Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1920-11-20

controlled by competent Negro. This estab-
lishment is said to be the largest Of it's kind
in the South and doing the largest business.
The general home life of the Negroes in
Clarksdale will rank with any town, for
many own handsome and we'll furnished
homes. In this instance the white people
have encouraged the Negro wonderfully.
The grocery concerns of Cole and Goosby
stand as perfect example of the Negro to
do a clean cut retail business with fairness
to all. AT recent Business League meet
ing one of these merchants testified that he
was able, by paying his bills promptly and
taking advantage Of the cash discounts, to
sell on the same basis as the white merchant
and was in position at all times to court
the most critical examination Of his books.
He further testified that in business there
was no color line for white wholesalers ex-
tended them the same consideration as any
other race.
In the last week or so the local League
a combination of Negro business men, met
and reorganized their league along higher
and more constructive business lines electing
as it's head one of the most careful and
successful Negro business men to be found
in the entire delta. The other officers are
men whose standing in the community is be-
yond question:
Summing up the entire situation one is led
to the positive conclusion that no race could
make this progress unless back Of it was the
,nbounding faith and encouragement of the
high class big hearted white men of the
South. Especially is this true here in
Clarksdale. They hear the Negroes just
complaints and in many cases have brought
about remedy. They seek the Negroes
counsel on matters affecting the education
of his children and on all matters relating
tO ba ut tfal
They are giving more time and money to
proper schools and courses for the Negro
child
Recently the Chamber Of Commerce Gre
ated a welfare department and appointed
welfare committee, composed of the strong
est white men in the country, to see to it
that the Negro gets a fair and just settle
ment in his crop adjustments this fall. They
90 further than that They have set out to
improve in a general way his living condi
tons on the larger plantations. Many Of
the large planters are planning to spend
large sums in this direction and to create
more wholesome pleasure for his participa-
ton
The Negro leaders conception and vision
of the changed conditions and the RESPONSE
bility attached thereto is apparent to those
who carefully study the results as brought
about under these changed conditions and
is most pleasing to those who have his inter-
est at heart One Of them in talking to the
writer said that we are aware that we are
confronted with grave problems, which need
careful thought and just consideration for
the rights Of both the Negro and the white
man, and we will go as far as the white
man in seeking just solution to all of them.
No where else has the writer found Negro
leaders with such spirit of fairness and
willingness to cooperate in this crucial hour
as is true of the Negro leader in this city,
realizing as he does, that any other course
will in the end lead to state of Bolshe
vism and anarchy.
With regard to the proper treatment Of
the Negro, Clarksdale and the entire county
of Coahoma is pointing the way to other
sections Recently a large constructive
meeting was held at the courthouse The
attendance on part of both Negroes and
whites was the largest in the history Of this
city. Dr. R. R. Motion, principal of Tuske-
gee Institute and George R. James Of the