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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 1919)
Frederick Douglass By Paul Laurence Dunbar A hush is over all the teeming lists, And there is a pause, a breathspace in the strife: A spirit brave has passed beyond the mists And vapors that obscure the sun of life. And Ethiopia, with bosom torn. Laments the passing of her noblest bora. She weeps for him a mother’s loving tears— She loved him with a mother’s deepest love. He was her champion through direful years, And held her w-eel all other ends above. When Bondage held her bleeding in the dust, He raised her up and whispered, “HOPE and TRUST.” For his voice, a fearless clarion rung. That broke in warning on the ears of men; For her the strong bow of his power he strung. And sent his arrows to the very den Where grim oppression held his bloody place And gloated o’er the miseries of a race. » And he was no soft-tongued apologist; He spoke straightforward, fearlessly, uncowed; The sunlight of his truth dispelled the mist, And set in bold relief each dark-hued cloud; To sin and crime he gave their proper hue, And hurled at evil what wras evil’s due. Through good and ill report he cleaved his w'ay Right onward, with his face set toward the heights, Nor feared to face the foeman’s dread array— The lash of scorn, the sting of petty spites. He dared the lightning in the lightning’s track, And answered thunder with his thunder back. When men maligned him, and their torrent wrath In furious imprecations o’er him broke, He kept his counsel as he kept his path; ’Twas for his race, not for himself he spoke. He knew the import of his Master's call, And felt himself too mighty to be small. No miser in the good he held was he, His kindness followed his horizon’s rim. His heart, his talents, and his hands were free To all who truly needed aught of him. Where poverty and ignorance were rife, He gave his bounty as he gave his life. The place and cause that first aroused his might Still proved its powTer until its latest day. In Freedom’s lists and for the aid of right Still in the foremost rank he waged the fray; Wrong lived: his occupation was not gone. He died in action with his armor on! And felt the magic of his presence nigh, We veep for him, but we have touched his hand, The current that he sent throughout the land, The kindling spirit of his battle cry. O’er all that holds us we shall triumph yet, And place our banner where his hopes were set. 0, Douglass, thou hast passed beyond the shore, But still thy voice is ringing o’er the gale! Thou ’st taught thy race how high her hopes may soar, And bade her seek the heights, nor faint, nor fail. She will not fail, she heeds thy stirring cry, She knows thy guardian spirit will be nigh, And, rising from beneath the chastening rod, She stretches out her bleeding hands to God. \ There are more than 180,000 men and women in this and other states who own Bell Telephone stock. It is considered a conservative investment because it has paid a reasonable return and is not “watered.” - South Side Notes SOUTH SIDE NEWS Mr. Wm. Wiggins returned home last Saturday evening from Oklahoma where he was called by the death of a relative. Little Philip Alston, the infant son of Mr. and Mrs. P. Alston of 2326 Madison is seriously ill at their home. Sunday, February 9, is quarterly meeting for Allen chapel A. M. E. church. There will be services at 11 o’clock, 3 o’clock and 8 p. m. Rev. W. C. Williams of St. John’s A. M. E. church will preach at 3 o’clock. The presiding elder will have charge of morning and evening serv ices. Mr. and Mrs. Mason of Indianapolis, Ind., were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Andrews. R. L. Woodward came home Satur day morning from Kansas City, after spending a few days there on busi ness. Little Alma Upchurch, who has been under the care of the doctor for more than four months underwent another operation Wednesday at St. Joseph’s hospital. Mr. and Mrs. B. Pearson of St. Louis, Mo., arrived in South Omaha last week. They expect to make this theirh ome. Mrs. Pearson is a sister of Mrs. J. Blackwell and Mrs. Wm. Vaughn, both of this city* Mr. Wm. Carter of 2639 Z street, who has been sick for about two months is still on the .lick list. Alma Upchurch, who underwent another