The Black Dispatch (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 20, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 20, 1922 Page: 4 of 8
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EDITORIAL PAGE OF THE BLACK DISPATCH *
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The Black Dispatch
Box 68, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Phone Maple 818
Rater *d it the Poit Office at Oklahoma City, a« second elaaa mall,
under act of March 3. 1879.
One year—a*^. —
Biz Months
Three Months
ROSCOE DUNJEE .Editor
Going to Africa or Anywhere
DRUSILLA DUNJEE-HOUSTON..
..Contributing Editor
Get Your Two Mills
o
We hope ail of the Negro teachers over the state will take notice that
the 8upreme Court of Oklahoma has decided that it is mandatory upon the
exise board of the county to accept the recommendation of the city school
■ board in the matter of making up the budget for Negro schools in cities of the
first class, provided, said budget does not exceed the "two mills" provided for
In the law passed by the legislature last year.
This decision was made by the Supreme Court this past week and de-
veloped up out of the case arising in Logan county where the excise board
cut the budget prepared by the Board of Education of the city of Guthrie.
The city board mandamused the excise commissioners and got their relief in
the county court of Logan county. The Supreme Court acted on an appeal
made by the excise board to sustain their position.
This decision should mean much In those counties where schools have
already been closed, because the excise board has refused to give the two
mills as provided by the new law. If you have been denied, go into court and
mandamus the fellow who denies you. The Supreme Court is at your back.
The officers of the State Teachers' Association should get busy and dissemi-
nate this information ail over the state to the teaching forces.
o
Your Responsibility
o
We are carrying this week a quarter page ad for the Daniels Dry Goods
Company, a new business established in Oklahoma City. Mr. Daniels, the
proprietor, is a young man who through thrift and economy has saved enough
out of his earnings to start this most excellent establishment and place in it
the big stock of goods to be found on his shelves. Mr. Daniels has an idea
that he can develop a mail order business out of his new venture. It is a
laudable ambition. We feel proud of Mr. Daniels and wish to favorably re-
commend him to the buying public. We hope that our out-of-town readers
will get prices quoted them by the Daniels Dry Goods Company before buy
Ing elsewhere.
Many Negroes do not seem to understand why the Negro Journalist can>
not run a daily newspaper. A daily is needed and the average colored man
cannot understand why they are not in existence. There never will be any
Negro daily newspapers until the Negro has gotten out farther in the busi-
ness and commercial world. When Negro business reaches the place and
strength where it can afford to employ pages of advertising to place its
wares before the buying public, that day the Negro daily will come into its
own.
Your responsibility is obvious. You should patronize Negro business
houses. Ten thousand Negroes buy shoes in Oklahoma City every year. If
they bought those shoes from a Negro retailer, that retailer could afford to
get the Black Dispatch out free for his customers as a side issue. Clothes,
groceries, hats, food and etc., follow in the same order. If you want the
Negro daily, you must get behind the Negro business man.
B ;
DRUSILLA DUN J EE-HOUSTON
President Oklahoma Training School
Walton's Promises
-B-
Harlows Weekly, last week, comments extendedly on the editorial ap-
pearing in the Black Dispatch, entitled: "The Reconstruction League." Our
readers will remember what we had to say with reference to the League.
In that particular article we endeavored to steer shy of partisanship and es-
timate the League for its real value. However that may be, the writer on
Harlow's publication seems to have reached some conclusions as to the
reason why of things. It appears that he has an idea that Mayor Walton
has made the Negroes some promises that will later develop and about which
the Black Dispatch has information.
In this connection we want to say that Mayor Walton has not made any
promises to the editor of this publication to do anything; neither do we
have any information as to any definite promises that he has made to any
individual Negro or group of Negroes. It will be remembered in the article
to which the Weekly refers, that we said: "We are not so much interested
in the candidacy of Mayor Walton as we are in the question of what this new
political organization means to the Negro." Harlow's writer continues in his
search for the background of the article, to inform his readers that the
editor of the Black Dispatch has "long been a political follower of Walton."
This last plunge causes the Black Dispatch to feel that Harlow's Weekly
is guilty of the old Democratic trick of attempting to kill the political as-
pirations of Walton by making a showing that he is too much a lover of Ne-
groes and that he has made them unreasonable promises. We predict that
the campaign will be waged from now on against Walton on such foolish and
untenable grounds.
