The Denver star., 1916-08-26
Business League Man OBJ
serves Conditions Closely.
CITES CASE OF ERRINe BOY
Backwardness Of Young Men to Make
Ample Preparation For carser Of
Usefulness Is Matter Of Deep Con.
cern-Mistake to Yield to Allure
ments of City Life.

/ ALBION Lewis Holsey, travelling rep
/ resentative for the National Negro
Business league, tells the following
story in connection with an interview
which he recently had with an old
lady whose nephew had tired Of home
surroundings and had taken up his
residence In Chicago. After listening
to the story of the old lady concerning
her nephew for several minutes Mr..
Holsey asked some pointed questions.
Where is your nephew, madam he
| asked.
With deep sigh and n slow shake
of her head the old woman replied:
Hes in Chicago working in some
sort er pool hall"
The old lady related how she had
nursed this boy. who was the only
child of Tildie, her youngest sister,
and how after her sisters death she
had educated this boy. with the hope
that he would be Il companion to her
in her old age. But he would not for
sake State street. in Chicago, for the
simple life In small southern town.
This elderly woman owned eighty
acres of rich farm land and about
twenty rent houses In the city, which.
was thriving southern town. With
tears in her eyes she said: Il can't get
this boy to come here and look after
my affairs. and when die is afeared
that the white folks is a-going to git
all my property. | wanted Walter to
come and look after my farm and my
city"
The good friend who introduced me
to this interesting old woman remark
ed as we left the place: Here Is a
golden opportunity being wasted by
young colored man. That property Is
worth every bit OF $4,000 and brings
in an income of several Thousand dol
lars year"
Does the young man ever come here
to see herr" l asked.
"Oh. yes. Whenever he gets broke
he comes home and talks the old lady
out of couple of hundred dollars and
then hikes back to Chicago. Why. do
you know that she is going to leave
him all Of that property when she dies.
and she is down now with an jncurable
ailment. What do you suppose is the
matter with our young men anyway
That is the one question that is con-
fronting the race today. Everywhere
one goes the question is asked, What
are our young men doing to prepare
themselves to take the places Of the
older men and women in business p
In church, in school and in social serv-
ice the young men are either absent or
outnumbered by the young women Of
the race when it comes to real sub
stantial service in too many instances.
During my tour Of the south and
southwest recently In the interest
of the National Negro Business league
it was a matter of very deep concern
to me that SO few young men were
present at the Business league meet
ings, says Mr.. Holsey. The older
men, by reason OF the keen competi-
ton which they experience in business,
realize the importance of race co-opera-
ton and business efficiency and re-
sponded generously with their time and
efforts to make these meetings a sue
cess, while 1t was only In rare In
persuaded to take an active part.
1t was therefore source of great In
spiration to me to meet Colonel Roscoe
Conkling Simmons at Louisville. KY.
recently OF course every one knows
Roscoe Simmons. but to see him as he
is today one must visit Louisville ana
let the citizens tell you how much he
is loved and honored in the place
| which he now calls home. "C0lonel
| Simmons Is an institution" says one.
| Colonel Simmons helped Louisville to
| find itself" says another, and 30 1t
goes White and colored people alike
admire him for his rare ability as an
| orator and love him for his charity.
He is genuinely popular and is pa
ticnt, hard working student Of prob
lens affecting our people.