The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-02-04
AFRO-AMER|CAN CU[LNCS

IL NcAIly III CNoEy UOUy mas ueaFu VI
Mound Bayou, Miss, the only exclu
I sive Negro city In the United States
Il has attracted public attention to
an extent only second to Tuskegee az
an effort TO help lead the Negro to
the solution Of the problem Of the
Industrial life. All the town officials,
the postmaster, railroad agent. and
everybody else Ii Negro. And all
the property IS owned by Negroes.
Now comes word that this commu-
nifty Is threatened with grave embar-
rassment due to financial difficulties.
Wellknown men. North and South,
are named az patrons of plan to
aid the founder Of the city, whose
services to both the black and white
race are freely admitted by the lead
ing newspapers Of that section. Among
the patrons OF the plan. which Is.
briefly, q bond issue on the founders
entire holdings. are Stuyvesant Fish,
ex-senator Leroy Percy, Bishop Theo-
do,e Bratton Of the Episcopal church,
Charles Scott. formerly president Of
the Mississippi River Levee associa-
ton; c., p J. Mooney, editor Of the
Commercial Appeal. Memphis: J. A.
Hayes OF Colorado, son-in-law Of JEFF
ferson Davis. and others almost as
well known.
Isaiah +. Montgomery's remarkable
character and services are at the back
of these spontaneous tributes to the
leading spirit of the Mound Bayou
community. He was slave Of the
Davis family and was the lifelong
friend Of Jefferson Davis. president of
the confederacy. Immediately after
the war he came to be the master Of
the estate on which he was once a
slave, but only for a brief period. for
the property was soon restored to the
Davis family. ... .
Not as slave. but as leader Of his
race he gained his recognition. He
has stood during his entire life for
the principle of good relations be-
tween the white and black races. He
has constantly urged his people to
be honest, thrifty, and, above all, law
abiding He has especially empha-
sized the great advance which the
race could achieve through earnest
industry and economy. .ss,..s
He has the distinction of having
been The only Negro member OF the
Mississippi constitutional convention
OF 1890 the body which adopted the
literacy test for voting. He was a
member Of the committee on the fran
chise. And when the plan had been
adopted he accepted 1t as not taking
away the franchise from his race but
putting that great birthright Of Ameri-
can citizens on the highest plane. His
speech In the convention showed him
3 to be an orator OF no mean rank and
seiectrlhed not only the members but
attracted national attention.
The present financial difficulties are
due IN the main to the stress Of last
year, with It's short crop in his Sec
tion, and extremely low prices for
products. Exchange. t.r.
The memory Of Booker T. Washing
ton. educator, will be perpetuated in
Chicag0 by 3 practical memorial build
ing to be named in his honor March
1. when the building Of the Kehilath
sAnshe Mayriy Reformed Jewish con-
gregation, East Thirty-third street and
Indians avenue, II purchased at cost
Of SIS, 900. The building will be re-
named the Booker T. Washington me-
mortal and when RENTED will be used
10 social center and Industrial train
fnR school for Negro children Of Chi
cago. II will care for 1000 to 1900
children and will solve for hundreds
81 parents the problem Of how to keep