operation week before last at St. Joseph’s hospital, is rapidly im proving and will be able to return home soon. Mr. E. Scott, who has been seriously ill with pneumonia at him home, 33d and U streets, is somewhat better. Mrs. Harris Evangelist of St. Louis, Mo., is holding a series of meetings at M. E. church, 32d and U streets. All are invited to attend. Mr. M. Hilton of 5710 South 33d street, has been quite sick this work. He is threatened with appendicitis. Allen Chapel, A. M. E. church, held a very successful quadterly meeting last Sunday. At 3 o’clock Rev. Wil liams of St. John A. M. E. church spoke to a large and appreciative au dience. Little Philip Alston, the infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Alston, who was operated on last week is getting along nicely. Mrs. Winfield of 32d and U streets, and Mr. Garrison of 32d and U streets, are both on the sick list. DES MOINES, IOWA Dr. Wr. H. Lowry Douglas company, Uniform Rank Knights of Pythias has been recruited to full strength and are drilling week ly preparatory for the spring dem onstration. BOY SCOUTS Cadet class No. 2 of St. Paul A. M. E. church has reached the number of , thirty-five and more are joining ev ; ory Sunday. Some steps should be ad vanced to held these little boys to ! gether. It is wrong to criticize boys j for frequenting the streets without first offering some inducement to keep their minds employed. This is the time for the church to take up the matter in an impartial way and or ganize the boys of the city into Boy Scouts. If the churches will form themselves into community centers and begin a drive for the little boys a great work can be done that will be of benefit to the church, the race and the city. The "ninety and nine” we have with us, but how fares the "one” who is astray? Come now and : let us reason together. If a bad apple i is placed in a barrel of good apples it will spoil every apple in the bar rel. A stray boy is just as dangerous among good boys if the proper restric tions are not placed upon him. Rev. W. H. Harris preached to an overflow house at Corinthian Bap tist church Sunday. The Step Lively Girls Circle of the 1 Patriotic League will give a dancing party at the Army club, February 17. The Carnation club of the Maple Street Baptist church will give a Val entine party Friday evening. The congregation of Maple Street Baptist church will enter their new auditorium Sunday morning. A spe cial service will be conducted in the evening. Rev. S. L. Bates, the pas tor, has had a hard struggle in erect ing his church. He has been patient and has been able to hold his con gregation together without dissension during his days of labor. Rev. Bates is the oldest minister in Des Moines, both in age and point of service. What he has done others can do. Let the good work go on. Allen Day was celebated at St. Paul A. M. E. church Sunday afternoon and evening. — Watch for the announcement of the opening of the Fashion Cafe and Cab aret at 1314 North 24th street.—Adv. “The Fashion” will be that Cafe and Cabaret at 1314 North 24th street.— t Adv. I The Lincoln Roosevelt Literary so ciety, which meets the first and third Thursdays of the month, met this week at the A. M. E. church, Ninth and C streets. The session was opened by several quotations after which an interesting program was given, the music and all readings being taken from selections of noted Colored au thors, as follows: Piano solo, “Pm Troubled in Mind,” M rs. Mabel Williams. Reading, “Deacon Jones, Griev ance,” Mrs. Anna Robinson. Vocal solo, “Who Knows,” J. E. Jeltz. Reading, “Jim Sella,” Mrs. Lulu j Colley. Sketch, “Life of S. Coleridge Tay lor,” Mr. Fallings. Vocal solo, “Jean,” Mrs. Isetta Ma ! lone. Talk, “Army Life,” James Thomas. The subject for debate at the next meeting, to be held at the same place, will be, "Resolved, That the women of the United States should be granted \ equal suffrage.” The meetings of this club are said to attract considerable attention, and are proving a source of much enlight enment among those participating. Many good speeches were made, and other features add to the general in terest. The program Thursday night represented such noted Colored au thors and -writers as Paul L. Dunbar, Coleridge Taylor, Booker Washing ton and others. Mrs. Alexander, who