f
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 aa Second-Class Mall Matter July 2, 1115, at the PostofRce at
Omaha. Neb., under the Act of March 2, 1S7#.
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor and Publisher.
Lucille Skaggs Edwards and Madras Penn, Associate Editors.
Fred C. Williams, Business Manager.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES, *2.00 A YEAR; *1.00 « MONTHS; 60c 3 MONTHS
Advertising Rates. 60 cents an Inch per Issue.
Address. The Monitor, 304 Crounss Block, Omaha, Neb.
Telephone Douglas 2224.
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BUSH*
-- N.
THE ROOSEVELT CREED
I BELIEVE in honesty, sincerity and the square deal; in making up
one's mind what to do—and doing it.
I believe in fearing God and taking one’s own part.
I believe in hitting the line hard when you are right.
I believe in speaking softly and carrying a big stick.
1 believe in hard work and honest sport.
I believe in a sane mind in a sane body.
I believe we have room for but one soul loyalty, and that is loyalty
to the American people.
___j
THE CONVICTION OF WEAVER.
IN THE conviction of Louis Weaver
for arson in connection with setting
fire to the court house September 28
when William Brown was lynched,
Omaha has taken another step in the i
vindication of her outraged honor.
The evidence against Weaver was so
convincing that no jury' could have
maintained its self-respect and ac
quitted him. The man’s own story
was so glaringly false and inconsist
ent that it alone was sufficient to con
vict him; for who in their senses
would believe that he, having a can
of gasoline in his hands, threw it on .
the lawn “five feet parallel to the
building and that it caught fire from i
the blaze already started in the court
house?” The jury justly sized him
up as a colossal liar by the time he
went on the witness stand. In addi
tion to this the prosecution speedily
„ showed that his character would not
bear close inspection. Incidentally,
the trial of Weaver disclosed the char
acter of the hoodlums, perhaps the
willing tools and dupes of “higher
ups,” who were most active in the
arson, rioting and mob-murder which
indelibly stained Omaha’s fair name
on the ill-fated night of September 28.
The conviction of Weaver shows
that Omaha is seriously in earnest in
her efforts to punish those who over
threw law and order and substituted
anarchy and vandalism within her
borders. The conviction of Weaver
will strengthen the hands of the
prosecution and stiffen the backbones
and heighten the moral courage of
jurors in the cases of others who have
been indicted by the grand jury who
may be brought to trial.
Omaha has the supreme opportunity
for doing a splendid service for the
entire country in demonstrating that
the orderly processes of law must be
upheld to safeguard civilization. Pun
ishment of lynchers and rioters by
adequate terms of imprisonment is
the lesson that the United States
needs to learn and we believe that
Omaha can and will teach that lesson
and by so doing help to save America.
SAVE ARKANSAS.
' ROTESTS are being poured into
_ Little Rock and Washington
against the execution of the eleven
Negro farmers of Elaine, Ark., who
were sentenced in SEVEN MINUTES
—what a damnable travesty on jus
tice!—to be executed for rioting until
their cases can be reviewed and in
vestigated. It is hoped that Governor
Brough will use his offices for the
suspension of this sentence.
These farmers had not organized
“to attack the whites.” Their Pro
tective Association was formed, as
evidence shows, to secure their prop
erty rights by due process of law, and
to protect themselves by lawful pro
cedure against the exploitation of
which they had been victims for years.
While lawfully assembled the associa
tion was attacked by white men and
"a race riot” was precipitated. Nearly
80 Negroes have been sentenced to
long penitentiary' terms and eleven of
the number sentenced to death. One
white man has been brought to trial
and he was the young attorney who
had the courage to take the farmers'
case to court. If injustice of this kind
be allowed with impunity, God pity
America. If it be believed that “jus
tice” of this kind will intimidate the
Negroes of Arkansas or any other sec
tion of this country, those responsible
for it are making a serious mistake.
It is sowing dragon’s teeth.
Governor Brough, The Monitor calls
upon you as governor of Arkansas, to
prove yourself a courageous and
justice-loving man in this emergency.
Save Arkansas.
A census of the country’s manufac
tures wan made for the first time In
1810. Under the present law a manu
factures census is to be taken In con
nection with the fourteenth decennial
census and every two years thereafter.
MEASURING Ur TO HIS TASK.
