The Monitor
A Weekly Newspaper devoted to the civic, social and religious interests
of the Colored People of Nebraska and the West, with the desire to con
tribute something to the general good and upbuilding of the community and
of the race.
Published Every Saturday.
Entered as Second-Class Mail Matter July 2, 1916, 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 and William Garnett Haynes, Associate Editors.
George Wells Parker, Contributing Editor and Business Manager.
Joseph LaCour, Jr., Lincoln Representative, 821 S. St., Lincoln.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES. *1.50 PER YEAR
Advertising Rates, 50 cents an Inch per issue.
Address, The Monitor, 1119 North Twenty-first street, Omaha.
Telephone Webste 4243.
MONITOR POTATO TRACTS SOLD
The Monitor has been informed by
the Hungerford Potato Growers’ As
sociation that the fifteen tracts which
it requested to have set aside espe
cially for its readers have all been
subscribed for by Colored people and
that fifteen more will be set aside if
we desire. We are glad to know of
this and feel ourselves justified in the
belief that our people know a good in
vestment when they see one. The rea
son we requested fifteen plots togeth
er was for the reason that such num
ber entitles a subscriber to represent
the group and go to the land at har
vest time and see that the company
fulfills its promise—not that it will
not, but that this opportunity is af
forded every group of fifteen.
Last week the company was offered
one dollar per bushel by speculators
for this year’s potato crop. The offer
was refused because the company
means to eliminate the speculator and
let its members reap the advantages
of the best market prices. This al
ready means that the investment will
yield more than twice the sum men
tioned, inasmuch as the company’s es
timate is based upon 50 cents a
bushel. We believe that the persons
who have become members of this as
sociation are wise and that many
more will join in the next few weeks.
We are beginning to learn that we can
never wTin by the labor of the hands
alone.
CARING FOR THE STRANGER
The Ministers’ Alliance of Birming
ham, Ala., has addressed religious
leaders throughout the North request
ing them to look after the thousands
of our race who are leaving the South
and will meet new' conditions.
We believe the appeal is timely and
ought not fall on dull ears. Every
help should be given these people, who
are bone of our bone and flesh of our
flesh, to develop into the highest type
of citizenship.
Many who come will belong to the
progressive, well educated, upstand
ing class; many others, indeed the
majority, will belong to the honest,
well meaning but unlettered class. All
should be given welcome, encourage
ment and opportunities for moral, so
cial, intellectual and industrial better
ment. This responsibility rests upon
us. Let us measure up to it.
A LABOR OF LOVE
Last month the National Federation
of Colored Women’s Clubs made ap
peal through the Crisis Magazine for
something like $40,000 to raise a
mortgage from the home of Frederick
Douglas, so that it might be to the
American Negro what the home of
Washington is to the nation. The ef
fort is a most commendable one and
we sincerely hope that all the Colored
citizens will turn out to the memorial
exercises to be held next Tuesday
evening at Zion Church, Twenty-third
and Grant, and contribute a little to
ward the great purpose. It is a labor
of love, an evidence of devotion to
race, and above all an inheritance to
pass on to generations yet unborn.
A REQUEST TO SUBSCRIBERS
Many have been prompt in renew
ing their subscriptions. Many others
are still in arrears. We are in urgent
need of money to meet the cost of
publication. We must have $300 with
in the next ten days. A much larger
sum than this is overdue from delin
quent subscribers. Will those who
owe see to it that they have their
money ready when the collector calls ?
Or will you not mail the amount due
by check or post office money order.
If the number on the yellow label
bearing your name which appears on
your copy of The Monitor agrees
with the Whole Number 87, of this
issue, or is under that number, say
70, 65, 54, etc., it means that your
subscription is due.
We will also appreciate it, if you
will try to secure one new subscriber
for us. Suppose you try. This will
help us double our subscription. The
Monitor is growing. Help us grow.
SONG OF SOLOMON.
Cigars and Women.
1. Open thy shell pink ears, 0 my
son, whilst I solo to thee an aria upon
my trusty trombone.