has been very ill for the past two weeks, is feeling much better now. Mrs. Sallie williams, who has also been on the sick list for some time is much better this week. Robert Johnson was quite ill several days last week, but he is able to be up and around again. Mrs. Lottie Corneal had the serious misfortune last week of burning all of the fingers on her right hand. Al though the bums were quite painful for several days, they are now be ginning to slowly heal. It is hoped that she will soon be able to use har hand agan in a few days. The L. S. S. Kensington club will meet February 17 at the home of Mrs. Melvia White. Quarterly meeting services were held at the A. M. E. church Sunday, February 9. The Mary E. Dixon Tent No. 3 will give "A Little Concert” February 12, at Masonic hall. Supper will be served at 6 p. m. Admission 10 cents. The Davis Woman’s club will give a “Living Picture Show,” at Masonic hall, February 14, 1919, for the bene fit of the Old Folks’ home. A rare treat will be given, so come and bring a friend. Admission 15 cents. Mrs. Jennie Sellers, president. Misses Mary and Martha Burden will spend Saturday in Crete, Neb., as the guests of Judge Hastings of that place. Mrs. Phanie Tyner of Springfield, Mo., is visiting at the home of her sister, Mrs. Sallie McWilliams, who has been quite ill for some time. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Colley were very much surprised and yet over joyed last week, when they received a telegram from their son, Horace, notifying them that he had arrived safely in New York and expected to be home in a few days. Mr. Col ley is one of the Lincoln boys that has really seen service overseas and he i* very anxious to get home again. RACE ROOKS AND PERIODICALS Our Boys and Girls A weekly newspaper for our youth, $1.00 per year; 50c for 6 months.. 54 West 140th St., New York City. The Negro in American History I By Prof. John W. Cromwell, $1.40 and worth more. 14.39 Swann St., N. W., Washington, D. C. The Negro Soldier By John E. Bruce “Grit”. The glor ious record of America’s black heroes, 25 cents (no stamps.) 2709 Madison Ave., New York City. The Children of the^ Sun By George Wells Parker. Proves the African the Greatest Race in His tory. 25 cents (no stamps.) Hamitlc League of the World, 933 North 27th St., Omaha, Neb. The Crusader Magazine The Greatest Negro Magazine of America. $1.00 per year and cheap at that. 2299 Seventh Ave., New York City. LETTERS FROM OUR READERS l ——— La Grange, Tex., Feb. 4, 1919. , Monitor Publishing Company, Omaha, Neb. ; Gentlemen: I only want to write a few lines ; relative to your editorial, “Are You I Proud of Your Race?” Yes, sir, I am and I think every Negro in the world ought to be. The Jews are proud of . their race and so are most every other . people except us, and I think it is , time we were waking up and get I ting proud too. Yours truly, A. H. WAUL. ' R. F. D. 6, Box 1. THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL FROM THE BRONZE STATUETTE GROUP BY THOMAS BALL. WHAT OUR EDITORS SAY - The Half Has Not Been Told Little by little snatches of the real truth in regard to the Negro’s valor at the front begins to filter through the news dispatches, and the numer ous letters from the boys that are be ing received. Every now and then some correspondent in the exuber ance of his admiration sends back a story of how the Negro boys fought and died. It has been left, however, to the Negro himself and the French people to tell the tale as it should bo told. What a blessing it was that our boys were brigaded with the French troops? They were in the hot test place, they took part in real fight ing, they did the thing that even the best troops in the world thought and said could not be done, and the record stands. Over three hundred individuals, officers 'and men deco rated for deeds of valor and heroism. One regiment alone was cited three times, one hundred and sixty-six of its members winning individually the Cross of War. Ajiother regiment had sixty-six of its officers and men deco rated and was cited as a regiment. Another regiment had thirty-eight of its officers and men decorated and the regiment cited. Besides there are still a number of individuals in other regiments who have been decorated and the full record of which has not yet been received. Did we do oui bit? The half has not been told. While we would not and cannot de tract from the valiant deeds of others, yet we are not ashamed to point to the record of our boys and ask for the judgment of men. Did we act like men. Did we fight like men. Are we men? Judgment, 0 Caesar. Judg ment, O ye lords of the earth. Are we to be treated as men?