COUNTY Attorney Shotwell, in his
able argument in the Weaver
case, said many excellent things.
Two important truths were empha
sized which ought not to be over
looked. They were these: Every
man accused of crime is entitled to
and shall enjoy the light to a speedy
and public trial by an impartial jury
of the state and district wherein the
crime shall have been committed; and
the equally fundamental question a?
to whether communities, reputed to be
civilized, shall maintain law and order.
Mr. Shotwell, among many other
things, made these two points very
plain. He said that one crime is no
justification for another crime; that
the crime of an individual, however
heinous it may be, is no justification
for the crime of a mob, and that
Brown, who was accused of a crime,
was entitled to the same right of a
public and fair trial to establish his
guilt or innocence, as was the pris
oner now on trial. He emphasized the
fact that the police force of Omaha
was not on trial either, and that no
outside prejudices or side issues
should becloud the jurors’ judgment
in weighing the evidence. He laid
stress upon the fact that law and
order are the safeguards of civiliza
tion and this basic principle by the
evidence was left in the jurors’ hands.
The county attorney in measuring
up to the difficult duties of an im
portant and difficult office in diffi
cult and trying times. May he be
given wisdom and courage for his
heavy' task.
UNSAVORY PUBLICITY—STOP IT.
rpHE Monitor questions the wisdom
A of the wide advertising of the
crime wave which is said to be sweep
ing over our city. We do not be
lieve that Omaha has any worse rec
ot d than any other city of its size in
the country. Why, then, all this ad
verse advertising? Surely, it does
not help the city; indeed, it injures in
many ways. It gives us an unsavory
and undeserved notoriety abroad and
it invites criminals to invade the city.
This complicates the problem of cop
ing with crime. The Monitor’s opinion
is that if, instead of the constant,
carping destructive criticism of the
police force, a sincere effort were
made t ) help those in authority
strengthen its weak points and less
publicity were given to crime a stpp
towards more efficient police protec
tion would be made and crime would
be lessened. What is gained by giv
ing Omaha so much unsavory and un
deserved publicity? Stop it and get
busy in helping to make it the kind of
city we want it to he. It is our city
and it is up to us all to do our part.
A COMMERCIAL CLUB.
OMAHA has organized a commer
cial club to be composed of the
business and professional men of the
city. Its chief purpose is the encour
agement and development of business
enterprises among our people. Such
an organization can become a tre
mendfius factor for good in the gen
eral upbuilding of the entire com
munity. Of course, the ideal way
would be for our business men to be
come members of the Chamber of
Commerce and receive the advantages
which such association would give;
but as this seems at present imprac
ticable, the next best thing is the or
ganization of the Colored Commercial
Club which The Monitor hopes to see
developed into a strong, forceful and
influential body that will do worth
while things for our own group spe
cifically and for the entire community
generally. The Monitor wants our
people to never lose sight of the fact
that we are an important, integral
part of the citizenship of Omaha, not
to be pushed aside or ignored in all
civic demands and responsibilities.
This we feel sure the Commercial
Clubs will always stand for.
PRINCIPLE OR EXPEDIENCY.
THERE is grave danger in these
times of sacrificing principle for
expediency, of mortgaging the future
of our children for some temporary
advantage. There is a disposition
upon the part of many to compromise
in the matter of our constitutional
rights. This must not be. A right
once surrendered can only be regained
with the greatest difficulty. Do not
then surrender a single constitutional
i right. When some specious argu- j
ment for racial harmony or the avoid- I
ance of friction or the promotion of
good will, which involves the sur
render of your full constitutional
rights as an American citizen, is ad
vanced do not be betrayed into ac- 1
cepting it. Show its fallacy. Be on
your guard against sacrificing prin- .
ciple for expediency.
JEST A SIMPLE QUESTION.
»% ' H Y “must” it be “west of the
W Florence Boulevard" ? We al
ready own property not only on the 1
boulevard, but east of it. There is a
suggestive story from English his
tory to the effect that a certain king !
had his courtiers carry his throne to i
the ocean side. Seated upon his j
throne he commanded the on-coming i
tide to stop at a certain point. Did it?
PERISCOPE.
(By the Associated Negro Press)
THE PRESIDENT
—THE CONGRESS
The Hour of Trial at Hand.
