* ■
The Monitor
A National Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of Colored
Americans.
Published Every Thursday at Omaha. Nebraska, by The Monitor Pub
lishing Company.
Entered as Second-Class Mall Matter July 2. 1915, at the Postoffioe at
Omaha. Neb., under the Act of March 3, 1879.
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor and Publisher.
Lucille Skaggs Edwards and Madree Penn, Associate Editors.
Fred C. Williams, Business Manager.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES, 82.00 A YEAR; »1.00 « MONTHS; «0c 3 MONTHS
Advertising Rates, 80 cents an Inch per Issue.
Address. The Monitor, 304 Crounse Block, Omaha, Neb.
Telephone Douglas 3224.
__
/---s'|
THE SIN OF SILENCE
rpO sin by silence when we should protest makes cowards
out of men. The human race has climbed on protest.
Had no voice been raised against injustice, ignorance and
lust, the inquisition yet would serve the law, and guillotines
decide our least disputes. The few who dare must speak and
speak again to right the wrongs of many.—Ella Wheelr
Wilcox.
„ _
INDEPENDENCE DAY
FOURTH of July is here. America
is celebrating her independence as
a nation. It might be well to remem- j
her that the first blood shed in the
Revolutionary war was that of the
black, Crispus Attucks, who died on
Boston Commons to secure a demo
cracy on the western hemisphere. In
every crisis of our national life black
men have bled and died to perpetuate
the principles of freedom.
The war in Europe is over; Ger
many, forced it is true, has signed the
peace terms, and this was made pos
sible by black valor as well as any
other.
That will be a wonderful day when
America is finally free of the thrall
dom of race prejudice and proscrip
tion. What an Independence day that
will be when true democracy comes
into her own! It is not rank senti
mentality for which 14,000,000 black
Americans are asking, but for justice
and fair play and the constitutional
privilege of life, liberty and the pur
suit of happiness.
FACTS ABOUT JUDGE H ARRISON
JUDGE HARRISON was born and
reared in Clay county, Mississippi.
He worked his way through school,
graduted from the classical-course of
Roger Williams university, Nashville,
Tenn., from the law school of Walden
university, posted in higher mathe
matics at Chicago university, was
elected special judge of the superior
court of Oklahoma county, Oklahoma.
He practiced before the supreme
court of the United States, Living
stone college, Salisbury, N. C., con
ferred upon the judge the degree of
L. L. D. The judge is called upon
from New England, where education,
culture and scholarship abound to the
everglades of Florida and the gold
en gate of California to deliver ad
dresses. We are writing these facts
about the distinguished visitor who
has just left our city because there
is inspiration and incentive for our
youth from knowledge and contact
■with men who are leaving their im
press upon the times in which they
live
WHERE CHARACTER COUNTS
PERHAPS there is no professional
man more maligned or less under
stood than is the undertaker. As a
public servant the public expects cer
tain things of him. He is the man
who enters into the homes w’hen the
shadows lie thickest and grief abounds.
That he should be courteous and hon
est and conduct himself with sympa
thetic bearing is of prime importance,
for it is no light thing to be thus
given access to homes where the fam
ily must turn to him as counsellor and
friend. Death is not such a pleasant
thing, but when one stops to think
that 90 persons die every minute the
public should be grateful to this class
of business and professional men, es
pecially, when they render to it, ef
ficient and honest service.
THE THIRD PARTY
ROURKE Park was the scene of;
disturbance on last Sunday. From j
all accounts all that might have been
disastrous in the affair grew out of
the interference of that third party
who is always “persona non grata.”
Marshall merited the fine he received
for interference in a quarrel between
two other men. This recalls to our
attention the case of the dog-catcher.
Jackson, who, the Monitor thinks,
justly defended himself against the
attac kof the meddling third party.
i i. <—
LITTLE Woody Wilson aint nearly
as popular in France since he has
been there as he was before he went.
“The more I see of some folks the
better I like my dog."
The glory of a good man is the tes
timony of a good conscience.—Thomas
a-Kempis.
