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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 7, 1915)
The Monitor A Weekly Newspaper devoted to the civic, social and religious interests of the Colored People of Omaha and vicinity, with the desire to contribute something to the general good and upbuilding of the community. Published Every Saturday. Entered as Second-Class Mail Matter July 2, 1915, at the Post office at Omaha, Neb., under the act of March 3, 1879. THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor and Publisher. Lucille Skaggs Edwards, William Garnett Haynes and Ellsworth W. Pryor, Associate Editors. Joseph LaCour, Jr„ Advertising and"Circulation Manager. SUBSCRIPTION RATES, $1.00 per year. Advertising rates, 25 cents an inch per issue. Address, The Monitor, 1119 North Twenty-first street, Omaha. HOLDS POLITICAL POSITION. The political positions held by mem bers of our race in this city, county and state are far below the ratio to which our numbers and wealth en title us. Mere numbers of themselves count for little. One must take into account all that goes towards desir able citizenship; character, intelli gence, industry, home ownership, tax paying, and the like. When judged by these standards our colored citizenry averages well. And it is in view of all these facts that we maintain that the political positions held by us are not fairly proportionate. Under thj present administration in Omaha it looks as though decided gains are to be made. Of this we shall speak in a subsequent is >ue. It is only fair to say now, that during Mayor Dahl man’s administrations, so far as he is personally concerned, our people have been given due consideration. He has seen to it that the positions formerly assigned to us were retained, although pressure was brought to bear upon him—and the names of some of those who did so are known to us—to take away from us the best and only representative position held by a member of our race in the city government, the inspectorship of weights and measures. Under the last administration, Mr. A. C. Kugel gave us recognition. Some other commissioners did not. A change of 300 votes was sufficient to determine the result. We speak of these things now, when no campaign is on, in order that all may know that our people are taking careful no tice of those, irrespective of party name, who are disposed to treat us fairly in the matter of political ap pointments. In this connection it is but fitting that we publish the cut of John Grant Pegg, who has held the position of Inspector of Weights and Measures for the past nine years. He is head of his department, and has two assist ants. Mr. Pegg was born in Richmond, Va., in 1868 and was raised in Kan sas. He has resided in Omaha since 1899. He served as messenger to Mayor Frank E. Moores from 1901 to 1903. He was appointed to his pres ent position by Mayor Dahlman in 1906. Mr. Pegg is buying a comfortable home at 4308 Patrick avenue. He has an excellent wife and a large and in teresting family. He has demonstrat ed his ability to land and to hold a political position. -o “THE RIGHT KIND OF STUFF." It was on a Dodge and North Thir tieth street car, the line on which so many hundreds of our people ride daily with never a worry or a care 1 about the parasitic jitneys. Jog on, jerky jitney, why should we worry when on a comfortable street car we can ride first class. We sat down beside a clean-cut, neat young man. He had a pleasant, intelligent face. He had a get-up air about him. He was reading a book. He interested us as all men do, even those who seem to have little or no get-up about them. We asked his name. He gave it pleasantly and politely. “Pleased to see you so studious,” we said; “what work are you in?” “I’m a waiter. That is, I hope to be. I’ve been at the business four months. This is an official, up-to date manual on waiting. It tells you all about it. How dishes are pre pared and how to serve them. I carry it in my pocket and put in my spare time studying it, because I want to learn all about the business I can and become as proficient in it as possible.” "That’s business, young man,” we replied. “You are made of the right kind of stuff. You’re going to win out." This is the first time we have ever seen a waiter, colored or white, study ing a book on his line of work. We were pleased to see it. This young fellow is aiming at efficiency. For years to come many of our men will be in this line of work—if they are proficient and efficient. This young man is aiming at becoming what every man and woman should strive to become—the best in his line. Studying in order that he might become a proficient waiter! What do you think about it? Don’t you agree with us that this fellow is made of the right kind of stuff? The Omaha Nebraskan, of which the brilliant Richard L. Metcalfe is the distinguished editor, is advocating • the selection of Omaha as the meeting place of the national democratic convention in 1916. This is a movement in which it seems to us that all the citizens of Nebraska, ir respective of party affiliations, can and should, most heartily join. Oma ha has fully justified its ability to take most hospitable care of large conventions and even the democratic national convention is not too large for our progressive city. Centrally located and easily reached by sev eral railroads, with ample