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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 1916)
The A Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of the Eight Thousand ' $ ed People in Omaha and Vicinity, and to the Good of the Commun’ y The Rev. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor $1.50 a Year. 5c a Copy. Omaha, Nebraska, August 26, 1916 Vol. II. No. 9 (Whole No. 61) Monrovia's Buildings Public and Private The Executive Mansion An Attractive Modern Residence Adjoining Legislative Halls. THE LIBERIANS USE “TAXIS” Guy B. Robbins Continues Some of His Interesting Articles on Li beria and Her People. The finest building in Monrovia be longing to Liberians, is the new Exec utive Mansion. This was just com pleted in time for President Howard s second inauguration, January 1, 1916. It is a three-story concrete building with deep piazzas all around at each floor. The first floor is used for the offices of the President and his starf. The second contains large reception rooms and the third is the residence of the President and his family. The House of Representatives build ing comes next. It is also three stories high, but has a piazza only on one side. The first floor is occupied by the Treasury Department. The second by the Senate Chamber, and the third by the Supreme Court. The Finest Private Residence. The finest private residence in the Republic is located at Monrovia. It is the home of Hon. Walter F. Walker, Secretary of Education, who is now in the United States on a brief busi ness trip. This house was made to order in America and shipped to Mon rovia where it was put together. It is bungalow style, two stories with deep piazzas, thoroughly modem and up-to-date. It contains private water and sewerage systems and a gas plant for lighting and cooking. The ground is large with a fine tennis court and is surrounded by an im ported iron and wdre fence built on a concrete base. Whites Cannot Own Land. White people ow-n many of the fin est buildings in the city. They can not own land but they lease it for a long term of years and build to suit their needs. Their finest group is the German Cable and Wireless station. This is a group of four modem con crete buildings equipped w-ith water, sewer and electric lights. They also have a small private ice plant. The group contains an office building, a club house, the superintendent’s bun galow and an engine house. Next is the French Cable and Wire less station, similar, but not nearly so expensive as the German. Then comes the Bank of British West Af rica, which has been completed about two years. There are also several other buildings used for quarters for the European employes of the large firms doing business in that part of Africa. There is also the office and residence of the British Consul Gen eral. This building wras built and fur nished by the British Government. It is artistic and well kept. It has a (Continued on eighth page) Wonderful Progress In Last Half Century “They Have Learned to Stand On Their Feet.” — The Dodge City Messenger. The death of the Right Reverend Samuel D. Ferguson, first Negro member of the House of Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Church of America, calls attention once more to the remarkable advance made by the race in the last half century, not only in wealth and material progress, but also in education and religion. Dr. Ferguson had been the ranking mis sionary bishop of his church for many years and, since 1885, had held the episcopate of Liberia and West Africa. He had the peculiar distinction of be ing the first Negro to sit in the chan cel of St. Paul’s church, in Richmond, -Va., the church attended by President Jefferson Davis and General Robert E. Lee. Dr. Ferguson was bom 20 years be fore the beginning of the civil war, a time when his people were still in bon dage and had few of the privileges of a freeman. He obtained his oppor tunity of development in Liberia, whither his parents emigrated when he was six years old. In those days Liberia was still the Promised Land to the Negroes of the United States. The outlook for them at home or in any other direction than Liberia was dark, but on the longed-for coast of Africa, where Americans had founded a free land for the black race, there were mission schools, capable teach ers, opportunities of advancement. In the period covered by Dr. Fer guson’s vigorous manhood, approxi mately coincident with the half cen tury following emancipation, things changed very much for the American Negro. He more than doubled in num bers and accumulated wealth exceed ing $700,000,000. His school property for higher education built and paid for in that time amounted to $70, 000,000. In the half century the percentage of literacy was raised from 5 to 70. At its close there were 1,700,000 Ne gro children in public schools instead of a meager 10,000 in 1863. The num ber of Negro churches was increased