PERSISTENT INCONSISTENCIES
ASHINGTON has a gay time i
honoring Brazilians; dinners and
receptions galore and a party that will
long be remembered in the beautiful
Pan-American building, as the capital
entertains the president-elect of Braz
il, Don Epitacio Pessoa, Mme Pessao
and Miss Pessoa and their rather
large suite.”
The above is a news item from one
of the leading dailies of America.
When reading it the thought of the
United States attitude toward her own
men of color flashed into our mind
as we remembered some of the well-1
known facts about Brazil and Brazil
ians. We shall recall a few of them
for the benefit of our readers.
Brazil consists of 20 states and two
territories; it covers an area larger
than the United States and has a
population of over 15 million people.
The Brazilian or Brasileiro, as he
calls himself, is a most interesting
study. It too centuries of racial inter- j
mingling to produce him. In his veins
runs the blood of some of the most
enterprising of Europe’s early explor
ers and pioneers Portuguese especial
ly, the blood of the fierce indigenous
Indian, and the captive Africans who
brought them into their captivity the
heritage of African kings and chief
tains—all tribes were here, espe
cially the remarkable Amazons. This
is the ancestry of the typical Brazilian
and the typical Brazilian had he been
bom in the United States would be
known as a man of color, and be sub
jected to all the proscriptions that
this designation entails.
The historians Fletcher and Kidder
have this to say:
“There are no social hindrances in
Brazil as in the United States, to
keep down a man of merit. Such hin
drances do exist in our country. The
Anglo-Saxon race on this point differs
essentially from the Latin nations.
The former may be moved to gener
ous pity for the Negro, but will not
yield socially, the the latter both in
Europe and the two Americas have
always placed merit before color.”
From this extract as well as a study
of Brazilian history we find that
Brazil never has had a color line with
a popular prejudice against intermix
ture, instead the typical Brazilian is
a swarthy gentleman the result of un
restricted intermixture of European,
Indian and African blood.
In individual Brazilians either of
these three races may predominate.
Among the distinguished Brazilians
we find as many in whom the African
characteristics predominate as we do
thos of whom either of the other
races predominate. Indeed the first
sculptor was a full-blooded Negro.
Strange phenomena! For once the
United States did not take a blood
tost before it dined and entertained
distinguished visitors, Shades of Till
man, it is to laugh!
—
THE CLEVELAND CONFERENCE
OUR delegates to the Cleveland
conference will soon be in Omaha.
We shall save the discussion of this
most wonderful gathering for them.
Watch the Monitor for their impres
sions.
—
JAZZ, the popular rage in music
owes most of its stimulation to the !
late Jim Europe and his famous band
who introduced his honor “Jazz” to
Paris and the world. Jazz seems out
of the attainment of white musicians
who can only grow green with envy
as they watch the Colored bands of
America supplant them in the places
of amusement. At Luna, Coney
Island, they say that symphony or-1
chestras have been supplanted. In j
the middle of the beautiful and ex
pensive ballroom a dais of Louis the
quinze period has been built, mounted
on this the dusky kings of music jazz
while the merry devotees whirl around
the throne of Jazzerion.
When you don’t receive your Mon
itor please drop us a card.
PRESS GLEANINGS
Under the title, “Doughboys Dislike
France,” June 18, 1919, Mr. Deets
Pickett, research secretary of of the
board of temperance, prohibition and
public morals qf the M. E. church,
just returned from overseas, seems
to be sponsor for the impression that
the French people are dishonest, guil
ty of hypocrisy, immoral, ungrateful
to the United States, always drunk,
and that French women associate with
Colored men.
That last is a delicate question and
may be the cause of the other charges.
We are not to take that behavior too
serionsly, for it is novel and transient.
It may be that these women are inves
tigating at first hand these seldom
seen specimens of black humanity
that they have heard so much unfav
orable comment upon. For it might
be inconceivable to them that such
valor and optimistic intrepidity could
be clothed in black livery.
