m The monitor s
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f. NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
Z THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor.
O ^ ^ _
s 2.00 a Year—5 Cents a Copy' OMAHA, NEBRASKA, NOVEMBER 5, 1926VoL XII.—No, 19Whole Number 589
TWO NEGROES ELECTED TO HOUSE
<COUSIN OF CLARENCE C. WHITE
SUCCUMBS TO LONG ILLNESS
Mrs. Ora A. Smith, wife of H. W.
:Smitr, 2016 North Twenty-third street
died Tuesday, October 26, after a pro
tracted illness. The funeral was held
Friday afternoon from Jones’ Funeral
Home, the Rev. T. W. Kidd, pastor of
Bethel A. M. E. church, officiating.
Interment was in Forest Lawn.
Mrs. Smith, whose maiden name
was Ora A. Conner, was bom in Sel
ma, O., and was married to Mr. Smith
in February, 1907. They moved to
Omaha in 1910, where they have since
resided. Mrs. Smith was a cousin of
Clarence Cameron White, the famous
violinist. She is survived by her hus
band, two sisters, Mrs. Ella Wilson of
Columbus, O.; Mrs. Emma Ransom,
wife of Bishop Rcverdy C. Ransom of
Ocean Point, N. J.; and three broth
ers, Dr. W. H. Conner of Fort Wayne,
Ind., L. J. Conner of Chicago and
Joseph C. Conner of Springfield, O.
L. J. Conner was present at the
funeral.
NEGRO BUSINESS HOLDS REWARDS
Chicago, III.—Thai fine reward awaits
the man or woman who embarks in Negro
business and brings to the effort ability
ami 100 percent was demonstrated in a
way which all Chicago appreciates wnen
official announcement was made this week
of the election of Mr. Edward H. Gary,
director of agencies of the Liberty late
Insurance company of Illinois, to the vice
presidency of the company.
This promotion comes in recognition of
the wonderful work done by Mr. Gary in
building an agency force which put on the
books of the company over nine million
dollars of business in the five years that
the company has operated. This is the
second recogntion of Mr. Gary’s worth by
the company in less than a year, as last
March he was elected a member of the
Board of Directors. Mr. Cary will now
assume charge of a real estate department,
dealing in insurance, real estate, mortgage
and bonds, in addition to his work con
nected with the sales force of the company.
“There is no finer a salesman anywhere
than Mr. E. H. Cary," President M. 0.
Bouafield said in announcing this promo
tion, “Mr. Cary’s long and faithful serv
ices to Liberty Life entitled him to the
choice when we began to look for a man
to head this important department of our
work.”
Mr. Cary’s successor as director of
Agencies is Mr. Luther F. Simpkins, who
has served under Mr. Cary nearly the
whole time as assistant director of agencies
and educational director. Mr. Simpkins
has made an enviable reputation as a
salesman and a teacher and deserves this
appointment.
In these promotions is seen Liberty’s
policy of promoting men in recognition of
their merit and service.
PICKENS TO GO ABROAD
New York—The international con
ference for the suppression orf vio
lence in the colonies will be held in
Brussels, Belgium, in the middle of
January. More thar. 100 organizations
from among suppressed and dominated
peoples in the world have been in
vited to participate. Among the
American organizations invited to par
ticipate is the National Association
for Advancement of Colored People.
Other organizations are invited from
China, Persia, Arabia, Syria, Indo
China, Mexico, South America, Phil
ippines, Hayti, Morocco, Algeria, Ma
dagascar, other countries of Doth
North and South America, Egypt,
India, the Virgin Islands, and many
other places.
The conference is called under the
auspices of the League Against Co
lonial Suppression whose international
headquarters are in Berlin. The sec
retary is Mr. L. Gibartl, on Schadow
strasse in Berlin.
William Pickens, field secretary,
will attend.
LIVES WITH BROKEN NECK
Helena, Ark.—Although his neck
was broken when an automobile he
was driving overturned, S. D. Prewitt,
a rural mail carrier, continues to live.
He is paralyzed with the exception of
his arms.