from 550 to 40,000; the number of communicants from 550,000 to 4,300, 000. Sunday schools increased from 200 to 41,000, and their pupils from 10,000 to 2,200,000. This is a Very creditable record for an uneducated, illiterate race suddenly thrown on its own resources in the midst of a highly organized white civ ilization, which had no place ready for its former slaves. They are en tering every branch of business and making good; they are rapidly extend ing their real estate holdings; they are giving themselves a secular and religious education that ranks high in the Christian world. What their fu ture in this country will be no man dares to prophesy, but undoubtedly they will be ready to meet, boldly and capably, whatever fate has in store for them. They have learned to stand on their feet. C OLORED WOMEN ON HUGHES’ RECEPTION COMMITTEE. Denver, Col., Aug. 25—Mrs. Isabelle Stewart, president of the Colored Wo man’s Republican League and Mrs. Partheina George werenamed on the reception committee for making ar rangements for the reception to be given the Hon.. Charles E. Hughes on Saturday, Aug. 26. Recognition was given these wo men for their faithful and loyal ser vices to the Republican party before and since they possessed the fran chise. EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL FOR COLORED TEACHERS. Wilberforce, Ohio, Aug. 25—The latest venture in the journalistic field among the race is the publication of a monthly educational magazine for Negro teachers to be issued in Sep tember by the Wilberforce University. The magazine will be a clearing house for educational thought among Negro teachers. NEW PHOTO PLAY HOUSE AT KANSAS CITY, KAN. (Special to The Monitor.) Kansas City, Kan., Aug. 25.—One of the most magnificent and up-to-date photo play houses owned and operated by colored people is under course of construction at Tenth and Jersey Sts., this city. This theatre is bing con structed by a syndicate composed of Attorney L. W. Johison, M. Smith and other race men. COLORED WAITERS ARE MAKING GOOD. (Special to The Monitor.) San Francisco, Aug. 25.—During the waiters strike here a short while ago, their places were filled by colored help, who have made good. At the Port La Louvre Cafe there are 32 of our race working, the Hofbrau Cafe employs 62 and at the Tait Zinkand 74 are employed. The men at the Tait Zinkand have been given a two years contract. Race Congress Will Meet in Washington Concensus of Opinion Favors National Capital As the Most Suitable Meeting Place. TO WORK FOR EQUAL RIGHTS Organizations Religious, Civic, Fra ternal, Throughout Nation Urged To Send Delegates. Boston Mass., August 17, 1916— The proposed National Colored Citi zinship Rights Congress will be held in Washington, D. C., the latter part of September. After a canvas of the situation and receiving suggestions from many race champions over the country, Rev. Byron Gunner, of Hill burn, N. Y., president of the National Equal Rights League which proposes and calls the congress inlieu largely of its 9th annual meeting, announces the capital of the Nation as the concensus of opinion to hold this race congress on equality of rights. No place could be more fitting. An Open Congress. This National Colored Congress is to be an open one, both to delegated persons and to individual represen tatives of the cause who attend on their own responsibility. It is to be free and open for race conference, ac tion and declaration. The congress will organize itself independently. The Equal Rights League will call it to order and those assembled will then create the Congress. Racial fraternizing, mutual acquain tance, unity of feeling and a future national working together for rights, a united declaration to the country of Colored Americans on color proscrip tion, are among the purposes of this gathering. No move will impress equal rights, like an actual national conven tion attended by large numbers of Colored Citizens from various states. Delegated representatives are quite advisable, and churches, civic and lit erary societies, fraternal organiza tions, political and other clubs are asked to elect and send delegates. The call asks that a Citizens Equal Rights Committee be formed by pub lic spirited citizens in each community to work up interest, hold a public meeting and send representation. Any person is at liberty to start such a Committee. Ast at once. Secretary Wm. Monroe Trotter at 27 Corahill, Boston, will be glad to receive suggestions and inquiries. All together in 1916 and ON TO WASH INGTON. PREVENT “BIRTH OF A NATION.” Chester, Pa., Aug. 25—Colored resi dents of Chester won their fight in preventing the production of “The Birth of a Nation” last week. Mayor McDowell issued an order forbidding the production on the ground that it might create disorder in Chester, which has a population of 10,000 Ne groes. The theatre then applied for a preliminary injunction which Judge Johnson refused.