The annual message of the Presi- i
dent of the United States is before |
the congress. Again—as again and j
again—the nothingness of our par- j
ticular group is emphasized. The year
has been filled with the most danger
ous and delicate happenings, the bit
terest of feeling and the most atro
cious acts in the history of the nation, 1
so far as we 15,000,000 are con
cerned; and yet, it has not been re
garded sufficient for the President to |
make even a direct veiled allusion to
the need of immediate co-operative 1
adj ustment.
Our position is awkward and hu
miliating, but it is insistent and just.
Presidents and congresses, year after
year, have ignored, side-tracked and
“passed the buck” in matters affect
ing our constitutional rights. Arthur
Brisbane, noted philosopher and jour
nalist, in a recent “Today” expression
stated that the cause of unrest is due
to the fact that the war has taught
the people to think, that in the last j
five years there has been more real |
thinking than in the twenty-five pre
vious years. That applies very' par
ticularly to our group. We are now a
thinking people and we know that we !
know. We have spent a half century 1
“praying” and “requesting" and have
slipped backward in the march of
progress. Today we are assuming the j
prerogatives of full-fledged manhood
and we are “demanding” and "act
ing.” The results, even in so short a j
time, are gratifying.
And now we are demanding a hear
ing of our case and cause before the ,
bar of justice and public opinion; be
fore the congress and in the sight of
God. The tide of justice is sweeping
the earth and we cannot longer be
ignored, even if w'e were willing
longer to “pussyfoot” and merely |
whine. We are with the tide, but it is j
beyond our control. Public opinion is j
crystalizing in our behalf. This is oe- j
ing reflected in the white pulpit and j
press; in the private conversations
and in the commercial and industrial
agencies for a square deal. Many of
these, either through shame or an
awakening conscience, have taken
high ground in recent months, which
is no more nor less that the true spirit
of America speaking. To this liber
ated group we must righteously and
militantly join our forces. Such an
alliance is impregnable and indom
inatable.
The conclusion of the President’s j
message is mighty in language and
the choice of words. Let us hope that
in some corner of his cultured mind ,
he, also, thought of us. But if he did !
not, it must here and now be under- j
stood that we are thinking of our- j
selves, and that by no hook or crook,
or devious construction, do we pro- j
pose to be counted out of the equation
when he says;
“In America there is but one way
by which great reforms can be ac- !
complished and the relief sought by i
| classes obtained, and that is through !
! the orderly processes of represent
ative government. Those who would
propose any other method of reform i
are enemies of this country. America 1
will not be daunted by threats nor lose
her composure or calmness in these
distressing times. We can afford in
the midst of this day of passion and
unrest, to be self-contained and sure.
The instrument of all reform in Amer
ica is the straight road of justice to
all classes and conditions of men.
Men have but to follow this road to
realize the full fruition of their ob
jects and purposes. Let those bew’are
who would take the shorter road of
disorder and revolution.
“The right road is the road of jus
tice and orderly process.”
That goes for us in all of our group
perplexities and bewildering troubles,
t goes for disfranchisement, lynch
ings and “Jim Crows;” it goes for
riots and mobs and cold-blooded mur
der; it goes for economic hold-backs
in industrial opportunities and educa
tional privileges; it goes for anarchy
and bolshevism and all un- and anti
American isms, to which it has been
recently claimed our publications, as
a whole, and our people, have sub
scribed their influence. This is not
true. Our cry, our eternal cry, is for
justice, justice, justice! We must have
justice. No true American can ex
pect us to desire anything less, and
with bleeding hands raised to heaven
we swear that we seek nothing more.
We are Americans. Is that not enough
to say?
LEADING EDITORIALS OF THE D VT
I HARACTER BUILDING.
Lack of old-fashioned home life and
old-fashioned home discipline is re
sponsible for much of the noticeable
absence of a sense of responsibility in
the present young generation. Our re
cent military experience has shown, or
should make us realize, the value or
discipline in developing the sense of j
responsibility, cultivating reliability j
and stiffening the moral fiber in i
young men. But the average age of i
20 years is late for the beginning of
such development. There is no age j
too early for its beginning. When it
begins early its success is assured.