UMVLKbiTY OF CALIFORNIA
i'KUMOltS CULOKr.U Sl.lK
Berkely, Cal.—(Pacific News Bu
• cuu;.—imtieit rrancis, xormer star
play or in ms prep days as captain
ux tne Polytechnic xiign bciiuul team
ox ban rrancisco, wno was side
kiacacd to tne substitute uencii oy
uie late Andy bnutn, nas Xinany, after
t»vu years of waiting, been promoted
to tus rightful position as a member
ox tne varsity squad.
rrancis, a sensational halfback in
•ns piep days, was snifted to tne line
oy bimtn wnen ne entered tne Uni
versity oi Caliiorni. railing to func
tion with merit in tnis position, ne
was side-tracked to the bench. This
year after defeats by St. Mary’s, the
Oregon Aggies and the University ol
bouliiern California, Coach Clarence
Price in seeking new material lor po
sitions lelt unoccupied through in
juries, decided to give r rancis his
chance with the varsity as tackle re
placing Fred Coltrim, who with Poi
son of Stanford university and Brice
laylor (colored) of University- of
ooutnem Calilorna, are rated as the
best tackles on the coast. Coltnn was
injured in the recent game with the
university of Southern California.
FEDERAL. AUTOMOBILE ASSN.
APPOINTS $5,000-A-YEAR HEAD
Washington, D. C.—William M.
Dent of Baltimore, Md., has been se
cured by tfhe Federal Automobile As
sociation, Inc., of Washington, D. C.,
as their national director of districts
and auditor. Mr. Dent as ad over
ten years' experience in the business
world as a publicity man and public
accountant, during which time he was
managing editor of the Detroit
Leader, auditor and director of the
"Your Cab Company," Chicago, I1L,
which company he helped organize,
and the Liberty Life Insurance com
pany of Illinois at Chicago, of which
company he was auditor and is a life
member of the advisory board of di
rectors. Mr. Dent will be a great as
set to F. A. D., due to wide acquain
tance and general business experience.
He is especially fortunate in that he
was a close personal friend, as well as
a business associate of the late Frank
L. Gillespie, who was considered by
many of both races as the financial
genius of the present century.
_ I
WINNER OF LEGISLATIVE SEAT
FROM NINTH DISTRICT
Dr. John A. Singleton is the young
est son of Mr. and Mrs. M. F. Sin
gleton. He was bom in Omaha, July
29, 1896. He is a graduate of Central
High school and of Howard university,
Washington, D C. He is a practicing
dentist. Dr. Singleton is married and
has three children, his wife being for
merly Miss Daisy Goring of New
York. He is a home owner and tax
payer. He is a member of the Epis
copal Church of St. Philip the Deacon,
of the Masons and other fraternities.
NEGROES LEAVE M’PHEI^ON
CHURCH.
Los Angeles.—There has been a
considerable exodus from colored
churches here of members who have
been attracted by the magnetic lead
ership of Mrs. Aimee Semple McPher
son, white pastor, head of the famous
Angelus Temple and its various
branches. She has had a policy of
treating all alike, making all nations
welcome, and using colored singers in
the choir. As the scandal filled trial,
in which Mrs. McPherson, her mother,
and a man named Ormiston are co-de
fendants, draws near to some star
tling climaxes, quite a few of her
colored members are said to be desert
ing and returning to their mother
churches.
- •
TWENTY-FIVE COLORED ACTORS
IN “FIGHTING LOVE"
Culver City, Calif.—(Pacific Coast News
Bureau)—Bertram Millhauser, the brilliant
scenarist who is adapting the story “Porgy"
for an all colored super-feature, is also
starring Jetta Goudal, seen in “Three Faces
East”, and directed by Chrislander, of the
DeMille studios. Twenty-five colored
actors are being used in the African scenes.
Adam McMullen.
Re-Elected Governor by Less Than 8,000—Race Vote Saves the Day.
EDITORIAL
The election is over. Populus locutus est. The pople have
spoken. They have declared their will at the ballot box. Fever
ish excitement has subsided. A reasonable normalcy will now
obtain among the American populace until another election draw
eth nigh. *
Viewing the election nationally there have been some sur
prises. Substantial gains were made in Senate and House by the
democrats, but not quite enough to give them control. The bal
ance is so suspended that the republican “insurgents” or “irregu
lars”, like Norris, Brookhart, et al, can easily tip the scale “twixt
south and southwest side.”
