The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-10-02
LIFE STRUGGLES
AT MOUND BAYOU
Cont. from page I, col. 6

the widows fortress and the orphans
retreat. Upon the death of Bishop
hampton. the greatest Of all masters In
his day. the association was placed In
the hands of Charles Banks. Banks
thought he knew his people: he was
certain of his ground After the af-
fairs Of the association had been placed
In his keeping he found that he had
taken over an indebtedness Of $250,00O
For three years he struggled against
tremendous odds. and only when a
whole sea Of trouble arose to engulf
him was he willing to surrender the
Masonic Benefit association into the
hands Of white receiver. and yet be-
fore the fatal day Banks had paid out
nearly 100000 to the widows and or
-phans and had cut the indebtedness
from $25O.OOO to less than 100000
He was the only man in Mississippi
who could have done that. Master
Masons knew 1t.
The new law in the state Of Missis-
sippi dealing with the operation Of
judgments was too much for the Ma.
sonic Benefit association. Banks found
It impossible to meet the judgments
and pay all new claims on assessments
collected, and the end came. He had
postponed 1t four years. In due time
there will be another bank in Mound
Bayou. Already the people are asking
Banks to build new one on the glo-
rtous ruins of the old one. The Bank
of Mound Bayou is but one among
more than 100 in the state of MISSISSIPPI
pi that have fallen before the new
banking law, and the Bank Of Mound
Bayou more nearly stood the test Of
the law than any that fell, and even
successful bankers doubt that 1t should
have fallen at all.
There will be another Masonic bene-
At association in the state. The name,
of course, will be changed and rules
and regulations necessarily altered, but
the Masons will care for the wives
and children of those fallen on the
walls. Charles Banks will lend it the
force of his amazing resourcefulness.
The Masons will call him to the place
he long held against the common foe
because of all black men he is the
most capable for the task. Upon
winding up the affairs of the NJ. B. A.
the receiver. Hon. s. D. McNair, made
a speech to the force. He said he
found not even the slightest irregu-
larity in the accounts or management
Of the Office, and the Office handled ap-
proximately $15O,0OO a year. Mr..
Banks. he declared, had done better
under the circumstances than any
body else had done and ought to be
praised and not blamed.
It was Banks who built the 100000
oil mill. 1t was Banks who made the
$4,000 ice plant fact. His genius
formed the great mercantile company
here. in which he is the largest stock
holder. The bottling works and steam
laundry are children Of his brain. and
the beautiful Carnegie library that
decorates the town is the result Of his
sleepless activity. As he has brought
triumphs, so he has become the bearer
of all the burdens. Critics and fault
finders aim their arrows at his head.
The mistakes of the community are
laid at his door, and the shortcomings
of others are added to his great re-
sponsibility. Howbeit. he is big
man. wears a smile as deep as the
Mississippi river and hates lodging.
He knows how to take his medicine.