The Monitor
A National Weekly N aper Devoted to the Interests of the Colored
An* .os of Nebraska and the West
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor
$1.50 a Year. 5c a Copy Omaha, Nebraska, June 23, 1917 Vol. II. No. 51 (Whole No. 103)
" 1
Millions of Acres
Are Cultivated
The Economic Value of American Ne
gro Disclosed by Instructive and
Striking Statistics.
MAJOR MOTON OF TUSKEGEE
Delivers Stirring Address Before Na
tional Conference of Charities and
Corrections.
Pittsburgh, Pa., June 22.—Dr. R. R.
Moton, principal of Tuskegee Insti
tute, delivered a stirring address
Thursday night, June 14, before the
National Conference of Charities and
Correction, which held its annual meet
ing at the Dixon Theatre here.
The importance of the Negro in the
economic development of the South
was revealed in Dr. Moton’s comments
or migration, when he said, “Of the
160.000. 000 acres of improved land
in the South, the Negro had cultivated
fully 100,000,000 acres, and of the
13.000. 000 bales of cotton produced an
nually in' the South in normal times
P.000,000 of these bales were produced
by Negro labor.”
Appeals for More Liberal Attitude.
Dr. Moton’s appeal to the confer
ence was for a better and more liberal
attitude toward the Colored people of
the South. He said, in part:
“The South is seeing as perhaps
never before since emancipation the
very great economic value of the black
man, and is willing and anxious to
co-operate with every movement or
organization looking toward the de
velopment of more efficiency on the
part of the Negro.
Rights of American Citizen
“I hope, therefore, that this con
ference, especially those members
from the South, will use every oppor
tunity to help our country by making
this large and productive element of
our population as useful economically
and otherwise to their communities as
possible, and the way to do it is by
making the Negro happy and content
ed, and the only way to make him
contented is to treat him as an Amer
ican citizen, bestowing upon him all
the rights and privileges enjoyed by
the other American citizens, no more
end no less; and by giving him pro
tection of life and property and the
privilege to live North and South amid
decent surroundings; a chance to edu
cate his children and a chance to thor
oughly train his leaders. This seems
to me the patriotic duty of every
American of influence and power.
A This, it seems to me, would be a wise
and constructive program for this con
ference, insofar as its activities among
my people are concerned, to use every
influence which may be summoned to
give our race a fair chance. To give
these millions of black people in the
cabins of the South, as well as the al
leys of Northern cities, a chance to
be educated, and the chance to live in
a healthy and wholesome environment,
and when these people are trained it
is our duty to see that they have a
chance to work.”
Is This a “Scrap of Paper”
NEBRASKA CIVIL RIGHTS BILL
Chapter Thirteen of the Revised Statutes of Nebraska, Civil Rights.
Enacted in 1893.
Sec. 1. Civil rights of persons. All persons within this state
shall be entitled to a full and equal enjoyment of the accommodations,
advantages, facilities and privileges of inns, restaurants, public con
veyances, barber shops, theatres and other places of amusement; sub
ject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and ap
plicable alike to every person.
Sec. 2. Penalty for Violation of Preceding Section. Any person
who shall violate the foregoing section by denying to any person, ex
cept for reasons of law applicable to all persons, the full enjoyment
of any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, or privileges
enumerated in the foregoing section, or by aiding or inciting such
denials, shall for each offense be deemed guilty of a miscfemeanor,
and be fined in any sum not less than twenty-five dollars, nor more
than one hundred dollars, and pay the costs of the prosecution.
“The original act was held valid as to citizens; barber shops can
not discriminate against persons on account of color. Messenger vs.
State, 25 Nebr. page 677. N. W. 638.”
“A restaurant keeper who refuses to serve a colored person with
refreshments in a certain part of his restaurant, for no other reason
than that he is colored, is civilly liable, though he offers to serve him
by setting a table in a more private part of the house. Ferguson vs.
Gies, 82 Mich. 358; 46 N. W. 718.”
---
ARCHDEACON RUSSELL
DECLINES BISHOPRIC
Believes It His Duty to Remain at His
Present Worl at St. Paul’s
School.
The Ven. James S. Russell, who was
recently unanimously elected Bishop
Suffragan for the work of the Epis
copal church among the Colored peo
ple of the Diocese of Arkansas, has
declined his election. His declination
was expressed in a telegram to Ris
hop Winchester, of w'hich the follow
ing is a copy:
Lawrenceville, Va., June 16, 1917.