In traveling over the state last sum'
mer I noticed two great divisions In
the race on the question of an exodus.
Our people are restless and despon-
dent and can easily be urged to rash
acts. The race needs information
about these places to which we are
being urged to go. This country is
too congested. There is no doubt
that a thinning out would make it bet-
ter for those who remain but more
than that should concern us. Will it
be better for the masses who will go?
I intend to go very deeply down into
this subject of Africa and Mexico for
I do not believe that any sight-seeing
excursion can bring back al Ithe solid
information a people ought to have
before pulling up their stakes to go
into unknown and untried lands.
A trip through on the train will not
reveal the moral conditions of the
people always as to their environment
to lift or lower the children of our
homes. The civil condition of the
country upon the permanency
shiftiness of the government will de-
pend the guarantee of whether a title
to the land would be sound or not. The
next point would be as to whether I
would find a sound industrial basis.
I see many Mexicans along the line of
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and in
our state who have left Mexico be-
cause of its unsettled industrial condi-
tions. If I have not investigated the
climate, the educational development
and outlet to market of the new
country's produce I may be taking my
family away to surround them with
superstition, ignorance, poverty and
finally death.
When the Chief Sam movement was
on in this state the people became
frenzied. They would not listen to
reason. In some communities if a
person attempted to speak against
that exodus they would want to lynch
them. They were frantic to leave
America. They sold their homes and
possessions for practically nothing.
Nobody will give you anything for
property if you are anxious to sell.
One man sold a big mule, Dr. Capers
tells us, for seventy-five cents. At the
recruiting camps the people got out of
funds and sickened. At Galveston they
died like sheep. When at last they
crossed the ocean they were dropped
out anywhere they took a notion to
land without funds, incumbrances up-
on a people themselves under the
galling yoke of European exploitation.
Last summer after looking upon
this new frenzy I decided it a punish-
ment sent from God. The man who
has ignored the church, the man in
the church a stumbling block, the man
who has defrauded widows and or-
phans and the virtue of his neighbor's
daughter, the man who hasn't trusted
In the first place, the editor of this paper has not been guilty of follow-
ing Mayor Walton at all. We have fought him more than any other man in
political life of Oklahoma today. We have tried to be broad enough along
the way to praise him when he was entitled to it, and if we have praised him a" wl11 be caught in this snare,
often, it is to his credit, in the eyes of thinking men, rather than his fault. .When our fortunes are not built up-
But in our estimate of a man, we never try to slush over and loose our head. '°n the rock of faith they cannot stand.
If Walton wants the Negroes' votes in the coming primary, we think he ought I The man who thinks we might gain
to pay for them. If he hasn't made any promises, he ought to be made make!the chance of revenge upon the white
some. We ought have definite information as to what his program will be race by going will find that Africa
if he goes into the governor's office. fnd Mexi«> ay the rod unsparing-
ly upon his back; for Christ told us
In this connection we want to call the attention of the Negroes of this .to forgive, not to hold race hatred in
state to something that they do not seem to be thinking about. Walton is,our hearts. Whom God would de-
an outspoken friend of union labor; he was a strike sympathizer during the stroy HE FIRST MAKES MAD. He
labor difficulties here some few month ago. We are not finding any fault'takes away the power of the wicked
not our equals but our inferiors. They
have a much higher immoral and crim-
inal percentage than the masses of
the Negro race. It is not possible to
get along in harmony with inferiors.
Wherever the maisses of our people
go race friction arises. The govern-
ment is theirs if they found the Ne-
gro growing too numerous and pros-
perous, they would attempt through
their laws to retard our progress just
as the South here does. One Negro
can appear in a town to become a
gneral favorite with whites. Upon
the ingress of a larger number a na-
tural law begins to work—the survival
of the fittest. The dominent race al-
ways considers itself the fittest. The
tide of education and morals is high-
er in favored sections of Mexico but
where we would be able to buy, the
marketing facilities are* very poor.
You might produce much but the price
for it would be very low.