Nebraska is one of the bright spots of republican victory,
made so, be it remembered, by Douglas county, although the state
has lost a republican congressman in the person of McLaughlin
of the fourth who was defeated by Norton. This makes the del
egation four democrats and two republicans. The congressional
delegation consists of John H. Morehead, democrat, first, re
elected; Willis G. Sears, republican, second, re-elected by over
10,000; Edgar Howard, democrat, third, re-elected; John Norton,
democrat, fourth, who has just defeated McLaughlin; A. C. Shall
enberger, fifth, re-elected; and Robert Simmons, republican, sixth.
Douglas county, too, also saved Governor McMullen. His 5,000 ma
jority in Douglas county is all that saved the day for him. It
can be said with truth that the Negro vote of Douglas county,
something over 4,000, was responsible for Governor McMullen’s
election. ~—-—
The outstanding feature for our group in Omaha is the elec
tion of Barnett and Singleton to the State Legislature. Thank
God, we have at last forced open the door to legislative representa
tion which has been closed to us for over thirty years. In the
early nineties Dr. M. O. Ricketts was twice elected to the State
Legislature, where he acquitted himself with distinction, and was
recognized as one of the most useful members of the house. But
since that time the door has been closed and barred. The election
of a Negro has been considered an impossibility. The election,
therefore, of two at this time is a signal victory, which must be
taken full advantage of as it is an earnest of-greater things. The
Monitor feels confident that their constituents will hahve no rea
son to regret the confidence they have placed in Barnett and
Singleton in electing them. The Monitor feels that it has a share
in this victory inasmuch as we have insistently urged our people
to lay aside petty criticisms and personal likes and dislikes and get
unitedly behind these two candidates.
The chief interest in Douglas county centered in the contest
for sheriff. Charles B. McDonald, the republican candidate, sup
ported by the Ku Klux Klan, the “Dennison machine” and the
“Smith-Ure-Howell machine” defeated John Hopkins, democrat,
by about 5,000 votes. Considering the tremendous odds against
Hopkins he is to be congratulated upon the splendid showing he
made. The Monitor is particularly gratified over the stand taken
in his behalf by the colored voters. This independence augurs
well for the future. In every ward where the colored vote is
strong Hopkins polled a heavy vote. In the rock-ribbed republican
second ward, despite the herculean efforts made to roll up a big
majority for McDonald, hfe carried it by only 152. The third ward,
another strong republican ward, confidently counted on by Mc
Donald backers, gave Hopkins a majority of 152. The fifth was
carried by Hopkins by 714 and the sixth was carried by McDonald
by 30 votes. In all of these wards, and three of them in parti
cular, there is a heavy colored vote. This shows that the colored
voter knew his mind and knew 1\qw to scratch his ballot. Bauman,
the only democrat elected, and whose election, like that of Hop
kins, The Monitor advocated, also ran big in these wards.
The strongest Kluxer wards in the city are the first, the
ninth, the eleventh and the twelfth. McDonald carried the first
by 1,542 votes, the ninth by 992, the eleventh by 964, and the
twelfth by 940. It is also said that “the invisible empire” is com
paratively strong in the tenth. McDonald carried this by 873.
In other words, of the 5,766 votes by which McDonald defeated
Hopkins ONLY 5,311 were cast for him in the wards where the
Klan is reputed to be the strongest. No, there is nothing signifi
cant about this! It just happened. That’s all.
Of more importance to us, as a group, however, than the elec
Elected to State Legislature
issssssaasssK!
1 John A. Singleton F. L. Barnett
UFF"^!
tion of the sheriff, because, we as a rule, are law-abiding citizens,
was the election of the seven members of the Board of Education.
We believe the seven men elected, six for the long term, and one
for the short, are men rtf excellent business ability and fair-mind
edness. Four of the seven chosen, namely Fitzgerald, Higgins,
Miller and Bergquist, were endorsed by The Monitor. Burke,
Mason and Loomis were the others chosen.
The return of Congressman Sears was the right thing to
do, because of his experience and the important place he holds,
especially in connection with Missouri river improvement.
Taken all in all, the election, despite its peculiar angles, has
been quite satisfactory. It is to be noticed that whoever is elected
the sun still shines, God still reigns and the government still lives.
The battle of ballots is aver. Let everybody shake hands and be
good friends and prove themselves good American citizens.
REPUBLICANS ELECT
TWO RACE CANDIDATES
TO THE LEGISLATURE
Singleton Scores Victory in Ninth and
Barnett Wins in Tenth Legislative
Districts by Good Margins.
