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, 50 cents an inch per issue.
Address, The Monitor, 1119 North Twenty-first street, Omaha.
Telephone Webster 4243.
SOUND BODIES AND
SOUND MINDS.
The fact that Howard Drew has
again come into his own and that his
nearest competitor was Loomis, an
other colored American, naturally
brings to mind the splendid records
that the athletes of our race have
made in recent years. In every field
of honorable manly sport in which they
have been permitted to take part they
have made good. It cannot be said
of Drew that he holds “the Colored
championship,” but the championship
of the world. He holds the world’s
record as a runner. Jack Johnson, al
though he belongs to an entirely dif
ferent world of sport from that which
we are now considering, was not “a
Colored champion,” but the champion
of the world in the pugilistic arena.
No championship in any line is worthy
of the name unless it is willing to
compete with all in that class the
world over who challenges the title
and are willing to compete for it. Our
athletes are making good in every line.
Nebraska is not without its college
athletes, notably Flippin, Johnson and
Ross, of football fame.
Nothing makes more for manliness
and clean living than good, clean man
ly sport. Feats of strength and tests
of endurance not only develop the
muscles but work off the unrestrained
animal spirits which lead so many
growing youth into sins of impurity,
' sins that are sapping the life blood out
of our American youth and menace
the stability of the home and the per
petuity of the family upon which the
fabric of the nation rests.
It is therefore gratifying to note
what splendid records athletes of our
race are making everywhere. It
speaks well. It means that despite
restricted opportunities in many
places for athletic training our youth
are, in increasing numbers, appreciat
ing the fact that sound bodies are a
most valuable asset and mean sound
minds. Sound bodies mean clean bod
ies, and clean bodies mean, as a rule,
clean minds; and clean minds and
bodies mean cleanliness of life. A peo
ple who stand for cleanliness of life
can never be overcome.
Every reasonable opportunity, there
fore, should be given our growing
youth for manly sport and athletic
training. It is not a waste of time or
a needless expenditure of energy. It
helps conserve manhood, th cheif asset
of any race or nation.
It is here where such institutions as
the Y. M. C. A. serve a good purpose.
And it is to be regretted that the nar
row policy of that well-equipped in
stitution bars our youth from its priv
ileges. It is to be regretted that our
youth have no well-equipped institu
tion in Omaha for physical culture
and athletic training. In school ath
letics the Colored boys of Omaha have
a brilliant record. More good athletes
might be developed if we had an in
stitution that would afford them the
necessary facoilities, such as obtain
in other large cities, for the fullest
physical development. We hope the
day is not far distant when some of
our wealthy and philanthropic citi
zens will give liberal aid in supplying
this need. In the meanwhile we urge
our youth to embrace every possible
opportunity they have for developing
their bodies and keeping them clean
and strong. Develop sound bodies and
cultivate sound minds.
THE MOHR MURDER CASE.
We are not as a rule interested in
murder cases. We wish there were
none; but unfortunately there are.
Generally we are content with glanc
ing at the headlines of the reports of
such cases and letting it go at that;
feeling sorry, of course, for all con
cerned in the tragedy. We have, how
ever, followed the Mohr case in Prov
idence, quite closely for two reasons:
because three Colored youths, it was
alleged, had been hired to commit the
crime by the wife of the victim, and
because for the first time to our
knowledge two of the brainiest and
best-equipped lawyers of our race
were pitted against a galaxy of the
best legal talent of New England. We
were interested in seeing how the
trial would issue and what impression
Attorneys Lewis and Edwards would
make.
Of course, despite the verdict of the
jury, people everywhere will have
their own opinion. To us, at this dis
tance, the verdict seems a most re
markable one. We do not know all
the evidence that was introduc’d, but
we do know that the state endeavored
to show that Spellman and Brown
shot Dr. Mohr because they were
hired to do so by his estranged wife.
