The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-07-31
RACE PROGRESS
:. IN SOUTHWEST
8oIey, Okla, Owned Entirely
by AfTO-Amerlcans.
FOUNDED by 7. N. HAYNES.

National Negro Business Leagues Rep
rssentative Gives Facts and Figures
Which Show Remarkable Achieve.
msnts and Capacity Of Our People
For Self Government.
BY RALPH w. TYLER.
Boley, Okla.-To prove that the
Negro, as a race, Is incapable Of self
government such proud Caucasians as
would arbitrarily assume to serve as
accusers, Judge and jury for the race
are wont to point to that revolution
torn black republic, Haiti. If such
would but turn their eyes to the south
west they would behold the existence
In one state -Oklahoma-of eight
exclusively Negro towns that are con-
clusively demonstrating the Negroes
capacity for self government and as
a town builder.
Boley, Taft, Red Bird, Langston,
Tatums, Brooksville, Vernon and Rem
tiesville, all in the state Of Oklahoma,
testify to the innate peacefulness and
the acquired constructiveness Of the
American Negro. Boley, with its $500
exclusively Negro population within
the corporate limits of the town and
it's 10000 Negro population within
radius of ten miles, which population
is direct contributant to the. munich
pality, is the largest Of the eight ex-
clusively Negro towns in Oklahoma
and the largest exclusively Negro town
on the western hemisphere, being three
times the size Of Mound Bayou, Miss.
the much exploited Negro settlement.
I spent several days here in the in
terest Of that. wonderfully constructive
organization which DIR. Booker T.
Washington inspired into existence
the National Negro Business league
carefully investigating this exclusively
Negro town, whose stability and order
~ government, carefully and conserva.
lively administered, present the con-
elusive proof that the American Negro
Is capable Of self government. In
Haiti standing army, whose mainte-
nance imposes burdensome tax upon
the country's limited resources, pre-.
serves the life Of the republic and at
the same time contributes to continual
disastrous and bloody revolutions. In
BOley no soldiers patrol its borders,
it's streets, or guard it's regularly elect
ed officials.
h Boley is governed not by force Of
arms. but by the minions of peace.
Boley has orderly conducted elections
for the selection Of governing officials,
but no armed revolutions to enthrone
an executive. Boley's taxes are assess
ed by and with the consent Of the
lgoverned and not by arbitrary off,
Gals who assume" Office and power
through might. Boley typifies the con-
structive propaganda Of Booker T..
Washington rather than the destruc-
tive intrigues which foment in the
black republic just beyond Americas
southern sea kissed border. Boley rep
resents Negro advancement.
Boley at first was but a mere camp
Of Negro railroad construction hands,
whose foreman was white man NAM
ed Boley, from whom it took its name.
It was founded by T. M. Haynes, a
Negro, who is still living-and valued
citizen of the town-to witness the
fruition Of his altruistic plans. 1t was
Incorporated and chartered as a munic-
ipality in 1904. The town, compris-
ing 260 acres, laid out with broad
streets crossing at right angles, has a
bonded Indebtedness Of but $50, 900
and a school district bonded indebted
ness Of $4,000. This bonded indebt-
edness is secured by property within
Boley whose taxable value is $3.50, 900
and by property within the county
whose taxable value is $4,000, max
ing total of 81, ESQ., 900 in property to
secure the payment Of $4,000 bonded
indebtedness.
This little town here in the far south
west has been called the million Dol
lar Black City," because the volume OF
business transacted here In 1913 reach
ed 81, 100000 and because the value of
the city's realty and the amount its
citizens have invested in business total
81, 100000. In 1913 the Negro mer-
chants Of Boley handled $192, 600 worth
Of business, her Negro farmers han
died $250OOO worth of foodstuff and
live stock, her Negro cotton buyers
bought $325,OOO worth Of cotton, and
her local postoffice did $3.50, 300 worth
Of business, $25O,OO0' of which repre-
scented money passing through the mon
ey order department.
The one bank-capitalized, controlled
and conducted by Negroes-had indi.
vidual deposits at the close Of business
Dec. 81. 1913, amounting to 5000
This financial showing for a commu.
nifty composed exclusively Of people
but half century removed from slav.
ery-from a period when the right to
acquire and hold property was denied
them both by public sentiment and
law-is a splendid attestation to the
thrift and industry Of our race. The
residences. public buildings and stores
Eof Boley compare most favorably with
those of any town of like size whose
controlling population is made up OF
the dominant race. In fact, there are
MANY white oIdar towing fhr0,lph0uf