2. Cigars are like women and thou
can’st not tell from the wrapper what
the filler is.
3. I have hied me to a shop of the
Indian sign and bought me a smoke
all bedizened with golden gilt, but
after the match I have sworn plenti
fully.
4. I did dream of thirty minutes in
Havana, spooning with the big black
eyed senoritas, but instead I thought
myself in Gehema wrestling with
the fumes of hades.
5. Again I have wandered in at the
Sign of the Pipe and slipped a blue
for a rough-coated weed, and the
smoking thereof carried me to the
gates of the Palace of Dreams.
6. So have I found it with my five
hundred wifely experiences. Thou
can'st not judge by exteriors.
7. I have married me a damsel who
was an explosion in salmon plush and
ere the honeymoon faded from the
blissful shores I have looked me up
the statues and the time table to
Reno.
8. Again I have ringed a quiet
faced maiden in calico and I have
hoped that the honeymoon would
mean eternity.
9. Beware, O my son, of cigars and
women. The two-bit a piece may not
have it on the one lonesome per.
10. The good cigar and the good
woman are not always good adver
tisers. Selah.
In a recent article Josephus Daniels
of the Navy Department says that the
present European war will be peanuts
to the coming war between the white
and black races, and that the black
races will whip. Guess that is the
reason why Joe won’t let Colored men
light in the navy. They might learn
to fight too well.
An American says that England
has captured 400 German submarines
and has 186 chained together at
Tlymouth. How many of those things
did Germany build, anyway? Must
be near ten thousand.
The paper trust says that they will
be good and cut the price if Uncle
Sam won’t come after them. Maybe
they will, but whoever heard of a
trust doing such a thing if left alone ?
Did you sign for your five acres of
Hungerford potato land ? We did and
spuds have gone up to $3 per bushel
since.
Violets are in the market and don't
forget to buy the wife a bunch to let
her know that you love her in the
same old way. They only cost two
bits, but the sentiment is worth a
million.
At the corner of Sixteenth and
Dodge they will show you how to
beat the coal man. Take a peek, be
cause it may be worth while.
We hate the mud, but, oh, you
warm weather!
Chicago says that she will be able
to care for 10,000 Colored immigrants
this spring. So will Omaha.
Thanking you for your wide-eyed
attention, we will now take a match
to yesterday’s cigar butt.
BENJAMIN BANNEKER
CHOSEN AS GREAT AMERICAN
The Nebraskan, an Omaha weekly
paper, has been conducting a oolumn
for great Americans to whom suffi
cient credit has not been given. One
white subscriber recently called at
tention to the fact that Benjamin
Banneker, the colored astronomer, has
not been given his due place in the
history of this country. The article
is very good and inspiring, but per
haps the author has never heard that
Banneker, besides being an astrono
mer, was also an architect. When
L’Enfant refused to complete the lay
ing out of the city of Washington
was Benjamin Banneker who was
called upon by Congress to complete
it
Oletha Russell, Notary Public and
Public Stenographer, 413 Karbach
Blk. Douglas 3607.Adv.
Call In Or Call
Us Up
Will you please call in at our office and get one of our books ex
plaining our plan under which we will sell you a farm on compara
tively the Building and Loan plan. Explaining how we sell a five i
acre potato tract upon the payment of only $25 down and $5 per
month. Explaining how we go on and work this farm for you, de
veloping it into a veritable garden and at the same time give you
two-fifths of all crops raised upon the land, which two-fifths, in a j
couple of years, ought not only pay the difference between your
monthly payments and the price charged for the land, but should
give you back every dollar you have paid in. If the price of potatoes
still stays up as they are, it should even do better than this, but even
if potatoes drop to 76c or $1 a bushel after a year or two, even then,
your investment should pay you from 33% to 166 per cent. j
Let up explain this proposition to you. Get one of our books,
read up on what we are doing for the wage-earner. Our books are free
for the asking. Please come in today or Telephone Douglas 9371.
The Hungerford Potato
Growers Association
15th and Howard Sts. Douglas 9371