Right Reverend James R. Winches
ter, D. D.,
1222 Scott street, Little Rock, Ark.
I have given the most careful and
prayerful consideration to my elec
tion to the Suffragan Bishopric of the
Diocese of Arkansas, and I thank you
and your council for the great honor
conferred upon me. But, after thirty
five years of hard work at Lawrence
ville, I am persuaded that it is my
duty to remain as Archdeacon of
Southern Virginia and Principal of
St. Paul’s school. Letter follows.
JAMES S. RUSSELL.
MORE BUY LIBERTY BONDS
In addition to the list of our race
in Omaha who have purchased Liberty
Bonds, which was published in last
week’s issue, we have been advised of
the following:
E. W. Pryor, W. W. Spencer, Frank
Douglas, Ellsworth P. Pryor, who pur
chased one for his infant daughter,
and J. H. Broomfield and Wm. H.
Crutchfield, who each purchased $500
worth. Omaha Lodge purchased $200
worth. Doubtless there are several
others whose names we have not
yet learned, who in this way are do
ing their bit. The list thus far pub
lished makes a most creditable show
ing.
FOUR GRADUATES
FROM HIGH SCHOOL
There were four Colored graduates
from the Omaha High Schools this
year, instead of two as reported in
last week’s issue. Besides the Misses
Mary Ellen Pegg and Theressa Jones,
w ho were graduated from the Central
High, the Misses Minnie Givens and
Ella Watson received diplomas from
the High School of Commerce. The
commencement exercises at the audi
torium drew a large audience among
which were many of our own people.
The address of Dr. Thomas Francis
Moran of Purdue University on “Cit
izenship in a National Crisis,” in
which he stressed moral and spiritual
conquest of self, thought-developing
education, self-control and service,
was one of great effectiveness and
well delivered. The musical selections
rendereu by the High School orchestra
under the efficient direction of Henry
Cox were an inspiration and delight
to music lovers.
FEW MISSOURI NEGROES
CLAIM EXEMPTION
Jefferson City, Mo.—In the con
scription registration in Missouri,
June 5, more than 63 per cent of the
white persons claimed exemption. Of
18,915 Negroes only 3,742 made claims
why they thought they should not be
drafted.
CHICAGO TO HAVE NEW HOTEL
Chicago, June 22.—A long felt want
in this big city is finally to be real
ized—a first class 70-room hotel and
up-to-date dining room at 33rd and
Wabash will open its doors to the
public July 4. B. F. Moseley and
Chas. Travis head the corporation. Mr.
| Moseley will be manager.
Convicted for
Writing Poetry
Two Colored Men in Savannah, Go.,
Convicted in Court and Sent
to Prison.
For Writing and Distributing a Poem
on “Cracker Law”—Charge of
Disorderly Conduct.
Savannah, Ga.—Five Negroes were
I arraigned before Judge John E.
Schwartz recently in police court
on charges of disorderly conduct by
handling written matter which may
incite a riot among the Colored peo
ple of the city, as well as over Georgia.
Two of the men were cent out to the
brown farm for thirty days, and the
other three dismissed.
A long piece of poetry, dealing with
Lhe hardships the race nas to stand in
Georgia under the “Cracker” law, was
written by a Negro and circulated
among the Colored race in Savannah.
Sam Amaca (Colored) was arrested
Detective DeLeon for having one
in his possession. This led to the
arrest of the other Negroes until final
ly J. N. Chisholm and A. P. Walker
(Colored) were found to be two of the
main instigators in the affair. They
are alleged to be the ones who were
scattering the poetry around the city.
The name of the piece is “Bound for
the Promiesd Land.” A few stanzas
are as follows:
“From Savannah’s stormy banks I go,
I'll bid the South good-bye;
No longer shall they treat me so,
And knock me in the eye.
The Northern states is where Pm
bound,
My cross is more than double—
If the chief executive can be found
I’ll tell him all my trouble.
“If me and a cracker should have a
fight,
And he knock me in the jaw;
It’s counted tc me as being ‘right,’
According to the cracker’s law.
•t if I swing on the cracker’s jaw,
With all my feeble might,
Right from that will start a war,
And I’ll have the state to fight.”
—Savannah Daily Press.
MERCHANTS OF OMAHA,
ATTENTION PLEASE!
The merchants of East St. Louis
raised a vigorous protest because a
mob of rowdies had driven from that
city 1000 responsible Colored people,
“WHO SPEND $1800 A WEEK
WITH THE MERCHANTS OF THIS
CITY” their statement reads. Omaha
has nearly 8000 Negroes. How much
do you think they spend1 weekly? Do
you want their trade? Why not make
that fact known by advertising in
their only exclusive medium, THE
MONITOR? Advertising in THE
MONITOR is not a donation. It is a
matter of wide-awake business. The
Monitor reaches the Colored people of
Omaha.