The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-09-11
GETTING RID OF
THE SHIFTLESS
Afro Americans In Austin, Tex,
Are Wide Awake.
MUCH WEALTH AMONG Them

Notable Progress Being Made by Our
Race at Capital of Lone Star State
Due Largely to Spirit Of Corpora.
ton Created by the Local Business
League.
BY RALPH w. TYLER.
Austin, Tex.-This is Texas capital.
So many are the hills here it might be
said, as it was of Rome. that Austin
is built upon seven hills Austin is
pretty and orderly city Of $4,000 popu-
lation, 1000 Of which are colored
The two colored colleges here, with
the splendid public schools, in so far
as the race is concerned. makes Aus
tin a typical college town and filtrates
through the race community culture
and moral purity not always found In
cities of this size. Under President
Lovinggood the M. d. college here Is
doing a wonderful work, and its presi-
dent is thoroughly In touch with and
active In every movement which has
for it's object greater progress for the
race.
Austin, in so far as the races popu-
lation is concerned, is religious city.
This is shown by it's support Of twen-
ty-one colored churches. But while the
race in Austin believes in laying up
treasures in heaven, where thieves do
not break in, etc., they are somewhat
inclined to the belief that treasures
laid up here on earth become pretty
solacing asset pending our transition
from earth to heaven, transition
which few live ones" are In a hurry
for. This is shown In the fact that
our people here have $25O,0OO invested
in business enterprises, own real estate
approximating 100000 and have $780,
600 in cash in the banks Of this city
to their credit.
1t would appear from this that the
race in Austin is willing to lay up and
take chances on thieves breaking in
and moths corrupting and rust corrod-
ing treasures. One Of the leading bust
ness men Of our race in Austin is l.. D.
Lyons, a perfectly live factor in every
movement conceived for the better.
ment Of race conditions. Texas is get
ting rid of the lazy. shiftless members
of the race. In many things Austin
is an ideally attractive little city-the
air of culture, the thirst for education
and the hospitality Of its people are
such as to compel one to linger here and
impel regret at leaving. Austin's ma
terial progress, while complimentary.
has not been Of that aggressive stripe
characteristic of some other cities be-
cause Austin had no live, active bust
ness organization. Success here In the
past has been individual.
Awakening to the fact that cooper.
alive success is most vital to race ad-
vancement, Austin colored men have
recognized its business league, officer
ing it with earnest, capable men, and
with earnest, enthusiastic men com
posing its membership. In talking with
a number Of the real factors In racial
advancement l learned that they now
realize that there are many things
which Austin should have in the way
Of business controlled by men and
women Of the race, and that earnest
efforts should be made to encourage
the race to patronize race enterprises
The recently reorganized business
league has already begun business
revival
The homes and churches Of the race
here are attractive, commodiOus ,an(
evince commendable civic pride by thu
manner in which they are beautiflei
and kept up. The interest the race
takes in the property possessed by it
in beautifying 1t and keeping 1t in re
pair and the energy displayed in better
citizenship and In education no doub
are most responsible for the helpful
entente existing between the two races
Austin has the maximum Of desirable
colored citizens and the minimum o,
the undesirable. One Of the finest higl
schools for colored people in all thii
country is to be found here. II Is {
splendid fireproof building. with Al
unusually large campus. The equip
ment is complete. the school board bein;
quite liberal in appropriating for 1T
building and equipment. There Is ,
total Of six public schools for coloret
children. Professor l.. c. Anderson
one OF the best known educators IN tn,
south. is principal Of the high schOo
and practically the head of the colOret
schools generally. His effective worl
In seen In fine results.
There are three cOlOred physicians
here. two dentists and two pharma