It was this immoral people who
cried: "Ils ne passeront pas,” and the
dread and most efficient war machine
devised by man was turned back from
the Marne. If a people that are never
sober and pickled in drink could pro
duce but one Clemenceau. one Divine
Sarah, one Foch, their frailties might
be observed with charity. No branch
of the Caucasian race has a monopoly
on hypocrisy. But hypocrisy is rela
tive. The French may be disappointed
that the doughboys came to their aid
shouting: “Make the world safe for
democracy!” and balked at what they
considered an equitable reparation foi
their suffering, and we must admit
that, drank or sober, they have suf
fered.
Was it not the ancestors of this dis
honest people that gave us the word
and notion of chivalry? Do we forget
that these ancestors fused their blood
with the Saxon strains and gave Eng
land that impetus that has resulted In
her present commanding position?
They started and sustained the cru
sades, with all their attendant advan
tageous results to Western Tdttrope.
From them the seeds of political free
dom were wafted over Europe, even
touched our shores and inspired our
own Jefferson. It was the ancestors
of this ungrateful people that bank
rupted their own government that our
own republic might be established,
The generous Lafayette offered his
sword and purse to Washington, and
when success was achieved and the
war was ended, Lafayette’s country
men returned home without pay, with
out territory, without unsolicited, un
welcome and enforced suggestions as
to what course the young republic
should pursue. She was left with a !
free and untrammeled hand to work
out the glorious destiny she has at
tained.
It was for these reasons that some
one put into the mouth of General ,
Pershing, as he gazed at the gallant
Frenchman’s tomb:
“Lafayette, we are here.”—William
F Dawley, Jr., in the Kansas City
Post.
To the Editor of Public Ledger:
Sir—It is a mistake to think of
America as a democratic country.
Lowell defined democracy as that
form of society, no matter what it’s
name, where every man had a chance
and knew that he had it. It cannot
be denied that the only grave incon
sistency in our democratic ideals is the
treatment accorded the racial group
that happens to have a dark skin.
Abraham Lincoln pointed out this in
consistency when he said: "There is
no reason in the world why the Ne
gro is not entitled to all the natural
rights enumerated in the Declaration
of Independence.”
Today many Negroes feel keenly
disappointed over the outcome of the
war. The Negro offered his all on
the altar of freedom, hoping against
hope that in the new era after the
war he would be allowed a great meas
ure of freedom in his own country. In
the words of the nation—he expected
a few crumbs of democracy. But at
last he knows the truth. Mr. Wilson
surely must have meant a democracy
for white men.
Mr. Wilson was careful to remind
congress of the legislation he thought
needful at this time, but not a word
concerning a law to prevent lynching,
not a word concerning the vote for
those Negroes who were drafted to
fight for freedom. In his scheme of
a world safe for democracy the Ne
gro is left outside the pale.
Negroes find themselves unable to
reconcile the general principles of
English liberty, of the Declaration of
Independence, the allied war aims and
of President Wilson’s speeches with
the differences made between Negroes
and their neighbors. Granted that an
educatonal qualification is necessary
for voters in the states where the per
centage of illiteracy is high, surely
no fair-minded person would ask the
Negro to submit to a more rigid test
than his neighbor, especially when his
neighbor proudly boasts that $10 is
spent for the education of the whites
to every one for the blacks. Why not
have the election lays apply to all
persons alike without regard to race
or color? When soldiers were needed
that was the rule.
Negroes are beginning to see that
the reactionary republicans—the
Lodges, the Knoxes, the Smoots and
the Penroses—are a party to their
continued disfranchising. Some news
papers reported that when the repub
licans were trying to organize the
senate and when it seemed probable
that some of the progressive repub
licans might vote wrong several of
the reactionary democrats left the
chamber j ist before the vote was
taken. One good turn deserves an
other.
On what terms arc the Negroes to
be admitted to a share in their gov
ernment? When all the illiterates,
the convicts, the nonpayers of poll
taxes have beerf excluded, will thou
sands of other Negroes able to meet
any reasonable requirement still be
excluded because of the color of their
skin? Does the American democracy
base citizenship on the color of the
individual ?
It is interesting the many excuses
offered for the way Negroes are de
nied a voice in their government. Dr.