Healis himself being privy to the plot,
saving himself by turning state’s evi
dence. In the light of these facts it
impresses us as a strange verdict
I which finds the principals, or two of
the principals, for Healis was one also,
guilty and the alleged accessory in
nocent. It impresses us as a remark
able verdict.
We are particularly pleased, how
ever, with the unstinted praise given
the splendid attorneys of our race for
their conduct of the case. They were
not one whit behind the able attorneys
against whom they were pitted, the
press freely conceding this fact. At
torney William H. Lewis, ex-deputy
United States attorney, whose mem
bership in the American Bar associa
tion caused so much trouble a few
years ago, was easily the dominating
figure at the trial. If the Mohr case
brought into the limelight a criminal
and weak-willed element of our race,
it also brought into the limelight the
higher type of the race and has dem
onstrated the fact that we have men
in the legal profession who can hold
their own with the best the other race
can produce. Such men are by no
means confined to New England. They
are to be found in every section of this
country. This fact should give us
race confidence in the ability of our
,vell-trained professional men.
Bishop Walters’ dignified “Open
Letter” to President Wilson which we
publish elsewhere in this issue, puts
the subject of the appointment of Col
ored Americans who belong to and
have worked for the success of the
Democratic party, right where it be
longs. Let the president appoint and
then let the Senate act. He has not
shown much temerity of the Senate’s
attitude or actions in other matters.
Local candidates for office are re
minded at this very early stage of the
game that the Colored Americans in
this vicinity are by no means satisfied
with the political recognition they
have been receiving. You want our
votes, but always find some excuse
for giving appointments to every
other class of American citizens ex
cept us. In the state, county and
city the appointments given our peo
ple are almost as scarce as hens’ teeth.
Think it over. We are thinking hard,
too, and intend to act. Vague, in
definite promises won’t go.
Of course, we’ll accept subscrip
tions as well as advertisements from
political candidates of all parties; but
neither your subscriptions nor your
advertisement, however large it may
be, entitles you to our editorial sup
port. Get that fact clearly fixed in
your mind, please.
Will you not help The Monitor into
every Colored American’s home in
Nebraska? Show it to your neighbor
and if he has not seen it, he will tell j
you at once that he wants to sub
scribe.
On the first lap honors are with the
ground hog.
_
Unite.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
The day unfurls its shining ban
ners from the east and down the
shadowy meadows of niy memory the
tendrils of thy valor turn green. He
stood on the field of Gettysburg in
tears and pressed the hearts of rebel
and union soldier slain, to his gentle
bosom. Amidst the whirling hosts of
Vicksburg and Antietam his spirit
soared like a new' Christ, and the
frenzied foe who struck at his life’s
blood he called “my children.”
“Can’st thou, by searching, find out
God?” Yes. This man found God.
His life was attuned to the music of
Divine Love and out of his great heart
flowed God’s pity and the tenderness
of little children. He was as gentle
as a woman. His life as fragrant as
a flower.
Here a dark faced mother would
give up her boy to her country. There
on some blood-stained stretcher, from
across the shining seas, would be
borne the palsied shadow of a son.
Empty hearts! Empty homes! And
Oh, the river of tears! But his sweet
ness took the bitterness out of strife.
His justice was tempered with mercy.
To those of the lost cause, he said:
“Let them come back, we’ll treat them
as if they had never been away.” This
was Abraham Lincoln; half dreamer
and half seer.
WILL N. JOHNSON.
“POLLY TICKS.”
Do you know “Polly Ticks?” She’s
a coy, elusive and fascinating maid
en of rather doubtful age, whom
many love to woo. Get your name on
her list as one of her ardent wooers.
Gentlemen, if you have a political
aspiration
That will lead you to risk flirtation
With “Polly Ticks,” a dream and in
spiration,
Do not have the slightest hesitation
In taking advantage of our circula
tion,
To reach that portion of our popula
tion,
Which can grant you circumambu.ia
tion
With this lady of your choice and
station.
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