When it begins late it is not assured j
and at best cannot reach the perfec- |
tion of the earlier beginning. It is j
evident that the best place for disci- i
pline and training to develop char
acter is the home, and, just as the
home loses disciplinary character and
home atmosphere and becomes easy- !
going and unhomelike, its work of j
character building is impaired, and the
result is worse for the children who
grow up in it. Our present day civil
zation has in it much less of this
genuine home life than existed half a
century ago, and we are paying for it
with a larger proportion of young
men with flabby characters.
This is a great fact which must be
faced. It is an existing condition i
which cannot be blinked. Nor can it
be changed by merely pointing out its
existence. It is a great national tend
ency which only some other tendency ;
can counteract. That counteracting
tendency must tie an increase in the
number of homes of genuine Christian
atmosphere and parental discipline, In
stead of the decrease that has for
some time been going on. While this
is being done, and at all times, be
cause perfection in that respect can
not be expected, there should be a
strengthening of the character-build
ing influences and agencies which af
feet the lives of boys and young men
outside their homes. Contributions of
personal service and of money to the
operation and support of Rueh agen
cies constitute the finest sort of pa
triotism and philanthropy. A much
larger devotion of public attention and
public funds to that sort of wmrk .
would be a wise act for the preserva
tion of our American institutions bt
assuring the right kind of citizens into
whose hands to entrust them. We ;
need in onr work of character-build- i
ing for the youth now with us and
those to follow them a strengthening
of home influence and discipline, and
as well we need an increase in the
number and strength and intensity of
work of those character-building in- ;
fluenees outside the home which sup
plement home training and become the
only substitute for it when it is lack
ing. The strength of a nation lies in
character more than In education. We •
have been paying too great propor
tional attention to education. We must
Increase largely the more important i
factor of character building. — St. 1
Ixmis Olobe-Democrnt.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN
BIENNIAL CONVENTION DE
NOUNCES LYNCH LAW AND
DECLARES IN FAVOR OF FULL
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOR
NEGROES.
Grand Rapids, Mich.—Resolutions
denouncing lynch law and asking for
the Negro racial equality and “full
political rights guaranteed by the con- j
stitution to every citizen,” were |
adopted recently by the biennial con- I
vention herfe of the national council j
of the Congregational church.
The resolutions were introduced by ,
Rev. F. C. McMillan of Chicago, fol- !
lowing statements on the floor of the ;
convention that service in a local
cafeteria had been denied Rev. W. N.
Deberry, Negro, second assistant mod
erator of the national council. The
resolutions also asked equal pay for .
equal service for the races.
__
The Bureau of the Census is a part
of the Department of Commerce. It
was established as a permanent bu
reau in 1902. Prior to that time the
census work was done by a temporary
organization known as the census ef
i flee.
THE UNIVERSAL CAR
jji Ford cars have become such a world i (
|il utility that it would almost seem as if
every family ought to have its Ford II I j
Jji car. Runabout, Touring Car, Coupe,
jjj Sedan, (the two latter have enclosed •
bodies), and the Truck Chassis, have I (
|| really become a part and parcel of hu
jj man life. You want one because its i
jij service will be profitable for you. W e || I 1
l|| solicit your order at once because, while || I J
j! production is limited, it will be first |
| | come, first supplied. I ^
SAMPLE-HART MOTOR CO.
j 1007© Ford Service
1 Sth and Hurt Streets
. :
i
“No Matter What You Need”
We Will Appreciate
Serving You
THANKS
/
Showing Fancy Hath Robes Now
A Small Deposit Will Hold Any Purchase
303 South 16th St., Securities Bldg.
-
Richardson Bros.
Garment Renovators •
Tailors Dyers Hatters
MAIN OFFICE—27th and CUMING ST.
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We are as Close to You as Your Telephone
Quick Delivery Service FREE Telephone Harney 3374
i “Good Workmanship and Service Count, Not Words”
jThe W. H. & R. Investment Co. j
£ Successor to the Douglas Washington Investment Co. ^
f OFFICE, 15TH AND CALIFORNIA STREETS. j
j| Phones: Tyler 897; Webster, 5966; Red, 3203. | .
£ OFFICERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
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?. D. G. Russell, President. H. Hamler, Chairman. •}•
( Anderson Hamler, Treasurer. I). G. Russell. X
t N. W. Ware, Sec. and Gen. Mgr. N. W. Wrare.
I l
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