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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1921)
[ HE MONITOR htewvpupur Devoted to the Intereete of Colored ^PjlWe^hrtrj Tbnraday at Omaha. Nefaraaka. by The Monitor Pub Bo tered aa Becond-Claaa Mail Matter July X. lilt, at the Port office at Omaha. Nek. under the Act of March X. 117*. THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor. George H. W. Bullock, Circulation Manager and Aaaociate Editor. TRAGO T, MCWILLIAMS, Aaaociate Editor, Lincoln, Neb. SUBSCRIPTION RATES, *2.00 A YEAR; *1.25 * MONTHS; 75c 3 MONTHS Advertising Rates, 7* csnta an Inch per Issue. Address, The Monitor, 2B4 Kaffir Block. Omaha. Heb. Telephone Douglas 3224. - % ^ ? ARTICLE XIV. CONSTITUTION OF THE % UNITED STATES. ? j . £ t{ Citizenship Rights Not to Be Abridged. II. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, £ and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the ❖ United States and of the State wherein they reside. No * state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the £ privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor | shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or prop- ❖ erty without due process of law, nor deny to any person $ within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. £ IS THE TRUTH COMING OUT n OWING to the tense feeling in this community immediately following the riot and burning of the court house, and the lynching of William Brown, a colored American, for an j alleged assault on a woman, Septem- |, ber 28, 1919, The Monitor, as our readers will recall, was very guarded , and conservative in its statements, j We stated that there yas no oos't.ce proof of the victim’s guilt and that , the story of the alleged assault as published in the daily press was of such an unbelievable character as to throw doubt upon its credibility. We said further that the young wom an’s escort was known to be a pool hall loafer and as such not an alto gether dependable witness. We were careful to cast no reflection upon the ; character or reputation of the woman j in the rase. Our statements, as we , have said, were guarded. We could ; have said much more but we did not j deem it wise or expedient to do so. ; We felt that time would bring the ; truth to light. Now come state ments by John W. Towle, foreman of the grand jury', which investigated the riot, made publicly before promi nent organizations of this city in j which he declares that stories of as- , saults by Negroes upon women were deliberated framed to discredit the j police administration of the city an( that Brown was innocent. The Moni tor is constrained to ask, is the truth , - at last coming out? We regret ex-: ceedingly that among our splendid , citizenry, there were not found men , in those trying days with moral cour age to come out and say publicly what they were saying among them seves and what some of them said to. us privately. DO NOT PLEASE US. REFERENCE to those regrettable days nearly two years ago moves us to remark that there were certain features in connection with these de- i plorable events to which we have , never been able to become reconciled. We aie not bitter, but the fact that the lives of hundreds of law-abiding j men, women and children were allow - ; ed to be placed in jeopardy by an in- j sane mob evoked, unquestionable j evoked, by selfish and sinister me j tives and by an agency or agencies , with an ulterior purpose, has never set well with us and never will. We hope that the whole truth will event- ' ually be brought to light with such , clearness that the amity and good will which existed between all classes ■ of our citizens and which kindly re lationship were seriously disturbed by the propaganda issuing in that i tragedy may be restored. MONITOR SUPPORT. "Who is the Monitor supporting' in this campaign?” is a question, which has often been asked recent- j ly. There is a well-founded belief j that The Monitor wields some influ ence in this community among its readers and that many because of, its known integrity and wide know ledge of men and measure.! look to this newspaper for guidance. Wo, feel keenly the responsibility place 1 upon us and the confidence reposed in us. Our answer to this question at this time is this: The Monitor is for candidates 1. Who have shown n dispos'tion to be fair to our people; or whom we have good reason to believe, will ‘ in the event of their election, he fair to oiir people. 2. Who have proven themselves to be honest, capable and efficient public officials. A square deal for our people ; with us the FIRST CONSIDER ATION. The Monitor wants honest, capn-1 ble and efficient public officials and , the men who have given or will givd j us a SQUARE DEAL. These are ! he kind of candidates The Monitor rill support. None others need ap jly.