—The Buf falo (N. Y.) Enterprise. Fndertaking the Impossible The effort on the part of the white people of the south to spread a propa ganda throughout the southland to arouse the whites against the blacks, is another foolish step, upon which the thinking and fair-minded people of this nation will frown. Fifty years ago, following the sur render of Lee to Grant, and the sub sequent issue of the Emancipation Proclamation by that immortal Abra ham Lincoln, the white people of the south organized what was known as the Ku Klux Klan, whose business It was to disguise themselves, ride around among Negroes, who had been freed by proclamation, and beat, as sault, terrorize, intimidate and finally kill many of the Negroes who dared assert their freedom. The white man being all-powerful, and the Negro having nothing, this method of intim idation had its effect on the Negro and caused many of them to return to their former masters seeking pro tection. Thus in fear they remained with their former masters giving their labor for which they received nothing in return. Scheme after scheme has been inaugurated in the south to keep the Negro down. Peonage, lynching, Jim-Crowism, disfranchisement and injustices in the courts are in the catalogue of crimes committed against the Negro, all to hinder his progress. Yet, despite these handicaps the Ne gro has made the most rapid progress of any race of people in all the world under such circumstances. Now after another great war we find the stupid southerners organiz ing the same old Ku Klux Klan. They have reasoned that this war has set people of all groups and races to thinking; they have reasoned that the thousands of Negro men who were called to the colors to defend the Stars and Stripes, will never think the same as they did before, yet they (the white south) have had little enough common sense to believe that when these Negro soldiers return to their homes in the south, that their organized Ku Klux Klan will be suf ficient in power to do the same thing it did 50 years ago. It will be just as impossible to put the Negro back and make him sub mit to the same old treatment as be fore as it is to put a day old chicken back in its shell as it was before it was hatched. Many of these men have stood in No Man’s Land and defended the Stars and Stripes. They have seen their comrades bleed and die for the cause of righteuosness and justicej they have gone through hell itself. It is therefore nonsense to suppose that men with such training will go back to their homes and be treated like' cattle under the same flag for which they have so nobly fought. It is inconsistent with logical thinking to suppose they will.—The St. Louis Argus. The Jim Crow car is everywhere. It is sometimes half a baggage car, the door of which the baggageman keeps open purposely. The sight anil stench of corpses irt transit must be endured by the Colored passenger, no matter how he may be affected by these con ditions. Sometimes it is half an ex press car, from one end of which pigs and goats and dogs and Shetland ponies are exhibited with all the nauseating odor that such animals carry. In many cases men smoke in the faces of women if they smoke at all, and women are forced to oc cupy the same toilet used by men. • - - Our people are denied sleeping car accommodations.—Nashville (Tenn.) Clai ron. The Ever Ready Hoys and Girls will celebrate George Washington’s birthday with a colonial ball, Thurs day evening, February 20, at the U. H. F. hall, Twenty-fourth and I’arker streets. Perkins’ orchestra. Admis sion 35 cents.—Adv. A Church Where All Are Welcome Service* Sunday School, iO a. m. Preaching, 11 a. m., 8 p. m. League, 6:30 p. m. Florence P. Leavitt Club, Mon day afternoon. Prayer Meeting, Wednesday Evening. W. H. M. S. Thursday Afternoon Ladies’ Aid, Friday Afternoon. GRIFFIN G. LOGAN, Re*. 1628 N. 22nd. Web. 5003 i _ib_ GROVE METHODIST CHURCH 22nd and Seward SU., Omaha, Neb.