The St. Paul echo., 1927-05-28
ST. PAUL ECHO


recent political event made me very
happy. mean that the way our group
held itself in when attempts were made
in the mayoralty campaign to inf1ame
them-that did more to make me proud
of our group that anything I can re-
member"
What Binga did bend himself to was
the economic problems of the Negro
trying to find his way in the crowded
and complex life of world metropo-
lis. Constantly on his mind was the
thought "Our group is not consid-
cred very good risk
Delves Into Economies.
The way to eliminate that risk, he
thought, was to open to his race &C.
equations with the element of perma.
nency in them.
"Our group" he said, "must learn
to be self-sufficing, must own it's own
shops and banks, must make for the
substantial businesses with future in
them, and not be trading upon nor
fawning upon the good nature of the
white man."
training and of opportunities to ac-
quire such training, he organized,
among other agencies, the A. B. C.
ASSOCIATED Business club. Under that
clubs auspices white heads of depart
ments in large grocery houses, in
Sears-Roebuck, and in other leading
commercial establishments gave talks
to colored men and women on business
training and business opportunities
Need Business instruction.
THE field for such instruction."
said Mr.. Binga, Is large and hopeful.
Progress is being made" That prog
res he epitomized thus:
Fourteen years ago the colored
population of Chicago was between
fifty and sixty thousand. 1t is now
more than 10000. Fourteen years ago
the accumulated wealth of our group
was about $7,OOO,OOO, of which four
and a half millions was in banks, and
of that four and a half millions only
$4,000 was in colored banks. Today
the accumulated wealth of the Negroes
in Chicago is, roughly, 100000, 900, of
which from forty-five to fifty millions
is in banks, and of that forty-five to
fifty millions four millions is in colored
banks. There are six white banks in
the mid south side area which would
have hard time to make the grade
il the colored people withdrew their
deposits.
Growth Despite Difficulty.
This immense growth, not so much
with the encourage of ADVANCES of
education and training as in the face
"a certain pronounced disadvantages,
brings with it the necessity TO reduca-
ton, systemization and Standardization
among our group"
What do you mean by standardiza-
tion?"
~ mean the Standardization Of the
property values Of our group and Of
their credit"
College Men His Associates.
Such are some aspects Of Binga the
business man; such are some of his
ideals.
While he talked business he escorted
me throgh the bank, introducing me
here and thereto C. N. Langston,
cashier, who is of the third generation
of Langstons to graduate from Ober-
lin college, to Richard H. Mickey, as
sistant auditor, who is Columbia
university graduate, to B. T. McGraw,
a teller, who graduated from the Uni
versity of Michigan, to Rudolph Glow
er, who graduated from Fisk uni
versity of Chicago, to Frederick Coffey,
who graduated from Northwestern
university, to Miss A. James, a teller,
who graduated from the University Of
Chicago, and so on.
You know" said Jesse Binga when
we had gone our way, 81 get a big
thrill out of that-out of the thought
of those educated young people max
ing a career with permanency in it
not condemned to hit or miss occupa-
tons, but justifying their education
and showing our group what can be
done by earnest men and women who
are pround to stay within the group"