hotel ac commodations, unsurpassed by any in the country, and an auditorium ade quate for convention needs, Omaha is the ideal place not only for the democratic national convention, but also for the national republican con vention. Politically, Nebraska offers a strategic point, which should weigh with those in authority who arc con sidering the location of the national convention. Boost for Omaha and Nebraska and a migfi:y good way to boost will be to help land the demo cratic national convention. The Om aha Nebraskan has begun a good work—let everybody push it along. -o Miss Frances Bell, who has been employed for the past two years as stock girl with the Parisian Cloak Company, an enterprising business firm on South Sixteenth street, has been promoted to the more respon sible and remunerative position of stock clerk. We congratulate Miss Bell on her promotion and commend most heartily the Parisian Cloak Company for their spirit of fairness in thus recognizing and rewarding merit, ability and faithfulness in Miss Bell, who is one of our most deserv ing young women. She is a gradu ate of the Omaha High school and went to the state university at Lin coln for a year to prepare herself for teaching domestic science. The death of her father compelled her to give up her college course and seek em ployment, which she was successful in finding with this firm. -o We are gratified to know that The Monitor is pleasing our Increasing list of subscribers and advertisers. We are striving to make it a paper that the public will demand. It is a paper for all the people of Omaha, run in the interests of all and aiming to treat everybody with justice and fairness. -o By the way, are you spending every cent you earn—and then some, or are you saving a little each week? The Saving Habit Grows. -yj Buying ice now! Yes, but you’ll need coal pretty soon. -o Missionaries urgently needed in pagan Georgia and Texas. “OWED” TO OUR CITY BEAUTIFUL Dear Mr. Street Commissioner, we strive to be patient toward all busy men; But will you not most kindly tell us when, From Twenty-first street, between Nicholas and Clark, You intend to remove that rubbish as ancient as Noah’s ark? The circus came and shekels many thousand took away. But left this suffering street and mead bestrewn with straw and hay; So, to the unsightliness of which we spoke before, Because of tolerance and patience, there’s been added vastly more. THE LEELANAW. The act of Germany’s sinking an American vessel two days after re ceiving this government’s latest note is not very reassuring. The first dis patches made it look like a defiance of the contentions made by the Unit ed States. Later dispatches show that a warning was given and the crew allowed to escape. This is evi dence that It is possible for a sub marine to destroy a captured vessel in accordance with the accepted rules of warfare, a thing which Germany has heretofore held to be impractic able, if not impossible. So the sinkng of the Leelanaw, in stead of adding to, will probably les sen the tension between the United ^States and Germany. If Germany continues to conduct her submarine warfare in this manner, there will be no issue between her and this government.—The New York Age. WHAT NATIONALITY? Rather difficult at times is it to tell just what nationality some peoffle are. In Denver, Colo., a man was arrested on a charge of contracting an unlawful marriage and upon ap pearing before the court pleaded not guilty. He had promised to marry a colored woman, but jilted her for a white woman who later became his wife. The defendant proved that he was a mixture of three races, Mulatto, French and Indian; the court is left to determine the preponderance of blood. His mother was French and Mulatto, his grandmother was a full blooded Indian and his grandfather was a Mulatto. The judge doubtless would be pleased to hear from spe cialists on the subject, as his mind is a little hazy on the law covering such cases.—The Chicago Defender. Unconscious Humor. Some of the finest jokes extant come through the fact that the print er’s finger slips. Here are some which, like all others, are funny a long, long, long time afterward—never at th.e time. A Chicago paper reported that the propeller Alaska was leaving port with a cargo of 40,000 bushels of cats. A Buffalo paper, in describing the scene when Roosevelt took the oath of office as president, said it was a spectacle never to be forgotten when Roosevelt, before the chief justice of the supreme court and a few witness es, took his simple bath.—Associated Advertising. A MAN’S PRAYER. Let me live, oh Mighty Master, Such a life as men should know, Tasting triumph and disaster, Joy—and not too much of woe; Let me run the gamut over, Let me fight and love and laugh, And when I am beneath the clover Let this be my epitaph: “Here lies one who took his chances In the busy world of men, Battled luck and circumstances, Fought and fell, and fought again; Won sometimes—but did no crowing; Lost sometimes—but didn’t wail; Took his beating—but kept going. Never let his courage fail. “He was fallible and human, Therefore loved and understood Both his fellowman and woman, W’hether good or—not so good; Kept his spirit undiminished, Never lay down on a friend, Played the game till it was finished, Lived a sportsman to the end!” If The Monitor Pleases You Subscribe Now One Dollar a Year