Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1923-12-22
WAT TERRY AT UNION.

Watt Terry has come and gone anu
right royal was Unions welcome. lvr
the past several weeks the immediate
prospects of a visit from person OF
such rare distinction have engendered
many high expectations but each was
almndantiy satisfied Friday night AZ
the conclusion of Mr.. Terry's address
on Business Opportunities for Negro
es in the United States. Although Mr..
Terry urged in more than one letter
that "too much must not be expected IL,
the way of speech" he made
speech which for it's clearness OF arsG
ment, its appropriateness OF appliea-
ton. it's convincing logic and its fe'-
vent personal appeal. will stand as ali
economic classic. AS Mr.. Terry wended
his way through maze of fact anu
philosophy he captivated his audience
and held them as under some hypnotic
spell until q very tide of enthusia, IL
swept like wild deluge through the
vast throng that filled spacious Co
burn Chapel and Union boys responded
9s only Union boys can with deafenlng
applause. 1t was a great night for the
boys and at the conclusion OF MT.
Terry's speech they "let loose" very
avalanche of songs and cheers whr'
rent the air for blocks around. Terry
had taken Union by storm as few have
been able to do and the boys wanted to
admire him and appreciate him in the
orthodox, Union way" and they did.
Mr.. Terry in his speech made Few
illusions to him, elf to the disappoint-
mcnt of the entire audience and 1T was
not until he had yielded to questions
that the real beauty of his life, WIFI
it's spectacular rise TO business pro.al-
nence was revealed. Mr.. Terry is
Enthusiastically mCdest--a mliiloi.-
aire and modest; too modest to tell IN
his speech that his real estate holdings
were valued at more than million do.
lars; too modest to say that his phil
anthropies amount to more tnan !,
thousand dollars month; too mode
to say that the Terry Holding Coz:
pany-and he is the company-nousss
more than ten thousand souls; TOO
modest to say that his income approx
.mates twelve hundred dollars day.
Yet Mr.. Terry was not too modest 10
tell that he was born in the rural dis
tricts of Virginia and began life down
on the farm" ne was not too modest
to tell that he was janitor and conf
mon laborer before he was realtor.
Mr.. Terry's modesty makes doubly i'm
pressive his spectacular rise in tie
business world.
Mr. Terry argued that there was
room in many of the cities north and
south for laundries and department
stores. He controverted the charge
that the Negro was disloyal or lacked
race pride by saying that very often
the Negro entrepreneur offers inferio"
goods and services for the same price
as would command better goods and
services among his white competitors
end said hel "most Of the failures ct
Negro business need not be laid to dis
loyalty or lack of race pride but to the
Negroes rebellion against inferior
goods and services and the Negro who
would court the patronage of the pub
lie must give the@best that the market
affords at market prices" According
to Mr.. Terry race pride and race loyal
ty cannot long sustain the burden and
Inconvenience of inefficient service OF
the wastefulness Of inferior goods. The
speaker drove tcme his points, with
pertinent illustrations which his large
experience afforded in abundance.
In the firmameni Of human achieve
ment the sun OF Mr.. Terry's success
will shine in unexampled splendcr
through the years and will guide the
intrepid and wandering feet of advent
urous Negro youth of this and oncom
ing generations. even the generations
at Union. Union will not soon forge.