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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 12, 1916)
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, $1.50 PER YEAR Advertising rates, 54 cents an inch per issue. Address, The Monitor, 1119 North Twenty-first street, Omaha. Telephone Webster 4243. CANNOT DIVIDE POLITICALLY We, as a race, cannot afford to di vide politically. We must vote as we do vote, practically as a unit. And nationally, for the present at least, we must vote for the republican par ty. Locally, we can, and ought to, disregard party lines, and vote for men, irespective of their party affil iation, whom we know and believe to be friendly to our people and who will give us a square deal. Not spe cial privileges, for we do not ask or expect, neither should we have spe cial privileges, but our just rights and privileges in common with* other cit izens. Whenever we find such a man seeking election we should give him our united support. This we can and ought to do in local and state politics. In national politics, as conditions are at present, we cannot consistently follow this rule. We may know, for example, a man like the present able, fair-minded and fearless democratic senator from Nebraska, Gilbert M. Hitchcock, who has the disposition and desire to be friendly to our peo ple and with whom our interests would be perfectly safe, could he have his way. But we cannot support Mr. Hitchcock, because Mr. Hitch cock must stand with his party. And, unfortunately, the democratic party is dominated and controlled not by the broad-visioned men of that party from the north and west, but by the reactionary, low-browed mulatto breeding men of the South. The dem ocratic party is the reactionary South absolutely hostile to the Colored American. So long as this is true, the race cannot afford to vote for a democrat for senator or representa tive unuless his opponent be known to be absolutely unfriendly, and then in that case, one’s duty would be plain. And so nationally, our duty is to sup port the republican party. We regret that conditions are such that we cannot divide as other race groups may on political questions; for on public questions, we, like other intelligent people, must of necessity differ. We do not all think alike. Naturally, then, we could like to align ourselves with that party which lays emphasis upon this or that policy which appeals most strongly to our individual judgment or view point. But the open and avowed hostility of the democratic party to us as a race makes it impossible for us to support it. The attitude of the Wilson admin istration by its policy of segregation, wholesale dismissal of Colored office holders, and attempted Jim Crow leg islation has indefinitely postponed the day when members of the race can with any self-respect support for national office any democrat. The race cannot divide politically. We must vote as a unit and nationally we must support the republican ticket for there only can we see a glimmer of hope. THE CRISIS The Crisis, the ably-edited organ of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, ought to be in the home of every member of the race in the United States. Moreover, as many copies as possible should be gotten into the hands of white people in every com munity. The net paid circulation of this admirable magazine for the first I six months of the year 1916 was 37, 800. We hope that before the end of the year its net paid circulation may be at least 75,000. Show your race pride by subscribing for The Crisis. In doing so you are helping in the fight against lynching, segre gation and race proscription. It is our only national race magazine. BOOST BUSINESS VENTURES It is a most hopeful and encourag ing sign to notice how largely our people are entering into business. We ought to make it a matter of prin ciple to support and build up reputa ble race enterprises. The stronger our business institutions can become, the more positions can be opened for our boys and girls. We must become important factors in the commercial and business world. Boost our busi ness and professional men and wo men. Boost business ventures among lur people. The Monitor’s subscription list is growing nicely, thank you. Be sure you can keep a promise before you make one. Resist every effort «a> curtail your just rights. Be careful about keeping your word. Buy homes. JOHN G. PEGG, Editor Monitor: A few days before the last election of city commissioners I attended a mass meeting where Mayor J. C. Dahl man and other candidates spoke. The meeting took place on North 24th street, and the audience consisted mostly of Jews with a few Gentiles intermixed, among them was con spicuous one Colored gentleman whose intelligent countenance and personal ity drew my attention. I became anxious to know who he was, but my anxiety had reached its acme when I noticed that nearly every Jew that passed his seat greeted him most cordially and shook his hand. With Impatience I waited for the end of the meeting and as soon as it was over I stepped up to him and asked: “Who are you, sir, and why are you so popular among the Jews.” “Why,” said he, “I am John G. Pegg, city in spector of weights and measures.” Of course, 1 had not failed to give my name. We soon became engaged in some timely conversation which last ed about half an hour. I became con vinced that which I previously sur mised was a reality. I met him after wards quite often and always thought of the fanatics of the South (alas! there are some of them now in the North) who allow to ride in the street tars white characters of the under world but segregate men like Mr. John G. Pegg. I have asked many Jewish peddlers their opinion of Mr. Pegg and each and every one of them could find no words but the highest in praiseing him. “He seldom made an arrest, but rather reproached us and urged us to get a correct weight or measure at once.” I am quite certain that his liber ality was due not only to his good character and his cheerful disposi tion, but also to the fact that he was a Colored man. Had he enforced the law according to the power allotted him, in other words, if he were as strict as a white man, he might give an opportunity for some white bigots to complain of “Negro oppression,” and thus prevent another Colored man from being appointed to public of fice. We citizens of Omaha have lost a good and honest official, while the Colored people have lost a man who was a pride not only to the local com munity, but to the race as a whole. ISRAEL M. GERSHATER. AN HUMBLE TRIBUTE TO THE LATE JOHN GRANT PEGG Kditor Monitor: I sincerely regret the occasion of having to write of the death of my old and trusted friend, John Grant Pegg, taken as he was from his family in the prime of life and the vigor of his nanhood. I knew Mr. Pegg from the first week that he landed in Omaha to the day of his death, and to know him was to like him; in the many years of our political affiliations I had never found him disloyal to a friend or a cause, up on his word either in a political fight or a business transaction I could al ways rely. Like his predecessor, Par ker, I assisted him in securing the position which for twelve years he so ably and creditably discharged, that of inspector of weights and measures for the city of Omaha. With the limited opportunities which he had in securing an educa tion, Mr. Pegg displayed marked abil ity as a public speaker and a close reasoner. Again I sincerely regret having occasion to pay this humble tribute to so dear a friend and in this connection I extend my heartfelt sympathy to his bereaved wife and children in this the hours of their sorrow, and ocnsole them in the fact that they had a husband and a father in whom his race might well be proud and whose example they may justly emulate. ED. F. MOKEARTY. Omaha, Neb., June 6, 1916. Editor Monitor: It was with a great, amount of pleasure I read copies of The Mon itor, the only Colored weekly paper of this city Every intelligent Negro of our city, at least, ought to be a read er. Each one that reads it makes the paper bigger and the race more in formed. Not only so, but let each reader be a doer of something that isn’t ignoble and the editor will be helped. The race in general will be recipients of constant donations. M. H. Wilkinson, Pastor Mt. Moriah Baptist Churcn. 2308 N. Twenty-ninth St TO SUBSCRIBERS Please look at the number on the yellow label on your paper. If the number there is the same as the “Whole No.” on the front page it shows that your subscription is due. If the label is blue pencilled, it also shows that your subscription is now due. Oct Acquainted With These Candidates Now 4**»—4 j Vote For { WILL N. JOHNSON I FOR PUBLIC DEFENDER • ■ ■■■— 11■ ■ '■" ' " ... ..—I .i — ■ • I Republican Candidate I Geo. A. Magney | Democratic Candidate tor S County Attorney