The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-08-21
BUSINESS MEN
HOLD THE LEAD
Results Of Cooperative Effort
In Nashville, Tenn
BIG SHOWING IN FINANCE.

Local Business League a. tho Pre-.
cursor of Wonderful Commercial Ad.
vance Among the Colored People In
Tennessee .CapitaI-Board Of Trade
Also a Great Tower of Strength.
By RALPH w. TYLER.
Nashville, Tenn.-There is delight |
full aroma Of culture pervading this
Fiskized city that is equaled only by
the traditional hospitality Of its citi-
zens l refer especially to the colored
citizens. The atmosphere which dear
old Fisk university has terminated
here has produced some splendid men
and women and invigorated activity.
Nashville has powerful lever for
business progress among our people In
Its Negro board of trade, which evolved
from it's Negro Business league. l
have previously stated that in every
city l have visited where there exists
a strong, active Negro business or
ganization there one finds business
progress. The Negro board Of trade
here, of which that most efficient busi-
ness man, ]. @. Napier. is president, Is
doing much for the colored people or
this city.
The Negroes Of this city have $1,000
600 in real estate on the tax books In
their name. Wonderful! They have
100000 in cash on deposit IN the
local banks. Marvellous! They have
two banks that are being efficiently
conducted, which shows that the
Negro, as a promoter Of financial in
situations, is no nondescript. The Dime
Savings bank, Of which Dr. r. 81. Boyd
Is president and J. c. Napier cashier
and guiding genius, Is the Oldest. ana
80 wisely has 1t been conducted that
were it to 60 into voluntary liquidation
today it could pay depositors dollar for
dollar and pay stockholders, including
the 67 per cent dividends already paid,
$1.95 for every dollar invested in its
stock.
Nashville has a Negro owned GENE
terry which, for size, beauty and the
care taken Of it, surpasses anything OF
its kind in the country. 1t has q pleas
ure park, purchased, improved and
conducted by Preston Taylor, that has
no counterpart in the country as to
area, natural beauty, amusements and
character of it's buildings. Nashville Is
the home Of the Baptist Publishing
House. that wonderfully systematized
plant, giving employment to $50 young
|, colOred men and women, which was
founded by DR.. r. Fl. Boyd. 1t Is also
the home of the A. M. e. Publishing
House, whose success has been made
secure by Ira T. Bryant's efficient man
agement. The largest nursery and
horticulture plant In this city Is the
one owned and long conducted by Joe
, Brown and known far and wide as
the Lischy nursery and greenhouses.
The three days spent In this city care
fully investigating every phase Of Ne
, gro life, especially In business, con-
.. vinced me that the 10000 Of our people
in this city have registered high wa
ter mark Of business. Of economical
success equaled by but few communi-
ties and surpassed by none.
Here you will find the race actively
and successfully engaged as manufac-
t turers, printers, publishers, furniture
] dealers, electricians, bankers. grocers,
r real estate agents, merchandising trans
4 fer, theatrical, architects, etc. Taken
as a whole, this Is a community Of Ne
t groes who are strongly religious, but
t who, as DR.. Boyd has urged, have put
: business into their religion. The reli'
+ gious intensity Of the people here Is
l. evidenced by the fact that there are
e fifty-two Baptist, thirty-seven A. M. E.
8 three Presbyterian, three Congrega'
o tional. one Catholic, one Church OF
d God, three Christian, one United Breth
Il rem and one Seventh Day Adventist
churches, total Of 1O2 churches.
r. There are thirteen public schools ant
q. five colleges, and these employ IA
l., teachers and professors. Sixty-twt
physicians preserve the health or TIT
community, eight dentists look aftel
the care of the community's teeth, ant
nine lawyers find sufficient civil ant
s: criminal practice to maintain good OF
as fees and an air Of prosperity. Exclu
m sive Of the two banks there are TWEEN
Of ty-five corporations in this city unde
r. Negro control. 1t would be pretty hare
. for any community, however. unde
>, the spur Of leadership Of such men
v. J. G. Napier. DR.. r. ii. Boyd. Preston
10 Taylor, Henry Allen Boyd. A. \. JOHN
es son and Ira T. Bryant. with others, no
as to make great advance along all line
10 Of helpful endeavOr.
T. A Negro population that can boast
. possessing real estate to the value
:, 100000 and cash in bank to tn
:, amount Of $3.0OO.OOO needs no othe
II Recommendation to convince the worl
d that 1t is a desirable class or that tn
ch race is making commendable progress
b. Some Of the other Negroes who ar
contributing most effectively to bus
ness progress Of the race In this cit
are w. r. Hightower, w. d. Rucke
Al, A. 8. Fucker. w. G. Hymns. William T
|, McGarvick. FELIX White. Eugen
Price, II. 8. Morton and Assistar
Cashier Langston Of the Dime Saving
bank. As previously stated. the Negr
~ board Of trade. as an organization an