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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 14, 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. ■ ANIMALISM INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE. It is an exceedingly hopeful sign of an awakening righteous national consciousness when a great paper like the Chicago Tribune, which has not always been frankly outspoken in its condemnation of racial prejudice and its attendant ills and injustices, con demns so unscathingly, as it does in its editorial of August 3rd, the re cent lynching atrocity at Temple, Texas. At heart the United States is too sound to permit such atrocities to be. If animalism runs riot in some degenerate, black or white, which causes him to commit a heinous and revolting crime, which no right-think ing human being can or does con done, what possible justification can there be for hundreds of seemingly sane and normal human beings to let animalism and brutishness run riot in them and place them in the same category of degenerates? None. The press must protest against, the pulpit must preach against ani malism and degeneracy in the mob if we would eliminate animalism and degeneracy in the individual. Our national safety lies in strict enforce ment and observance of the law. The press can do much to roll away the reproach that rests upon the nation. The Tribune says: A terrible crime in Temple, Texas, has just been followed by one still more atrocious. Neither crime is a stranger to the district of the South in which it was perpetrated. The first occurs in every part of the world. The second, a substitution of burning by a mob for execution after fair trial and con demnation under the law, is one which does not occur among any non barbarous people except in the American South. This fact is the darkest stain on the good name of America. It burns red across the world. Wherever news travels, the horror of Temple, Texas, will be known, as the horror years ago of Paris, Texas, was known. The murder or ravishing of women is an offense that stirs emotions deeper, perhaps, than any other in our nature. That justice should fol low swiftly and terrible is right. But what followed in Temple, and what has followed too often in the South, is an offense more heinous, more de moralizing and vicious in its influence than that which it was assumed to punish. Not-only is this true beyond de bate, but it is also true that since the latter offense is recurrent as well as the former, the guilt of it, the shame of it, falls upon the community which tolerates its repetition. Texas is disgraced by it, and the South and the United States. All America suf fers from it, as any one knows who has read or heard the frequent ref erence to the offense in the foreign press, in hooks, in the mouths of men and women famous or obscure. It is one of the outstanding phenom ena of American society, a reproach against our social intelligence, our respect for law or justice, our hu manity, our self-control. Against the noble rhetoric of our leaders, the en lightenment of our aims, the reality j of our institutions, this red blotch of unreasoning and unrestrained animal ; ism flames, ominous and unescapable How can Texas, a proud common wealth, how can America, with any shadow of self-respect, permit this crime to go on as it has, year by year, until it is advertised the world over as an American institution? Is Texas so unable to cope with the dregs of its own people that it must permit this unspeakable thing to shame her and America again and again? Is Texas unable or unwilling to cope with it by legislation and by efficient police administration? Other communities have in their care subject or backward races or classes. They do not tolerate such outbreaks of the abysmal brute. What has Texas done to protect her women better and to protect herself better? What is she going to do? A European of distinction recently remarked to an American traveler: "Is it possible that these communities think less of the offense against your women than of the pleasure of the punishment? How else can a civil i ized people permit these burnings and lynchings to occur?” It was a terrible indictment. How are we to face it? But, more impor tant still, how are we to face our own conscience, our own self-respect, while this “American institution” en dures? -o WELCOME TO OUR GUESTS. We bid most cordial welcome to the hundreds of our race who as deb gates and visit.drs to the sessions of the Grand Lodge and Chapter of the United Brothers of Friendship and the Sisters of the .Mysterious Ten are to spend a week in our city. We in dulge the hope that so pleasant will be your stay that you will be reluc tant to leave and anxious to return. We trust that your deliberations may Another Panoramic View of Omaha. make for the advancement of your or der, which we have been advised has as its cardinal principles the advo cacy of justice, mercy and truth, prin ciples to which all men should most heartily subscribe, even though they may not deem it necessary to be initiated into your fraternity or to have your grip and