Henry Van Dyke in his book, “The
Spirit of America,” says: “It is the
immense mass of the African popula
tion that creates the difficulty for
America. She means to give equal
civil rights to her millions of Ne
groes. She does not mean to let the
black blood mix with the white. What
ever social division may be necessary ’
to prevent this immense and formid
able adulteration must be maintained J
intact. A little reflection will show |
that all of the restrictions placed to
keep the races separate have only
tended to degrade the Negro in the
eyes of his neighbor. Take for in
stance the south; the last census
showed that more than 20 per cent
of the Negroes are mulattoes. In
Greenville, South Carolian, where the
races are separated in schools, church
es, on cars and where intermarriage
is a crime, 53.7 per cent of the total
Negro population is mulatto. In Phil
adelphia, where we are not blessed
with such safeguards of the south,
the percentage of mulattoes is 16.6
per cent. These figures tell their own
story.
The Negro today appeals to the
spirit of fair play characteristic of
the American people. He appeals for
the right to vote the same as other
Americans; he appeals for protection
from cruel mobs that spare neither
women nor innocent men; for the re
peal of all laws that are calculated
to humiliate and degrade Negroes be
cause they are Negroes; for the right
to ride on common carriers the same
as other citizens, receiving first class
accommodation for first class fare.
The Negro also pleads for a chance in
industry, a chance to earn a living.
Why go to Europe for laborers who
cannot speak our language when there
••p thousands of Negroes knocking
at the doors? The Negro pleads for a
chance to get an education. W'hy con
demn the Negroes for being dull and
ignorant and for lack of self-govern
ing ability while the doors of the pub
lic schools and the colleges are closed
in their faces?
The intelligent Negro no longer
looks to republican politicians or to
churchmen to help him in his fight
for freedom, but to the great body of
liberal white men and women, to such
newspapers as the Public Ledger, and
to all who believe that ours should be
a government of the people, for the
people and by the people.—Benjamin
Alvin Arnold, in the Philadelphia Pub
lic Ledger.
...
{
Flashes of
Most Anything
_
RACE prejudice is a parasite eat
ing at the vitals of the nation.
FEDERATED Labor at last woke up
to the fact that those that are in
them can’t be agin them.
SOUND of fire works is kind or
tame to those who were on the
western front.
VENEZUELA, Columbia and Peru
celebrate thicr independence day
on July 5th, 20th and 28th respec
tively.
WISE men change, but fools,
never.” Yet that fellow who
changes front every time the blast
may happen to hit his little personal
self will bear a lot of watching.
THOSE who attend the theatre will
be interested in knowing that the
thirteenth edition of the popular
“Ziegfeld Follies” has been heralded
as the best and biggest of all the
series. There has been a run for
seats and the New Amsterdam the
atre wTill no doubt establish a record
this summer. Perhaps the biggest at
traction is our own Bert 'Williams,
who has been with this company since
the dissolution of his own. Bert Wil
liams is inimitable and has won the
reputation as the foremost American
comedian.
Some folks say a diplomat is a gen
tleman skilled in statescraft, but if
you want the real definition ask Judge
Harrison.
The Beautiful Thing
A About the FORD CAR is its 100% simplicity of operation, 100% per X
4 cent economy, and 100% service. That's why we've adopted the y
slogan 100% Ford Service. We strive to maintain the Ford standard .
all the time, in all ways, in all departments. y
jf
We sell Ford Motor Cars and Fordsom Farm Tractors.
i> T
T
I Sample-Hart Motor Co. j
!! Tyler 513. 18th and Burt Streets,
200,000
| Can Take Up DUDLEY’S NINETY DAY OFFER |
X For ninety davs only will ship to all new agents $10.00 worth of .j.
*!• DUDLEY’S FAMOUS'POLISH for $5.00. Save time. Just inclose y
X five dollars and your address in full and a shipment will be made the Y
A same day we get your order to Live Wire Agents. Hit the iron while A
Y it is hot. Write for an order. X
Dudley’s Leather and Chemical Works
£ 116 South Main Street. Muskogee, Okla. £
H Classified Directory of Omaha’s
Colored professional and
Business firms
•I- ALLEN JONES ANDREW T. REED V
X Res. Phone Web. 204. Res. Phone Red 5210. }{
JONES & REED j
Funeral Parlor
¥ Parlors 2314 North 24th Street. Phone Webster 1100. X
A Expert Licensed Embalmers and Funeral Directors. Auto and Horse -J.
