The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1917-08-04
Charles E. Stump, The Kansas
Farmer, Newspaper Man
Visits Texarkana, Arkansas
Clarksdale, Mississippi,
Mound Bayou And Other
Points In The South.

ride. / left over the Norfolk & West
ern, riding over that line to Cincin-
natl, where 1 missed connection with
the l.. & n, and had to remain over
several hours. Of course l went to
church, it being Sunday night.
went to the Mound Street Baptist
church, Rev. w. Augustus Jones, pas
tor. He was getting ready to preach,
hut when he saw me come in, called
me to the front and insisted that /
should do the talking After church,
Mr.. and Hrs. Grandson escorted me
to the car, put me on the right road
to the L. & N, and soon 1 was started
for Louisville, KY. Reaching there 1
went to the home of William H. Stew
ard, about o'clock in the morning,
but Prof. Blanton heard my ring and
let me in, and a day was spent in
Louisville.
Off for Mississippi. There was
nothing which happened worth relat-
ing on this trip. 1 went to Clarks-
dale, Miss, where the Mississippi Bap-
fists were holding their annual con-
ventiGn, presided over by Rev. A. M.
Johnson. 1t was certainly the num-
Der that John saw, and you know
John has passed away now. There
was not a hall building in the town
large enough for that big navy.
enjoyed meeting these men. / was as
signed to stop at the home of DR..
Rains, and enjoyed so much being
there. Rev. A. A, Cosey stopped at
the same place, and it was headquar-
tiers for Rev. Joseph A. Booker, DR..
Sutton A. Griggs, President, and Mrs.
z. T. Hubert, and others were there
Off to the convention, and had the
pleasure of shaking hands with the
spirit of Mound Bayou, Hon. Charles
Banks. To his friends-in fact to the
people he is known as Charley
Banks" Mound Bayou is the Negro
town founded by Hon. I. T. Montgom-
cry, but it did not make much head
way until there came along a Banks.
He is not a man of fuss" but a man
of do" and he has been doing.
Charles Banks is to be found in any
thing that means progress, and he is
there with his presence, with his
money, with his influence, but never
pushes his way to the front. He is as
modest as a woman, but a real bust
ness genius. I was delighted to come
in touch with such a man. He is first
vice-president of the National Negro
Business League.
1t is wonderful the men who have
produced in the past few years. had
the pleasure of touching such men as
Rev. E. C. Morris, DID,, president of
the National Baptist convention; Dr.
Joseph A. Booker, president of the Ar
kansas Baptist college, and secretary
of the Home Mission Board of the Ma
tional Baptist convention; DIR. Sutton
E. Griggs, the son of his father; Rev.
E. B. Topp, DR.. S. H. C. Owens, presi-
dent of the Natchez college; J. H. c.
Henry. of Vicksburg, and I could just
name them for a week and not be
through.
Speaking of the National Baptist
convention, they are getting ready for
the big annual session in Muskogee
next month. 1 am told that it is go
ing to be the biggest in the history of
the organization. Many will be the
people there I have now arranged to
go myself. Will tell you about it in
my next letter. Rev. A. R. Griggs is
getting ready to build that National
Seminary. He is secre-
tary of education, and they have
great man in this position.
From Clarksdale 1 made in through
Memphis, to Texarkana, then to Waco,
Texas, then to Dallas, then to st.
Louis, over to East st. Louis. / don't
know what is going to happen there.
I tell you my people have left that
place and are still leaving. They are
trying to get some way to hold them
IN town. and perhaps will succeed. l
Am not in favor of running, for 1t
nay be necessary for some of US to
lie before the real work will ever be
Yes, die. You see, II
hey can shoot a few guns, kill a few
md run us, we will ever be on the
-un. We must stay somewhere, and
,ome of us will have to die. But I
believe in peace and not in dying.
But we are here to die. Birth and
ieath are together. II you are born
hen you must die, but die to live
Igain. 4
I noted some Of the houses burned.