—Watch for our ticket next week. “According To The Police” Do you notice how frequently there ire appearing in the local press these lays items running like this, “Ac •ording to the police, a Negro, etc.?” Doubtless there is method in this nadness." Keep your eyes and ears >pen and your head clear and cool. ANOTHER NEGRO POET Hubeil H. Harrison The passing of Luciai B. Watkins, •vhose ’oss to the race wa. so ably iet forth in an editorial by Mr. Ferrs n the issue of last week, has served :o remind us that our Negro poets lever get properly noticed by us un :il they have been taken up either by teath or by the white people. This s most unfortunate and it is to be loped that we nay soon pass from mder this shadow. At present we lave with us, in the flesh, another ?reat black poet who has recently re turned to us after a year in London where his poetic gifts have received fitting acknowledgements from the British people. We refer to Claude McKay who brought out while in Eng land a small volume of high grade verse entitled “Spring In New Hamp shire ami Other Poems.” The tide o1 commendation which it called forth reached its highest mark in the Cam bridge Magazine, a periodical which sells for a dollar and a quarter a eopv. And yet, which of our Negro liter atii knows anything about McKay? Nevertheless, his talents are so welt known among the whites that upon hi., return from England he was prompt!; offered a position as associate editor of The Liberator, one of the most pro minent of America’s magazines. This offer has been accepted—and none o! the subscribers has left the magazine. This is the first time that a Negr i has held such a position in America; although the writer of this has him self been on the staff of this sarru magazine during 1911 when it was un der the editorship of Piet Vlag and was known as "The Masses.” If McKay had waited until one of our “race” publications had given such recognition to his genius he would have starved to death first. Yet his famous poem of new Negro manhood, entitled “If We Must Die/’ has been quoted in Congress and recited bv many of our readers and elocution ists. The volume, “Spring In Nc" Hampshire” is published by Grant Richards, Ltd., of St. Martin’s Street. London. The book may, however, be obtained direct from Mr. McKay whose present address is care of The Liberator, 138 West 13th Street, New York. A review of the book and a formal estimate of its writer’s genius will appear in these columns later. (The Negro World) L> RING the children to our studio. We’ll make pic tures that stand apart in quality and interest. Real pictures with the charm of youth perpetua ted for all time. Make an appointment today. Butters studio 1306 NORTH 241 h ST Webster 6701 * lJlllllllllillllllllltllllllllllllllllllllllllllll4£ = LOOK! USE DISCRETION! s EAT = AT = 1 South & Thompson's \ Cafe E 2418 N. 24TH ST. WEB. 4566 = E Try Our CLUB BREAKFAST § — Menu; Ham and Bacon and One j-» «■[ Egg, or Sausage. Oatmeal. Cakes. |E S Potatoes. Bread and Butter. Coffee — S or "rea 5c r — SUBSCRIBE FOR THE MONITOR. ♦!♦ •!• *!♦ ♦!♦ •** .*• ♦% ♦%. PATRONIZE THE MONITOR ADVERTISERS II The Burdette Grocery UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT We carry a full line of staple and fancy groceries, j and a full line of meats There’s a Reason Teach your Dollar to have Cents KOSTORYZ BROS., Prop. 2114-16 N. 24th St. Phone Web 1515 1. Ill % ♦% ♦% ♦*« **♦ ♦% «*♦ A ♦% ♦% ♦% ♦% I Good Government Club | * Of Omaha will hold a | | PUBLIC MEETING | Tuesday Night, April 26th 1 Al I | Grove Methodist Episcopal § Church £ 22nd and Seward Sts. * John W. Towle | Speaker of the evening * | Come and hear the issues discussed | Music by K. P. Band * J. D. CRUM, President I A “Free” Bridge Facts I The Omaha & Council Bluffs Street Railway Company, operating the present toll bridge across theJVlissouri Riv- | er between Omaha and Council Bluffs, addresses, through this medium, a few statements of fact to the voters of Omaha on the proposition of voting bonds for a so called “free” bridge between the two cities' If Talk No. 4—St. Louis “Free” Bridge. I There is much valuable food for sober thought in the experience of the city of St Louis in the promotion and construction of the free” bridge across the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The agitation for this bridge was com menced about fifteen years ago in a manner juite similar to the agitation which is now on for a “free” bridge between Omaha and Coun cil Bluffs. The principal promoter of the “free” britjge at St. Louis was a man, engaged in the real estate business, by the name or Gerhart. The same arguments were advanced there as are now being circulated here in favor of the ‘•free’’ bridge proposition. Resolutions of real estate exchanges were procured, and commer cial organizations were solicited and in some cases passed resolutions in favor of the “free” bridge idea. An estimate of $3,500,000 as the •ost of the St. Louis bridge was made by an engineer, and after a more or less spirited campaign on the part of the promoters, bonds for $3,500,000 were voted at a special election held on June 12, 1906. Opposition to the voting of these bonds was strongly urged by gome of the officials of the City of St. Louis and by some of the lead ing newspapers. The St. Louis Republic on April 5, 1906, stated editorially as follows: 'The blunder the City of St. Louis would commit in spending millions to build a so called free bridge is more apparent today than It was when the agitation for that chimerical project first began. Mr. Wells (the mayor) ogently and forcibly explained in his message the absurdity of the scheme to remove the ex •iense of river transfer by saddling the burden m the municipality.” But the bonds were voted and all