The Denver star., 1915-09-04
National League Holds Fine
Session In Boston.
GOVERNOR WALSH SPEAKS.
Thousands of Progressive Men and
Women From Many States Attend.
Boston's Local League Provides Rare
Entertainment For visitors - Or.
Washinston's Annual Address.
Nv N. BARNETT DoDsoN.

ton of the National Negro Business
league. held at Convention hall in this
city from Aug. 1S to q. was in many
ways the most successful In Its -hls-
tory. The place of meeting. the cor
dial welcome by the state and city Oil
cials. the enthusiastic manner in
which the speakers told the story of
their struggles and achievements and
the interest in the topics discussed
manifested by the thousands In attend
ance at each session Were features
which were not only unique. but which
showed that the race is more and more
making real front line progress.
No one who followed closely the
work done by the Boston local business
league and the Cambridge business
league for the entertainment Of the
delegates and visitors could doubt for
a moment the sincerity Of purpose of
the members of these local bodies in
their effort to make the Boston meet
ing of the league superb In every detail
Aside from the topics discussed by
those named on the program. there
were many notable speakers who deliv-
cred addresses that rang with the spir
it of progress and race unity among
both white and colOred people. The
address Of welcome by Governor David
1. Walsh and the addresses Of Attorney
William II. Lewis. Miss Mamie Helen
Burroughs. Major X. Il. Motion ana
others were masterpieces Of thought
and cloquence rarely exhibited I'm mai
ters relating purely to business.
The climax of the first days session
came in the evening at Symphony nall
where Governor Walsh spoke and Dr.
Washington delivered his annual ad
dress in the presence of 4,OOO people
DIR. Washington in part said:
From the first this National Negro
Business league has clung strictly to
the object for which 1t was founded.
1t was not founded to take the place of
other organizations. nor was this
league as league ever intended to go
into business as an organization or To
become close, hidebound concern.
with grips and signs and passwords.
We have such organizations. and they
are doing their work well. but the cen
trail purpose Of this National Negro
buSlueSS lcdBuC DCCh AiOtA sAAe 'Aoe
to foster. to spread and to create In
dustrial, business and commercial EN-
terprises among our people In every
part of the country. How well we
have succeeded shall let the facts
tell the story later on.
The founders and promoters of the
league fully recognize the fact that 1t
cannot meet all the needs OF the race
nor satisfy all its ambition. We fully
and frankly recognize the fact that
there is need for the particular and
distinct work to be done by the re-
ligious. the educational, the political.
the literary the secret and the frater-
nal bodies, as well as those that deal
with the civil rights OF, our people.
"All of these have their place. and
with none OF them would we seek to
interfere. but the history Of civiliza-
ton throughout the world shows that
without economic and commercial sue
cess there can be no lasting or com
manding success in other fields OF en-
deavor This league. then. has for one
of its objects. not the tearing down or
weakening Of other organizations. but
rather to give them strength and sta
bility.
"Since our last meeting the United
States supreme court has rendered q
decision in the Oklahoma case which
is OF far reaching value and impOr-
tance to our race. The main value of
this decision. rendered by southern
supreme court justice and an xCon
fol tn onIItnr nv.GIaya hplInr
consists in the fact that 1t makes plain
the idea once and for all by the su-
preme court of the land that neither
color nor race can debar a man in this
country from full citizenship.
81 regret to note that the number OF
lynchings during the first six months
Of the calendar year has increased as
compared with the same period a year
Ago. While the number Of black peO-
pie lynched IL smaller, the number Of
white people lyHched Is larger. The
increase in the total number lynched
should not discourage. but should make
us renew our energies and double our
determination to blot out the crime OF
lynching from our civilization, wheth
er the man be n white man or a black
man. And l here repeat that which !
said in Louisiana few weeks ago
we must have in this country law ad.
ministered by the court and not by
the mob. Along with the blotting oui
Of lynchings there should go that other
relic OF barbarism. refer to public
hangings.
"In all these mniters am pleading
not in the interest Of the Negro or the
white man. but In the interest Of .
more strong and perfect civilization.
"Our future Is before us. not behind
us. We are new race in n compafn-
lively new country. Let any who my
be inclined toward pessimism Or dr.
cord consider with me for few ~.