.
Until very recently the Memphis
Negro Business league was inactive. I
have noted that In every city that
maintained live, active business
league there are to be found co-opera.
tive efforts which result In the estab-
lishment and maintenance OF many
business enterprises. A local business
organization becomes clearing house
for business ideas and stimulant to
cooperation. The race owns and occu-
pies some. beautiful residences in Mem
phis. The Clausen home, on the aris-
tocratic and beautiful boulevard. the