of the money expended, only to find that the bridge was far from being completed. Only the main spans had been constructed with the amount estimated for a completed bridge, and the ad ditional sura of $2,750,000 was asked to com plete the structure. AT THREE SUCCESSIVE ELECTIONS THE VOTERS OF ST. 1XJUIS iN DISGUST VOTED DOWN THE PROPOSITION TO ISSUE THE ADDITIONAL BONDS NEC KSSARY. AND FOR FIVE OR SIX YEARS THE HALF COMPLETED STRUCTURE STOOD IDLE. A MONUMENT TO THE FOLLY i OF ’ ALLOWING THE ADVICE AND EST1 MA7 .3 OF IRRESPONSIBLE PROMOTERS. I In November, 1914, more than eight years after I the original bonds were voted, the additional bond issue of $2,750,000 was authorized to com plete this structure, and this vast sum did not suffice to complete it. Mr. Player, who was Comptroller of the City of St. Louis at the lime the agitation for • a free bridge was started, has publicly stated that “the municipal bridge was a stupendous blunder from the beginning.” In his report made in September, 1916, after commenting on the so-called “free” bridge, he states as fol lows: “A big debt does not make a big city; the expenditure of public money for the ad vancement of private Interests does not make a great city; the erection of municipal bridges, markets, etc., that cannot meet the cost of op eration and maintenance, does not make a great city. Good men in public office and In civic organizations do make a great city.” When the question of voting bonds 'or the I erection of the St. Louis bridge was under dis cussion, many of the level-headed business men of that city expressed their opposition to the project, hut their opposition was drowned E by the voices of those who were clamoring for the “free” bridge. Mr. Andrew J. Riley, Pres ident of the St. Louis Board of Public Improve ments, warned the voters that the bridge would cost double the amount of the estimate. His warning was unheeded, but bis prediction has proven to be correct. If the St Louis bridge cost over $7,000,000 S when the preliminary estimate was $3,500,000, how much would the Omaha bridge cost when the preliminary estimate is $1,400,000? j Mr, Voter take your pencil and figure It out for yourself. The proposed Million Dollar bond Issue to be voted on May 3rd Is only a starter, unless you are prepared to vote one or ! two additional bond issues to complete the bridge, then you and all your friends and neighbors should vote “no” on this proposi tion. A. F. PEOPLES || PAINTING PAPERHANGING AND DECORATING Estimate* Furnished Free. g All Work Guaranteed. Full Line of Wall Paper and s Sherwin-Williams Paints and | •Varnishes 2419 Lake St. Webster 63fi6 § A Allen Jones, Res. Phone W. 294 I g Andrew T. Reed, Rea. Phono I Red 5210 t| i JONES & REED 8 FUNERAL PARLOR f: | 2314 North 24th.St. Web. 1100 | Lady Attendant t ..;. :0^>;-5WBC4>a»CD©W3tlhSBtt8U>aJBB» Phon* Ty. 89? Notary Public In Offlca N. W. WARE ATTORNEY A COUNSELOR at LAW Practice In Both Stata and Federal Courts Office: Booker T. Washington Hotel, 1Sth and California Sts., Omaha, Neb. .'.W.W.V.V.V.V.VW.V.V.V 5 The Western Funeral Home j; Pleases !; And will acrve you mirhl and day a ( , 2SI* Lake St. Phone Web. 424* S SILAS JOHNSON. Prop. FUNERAL DIRECTORS J .ViWW.V.WA’.V.V.V.V / 1 . - - ■ .. DE LUXE CAFE I And Refreshment Parlor | EVERYTHING IN SEASON 1 SON DICKERSON, Prop. j 2IM No 24th St. Tel. Web. ».» ~~~-- ' i Crosstown Furniture Co. SPECIAL SAIE-OF STOVES AND FI RM TI RE 1607-09 North Twenty-fourth SL Phone Webater 480 | WILLIAMSON'S DRUG STORE !j S Tobacco, Toilet Articles, Candies g g and Refreshments. All goods B g promptly delivered. 1 2306 No. 24tb St. Web. 4443 | Read The Mediator every week— it’s worth the money. j E. M. DAVIS Real Estate and Rentals f | | i ? Houses for Sale on SmaJI Payments Down | X x Let Me Show You Some Real Bargains in Up-to- y $ Date Homes ^ •}• 2530 Grant Street Phone Webster 2420 | < I Miss Freita Shaw I Recital ■ ) ASSISTED BY LOCAL TALENT Friday, April 22nd >< St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church ^ 26th and Seward St». ADMISSION 50 CENTS g | HEAR I Anita Patti Brown ! i THE RACE'S GREATEST PRIMA DONNA S | A* | | ZION BAPTIST CHURCH ♦ | \ Monday Evening April 25th | ADMISSION 50 CENTS X •{. x Come Early No Reserved Seats y X Y X /* Bring this ad with you. It will entitle bearer to a discount of 10 per cent off our already low prices, ten days only. *. Everything in paint at a saving. Mullin Paint Co. , 313 South 14th Street Now Is Your Chance TO GET A Talking Machine AT YOUR OWN PRICE AND TERMS We are overstocked and must sell at any price reasonable We have all the “blues” all -the time. 0 Street Pharmacy 28th and Q Sts. ‘ South 2fi« YOUR FUTURE HOLDS MONEY—PROPERTY SUCCESS A healthy scalp 4, Long, wavy hair— And a lovely i Complexion Learn the Madam C. J. Walker System of Beauty Culture and sell her 18 Superfine Preparations and a prosperous fu- ■ ture is yours. Use her world-renowned preparations regularly and have It j beautiful hair and a charming complexion. Is your hair short, breaking off, thin or falling out? Use jjj MADAM C. J. WALKER’S WONDERFUL HAIR GROWEIt Dept. A T THE MADAM C. J. WALKER MFC. CO., 610 North West Street, Indianapolis, Ind. Six Weeks’ Trial Treatment Sent Anywhere For $1.50 BECOME AN AGENT. “Now-a-days Its Madam Walker’s” I