password. Fraternalism, as exemplified by your, and similar organizations, bears ! witness to the social instinct and the | laudable desire for mutual helpfulness ; which is such a strong and commend ! able characteristic of our people. May this trait of character remain with us a permanent possession. As your or der seeks the upbuilding of character and the cultivation of brotherliness, in absolute sincerity we can wish you abundant success. You will find Omaha a delightful city of more than 200,000 inhabitants dwelling in peace, generally speaking and happiness together. You will find us very human, with the faults and frailties of common humanity, and yet with warm hearts and the desire at least to be broad-minded, justice loving and kindly. You will find us a home-loving peopio. A good index of the character of a community is the tone of the press. You will find the press of Omaha sympathetic, liberal minded and fair. You will find our merchants and business men cour teous. We speak of the rule in all these matters, not of the exceptions that you may find. You will find our parks and boulevards, our public buildings beautifully artistic and sightly, inviting your inspection. IJ< sure to see as much of the city as you ran. Our excellent street car sys tem will take you to nearly all parts of the city. To aid you in finding your way we have published a special di-i rectory prepared by the Commercial Club in this souvenir issue of The Monitor. As the official mouthpiece of our race in Omaha The Monitor bids you cordial and hearty welcome to this growing city of which, despite its seamy side and imperfections we grow prouder year by year. -n -- OUR SPECIAL EDITION. Wt The Presence of Hundreds of Visitors Offers an Excellent Oportunity. We have issued this handsome spe cial edition of The Monitor in order that our visitors might have an ap propriate souvenir of their visit here and appreciate something of the beauty, magnitude, resources, spirit and prospects of our city; that our I own residents might also more fully appreciate thiir advantages and op portunities and take greater pride in I the city. We hope also that this issue i tuny serve to demonstrate to you that we are anxious to make The Monitor an efficient factor in the life of the , community, working with other pub lications along progressive lines. We believe that in our efforts to do this we will be heartily supported. We are frank to say that we hope by this issue to secure many subscribers and friends for the paper. We are sure ; that scores of our readers will buy ad ditional copies and send them to their friends, thus advertising Omaha. |Dh| We desire to thank the PublicityHjj^H Department of the Commercial c,u,l|3*|p for their kindness in permitting us towjj use their valuable halftones and alsi.jfflaM to the Waters--llarnhart Printing com piny for the two large cuts which em-fc hellish this issue. In featuring Omaha, as we are tio'J»L ing in this issue, it is most fitting thatjp^^g due recognition should be given to tbciK 1 A; chief executive of the city. It lslE ^ ^ therefore with great pleasure that w0|wBl place upon our front page the picture®,®^ of Hon. James C. Dahlman, who f°rHK^ nine years has been mayor of Omah iJSSfa and has entered upon his fourth con-|wTOw| secutive term. It is reported that the MexicansS|Q|]j|lj would like to establish a republic forjBH99 Mexicans, Negroes, Chinese and Jap-jljPp|nj ancse. Hurrah for the white, black^j||w^ and yellow! Even though his coun-Jilvp try has not been true to him, thejBSiww colored American will be found Btand-jjBflp !ng by and fighting for the Stars and wWt Stripes, should occasion arise for Ills doing so. There is no need, however, for excitement. President Wilson is 1 i • for the maintenance of peace and the people are with him. What is neither a thing of beauty nor a joy forever? The answer is easy! North Twenty-first street from Nicholas to Clark. Clean it up. TRUE PRAYER. By H. SAMUEL FRITSCH. You may pelt the Power that rules above With your puny, prattling prayers; You may thumb your beads and mouth your creeds And fondly think He cares. You may beat your drums and beat your breasts. You may bend your calloused knees; You may sign your cross and incense toss And fondly think He sees. But the prayer that moves the Power above Is the prayer that moves below: That brings to pass two blades of grass Where one was wont to grow. And the prayer that soars beyond the lips Is the prayer that lends a hand To struggling cause and people’s laws And helps them fast to stand. For ’tis he that takes the victims’ part Who are ground ’twixt stone and stone, And pleads their case in Justice’s face That mercy may be shown; And ’tis he that lifts Oppression's heel From the cringing necks of men, Who breaks the yoke of the under folk And sets them free again— Yes, ’tis he that helps his brother man, Whose prayers ascend to Heaven - For to orphans’ cries and widows1 sighs is God’s attention given— Why then pelt the Power that rules above With your rattling blow on blow? For the only prayers for which He cares Are the prayers that move below!