THIRTY-YEAR DROUTH BROKEN
Despite Largely Increased Population
No Negro Had Been Elected to
the Nebraska Legislature
Since Early Nineties.
Breaking a political drouth of over
thirty years, the Republicans of Doug
las county elected two Negroes to the
State Legislature Tuesday. Dr. John
A. Singleton defeated his democrat
opponent, J. J. Barry, in the Ninth
district, by 361 votes and F. L. Bar
nett distanced both his democrat and
progressive opponents, R. E. Roche,
and C. C. Bogue, in the Tenth, win
ning ober Roche, his closest competi
tor, by 141 votes. Singleton’s vote
was 1,495 as against Barry’s 1,131;
and Barnett’s 1,076 as against Roche’s
936.
An analysis of returns from va
rious precincts shows that the race, in
accordance with the Monitor’s request
to lay aside all petty criticisms and
personal likes and dislikes and vote
for these candidates, stood loyally
back of them. Discriminating intelli
gence in the use of the ballot was
shown, for while many ballots were
scratched on the candidates for Sheriff
and County Treasurer, the vote was
straight for other candidates. McMul
len ran strong in these districts.
For the first time since the early
nineties, when Dr. M. O. Ricketts was
twice elected to the legislature from
Douglas county, the race will-see not
only one but two of its members in
the house of representatives. It should
be borne in mind that while both Sin
gleton and Barnett are members of thfe
colored race, they have been chosen
not as the representatives of the col
ored race, but of all the people of
their respective districts.
The republican landslide in Douglas
county swept into office every repub
lican candidate with the exception of
Otto J. Bauman, democrat, who suc
ceeds himself as County Treasurer.
Bauman defeated Beisel by a large
majority.
Governor McMullen carried Doug
las county by 5,721 votes, which ma
jority has been cut to less than 3,060
by returns from out in the state.
"When It is known that the Second
ward gave him a majority of 1,072,
which the Third and other wards in
which there is a large colored vote)
substantially increased, it will be real
ized that this vote contributed largely
to Governor McMullen’s re-election.
Congressman Sears raced away
from his competitor, North, at the
speed of more than 10,000 votes.
Charles B. McDonald, republican,
defeated John Hopkins, democrat, in
the hotly contested race for sheriff.
McDonald’s vote was 27,562 and Hop
kins 22,947, giving McDonald a ma
jority of 4,605.
Henry Beal, repcblican, candidate
for re-election, defeated Harland L.
Mossman, democrat, for county attor
ney by 6,551 votes, the vote being
Beal, 28,319 and Mossman. 21,668.
The amendment granting increased
pay to firemen and policemen was car
ried by a substantial majority.
FERDINAND L. BARNETT
REPRESENTATIVE FROM
THE TENTH DISTRICT
The newspapers have contained sev
facetious jibes at “Barnett, the Negro
janitor, candidate for the legislature.”
They have treated it largely as a joke
that one of such a lowly station should
aspire to political office.
Ferdinand L. Barnett was bom in
Selma, Ala., nearly sixty years ago.
There he went to school, subsequent
ly attending night classes at Fisk uni
versity. Removing to Cleveland, he re
sided there for 13 years. He came
to Omaha in June, 1887, where he
has since resided. In October, 1889,
he started The Progress, Omaha’s first
Negro newspaper, which he published
for 17 years. His first political job
was that of probate clerk with County
Judge Irving F. Baxter. There’s where
Barnett got the hankering for a polit
ical job, a malady once contracted the
patient very rarely recovers from.
Subsequently he served as sidewalk
inspector under Mayor Frank E.
Moores, street foreman under A1 Ku
gel, poundmaster under Mayor Dahl
man and for the last six years head
janitor at the city jail. Several years
ago his first wife died and he re
mained a widower until two years ago,
when he married Mrs. Watts. He Is
a property owner, owning the cosy lit
tle bungalow in which he and Mrs.
Barnett reside at 1618% North Twen
ty-second street and another attrac
tive modem home at 1613 North
Twenty-second street. Mr. Barnett is
a member of St John’s A. M. E.
church and a 33rd degree Mason.
Mrs. Charles H. Hicks is quite ill at
her residence, 2530 Maple street.