X Drawn Vehicles. Lady Attendant. Open Day and Night.
X We are as near to you as your telephone with every convenience at A
A hand. Calls promptly attended at all hours. f
.
I J. D. Hines !
:: ::
| THE TAILOR AND CLEANER »
g Suits made to order. Hats g
“ cleaned and blocked. Alterations g
£ of all kinds. Call and give us a ^
g trial.
I g
Phone South 3366
5132 South 24th Street.
I_ 1
iSOOfflta ax'a JO!* «X3CaX'XK«X
Telephone Webeter 2441
Open Day and Night
| Silas Johnson f
I Western Funeral Home i
2518 Lake St.
§ The Place for Quality and Service B
PRICES REASONABLE.
« Llcented Embalmer In Attendance £
Lady Attendant If Desired.
MUSIC FURNISHED FREE.
K
R. H. Robbins I
& Co.
| GROCERIES AND MEATS
An Up-to-Date Store. *
11411 North 24th Street. {
Prompt Delivery. VV. 241. j
| JUIIlUUHJILU.IIIIIUIIU.il.JIL |
Maceo T.
WILLIAMS t
|t Concert Violinist;
® and Teacher
STUDIO, 2416 BINNEY ST. |
Webster 3028.
Eureka Furniture Store
Complete Line of New and Sec- \
ond Hand Furniture
PRICES REASONABLE
i Call Ub When You Have Any
Furniture to Sell
1417 N. 24th St. Web. 4206
pCM a-a-aa a;a w >ntwaj!ffl®t a* a ax.XMB
THE
WASHINGTON - DOUGLAS
INVESTMENT CO.
f BONDS, INVESTMENTS,
RENTALS AND FARM
LANDS
| Phone Webster 4206.
|^141^ortI^4th St.
JUn'% )LBfD<3SHffiXKK K'H->CHT:tlCH'jr;:^D45(S2>ffi
§ Repairing and Storing
Orders Promptly Filled H
NORTH SIDE
§ SECOND-HAND STORE J
R. B. RHODES
§ I
Dealer in
A New and Second-Hand Furniture a
and Stoves.
g Household Goods Bought and H
x Sold. Rental and Real Estate. ©
« 2522 Lake St. Webster 909 |
g &BSBBBSK y- tt.n ::;(1f!Wft3Q<I8IH3aHHHSS j $
i A. F. PEOPLES .
>t j | *
g Painting
Paperhanging and
Decorating js
g Estimates Furnished Free.
| All Work Guaranteed.
\ 4827 Erskine Street.
Phone Walnut 2111. f
: South & Thompson's Cafe »
i 2418 North 24th St. Webster 4568 g
;< SPECIAL SUNDAY DINNER
t Stewed cnicken with dumplings..40c 2
a I toast Prime Beef au Jua_40c -
g Roast Pork. Apple Sauce ........_40c g
g Roaat Domeatlc Goose, dressing 80c i>
g Early June Peas
Mashed Potatoes ©
g Salad
Coffee Deaaert
«. «
We Serve Mexican Chile
I 8
^WKSffiSBSfl-5
I Little King Hotel I
2615 N Street
g- Steam Heated. Open All Night, g
% Room by Day or Week. Meals 5?
at All Hours.
& MRS. ELIZABETH HILL, Prop. §
Phone South 3195.
S. W. MILLS I '—
FURNITURE CO.
g We sell new and second hand g
H furniture, 1421 North 24th St. $
Webster 148. 24th and Charles. «
I DR. P. W. SAWYER ]
DENTIST
i Tel. Doug. 7150; Web. 3636 I
220 South 13th St.
; wmmmxixxxAixMzmmmmiiGXMsgi
JOHN HALL
PROGRESSIVE TAILOR
1614 N. 24th St. Web. 875.
Open for Business the
1 BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
HOTEL
v Nicely Furnished Steam Hasted
A Rooms, With or Without Board. >
g 523 North 15th St. Omaha, Nab. ,
Phone Tylar 8#7.