These men who would lead our peo-
ple to Mexico have not the capital to
put in branch railroads, level roads
and furnish conveyance to markets the
productions of agriculturial labor. Life
is too congested in America. Too
many people have been crowding Into
the cities. Not enough produce is be-
ing raised on the farm to sustain hu-
man life. We are in the beginning of
a period of readjustment. There is
a back-to-nature movement in both
races that will make life easier but
I believe the man planning to emi-
grate more likely to suffer than the
one who remains. There will be more
jobs to go around if there is an exo-
dus. The white man will treat the Ne-
gro better for our service is needed in
in this country in all its avenues. The
churchfi fraternalism and educational
work will be easier when the murmur-
ers, agitators aDd stumbling stones are
gone.
I believe most of the people in our
local communities innocent of graft
or evil intent in this movement, but I
am saying to them as Isay to the
masses. Do not be the puppet with
another, than yourself pulling the
string. Do not blindly allow other
men to make you grind their axes for
them. Study the motive of the men
putting forward these movements; as
Dr. Capers says, "Some men will climb
to wealth and prominence over your
and my grave." E7very time a big na-
tional fellow comes into your commu-
nity and pats you on the back do not
lose your head. Stop and think, is his
motive profit or race love. Is he be-
ing paid to make the speech? When
I get down in Mexico will he continue
his patting? When my funds give out
will he help me out of his means?
Common sense will teach you that
he would not.
(To .be Continued.)
MADAM JESSIE CARTER
WONDERFUL HAIR GROWER
No More—DANDRUFF.
No More—FALLING HAH>
No More—ITCH SCALP.
No More—TETTER.
No More—ECZEMA.
Gives Health to the Scalp; Pro-
motes Growth of Long Fluffy
HAIR
U8E Madam Jessie Carter's
Wonderful Oils.
-PRICES-
GROWING OIL 60c
PRE8SING OIL 50c
TEMPLE OIL 50c
AGENT8 WANTED
Enclose 3c Stamp for Reply to
Letters.
Ailer
uou.b in U 1 ealti IS liuw
22 inches long.
2452 Lafayette St.
Madam Jessie Carter
Denver, Colo.
CARD OF THANKS
We take this method to thank the
many friends of our dear and beloved
husband and father, Rev. W. F. Smith,
for the beautiful floral offerings and
the consoling encouragement given
us during our sad bereavement in the
timely hour of consolation. We es-
pecially thank Mr. and Mrs. Lawson,
and the manifold friends for their
special attention and sympathy they
extended us , and the Masons and K.
of P., who so nicely conducted the
funeral ceremonies.
Sincerely,
Mrs. L. E. Smith, wife, Shawnee, Ok-
lahoma; Mrs. J. B. Foster, daughter,
Los Angeles, Calif.; Mrs. W. H. Mil-
ler, daughter, Denver, Colo.; Miss L.
Berta Smith, daughter, Kansas City,
Mo.; Miss Delphia Smith, daughter,
Oklahoma City; Mr. Howard Smith,
son, Sioux City, Iowa; Mrs. R. C.
Smith of Ferguson and Smith Under-
taking Co., Kansas City, Mo.; Mr. J.
Fletcher Smith, son, Kansas City, Mo.
Mrs. Mable Godley, grand daughter,
Oklahoma City; Master Roscoe Miller,
grandson, Denver, Colo.; Mrs. W. G.
Mosely, daughter, Kansas City, Mo.;
Miss Vernice Ward, grand daughter,
Kansas City, Mo.
with him because of his inclining towards union labor, but we would like to
have an inkling as to how far that inclination goes. For instance, it might
be pertinent to inquire: Would he issue any pardons to the union labor men
who were convicted of lynching Jake Brooks, while in the governor's chair?
Understand, we do not know that he would, but we do know that he is a
great friend of union labor and that it would be a fine thing for the guiding
spirits of the clubs organized by Negroes with which to help elect Walton
governor, to find out how the Mayor's pulse runs along this line.
Personally, we believe that Mayor Walton would make a better governor
for the whole people than would John Fields who the Republicans of Ok
lahoma county indorsed last week; personally we will have to have more in>
formation as to the attitude of Mr. Fields towards the Negro before we would
support him or ask the Negroes of the state to do it. If a reported speech of
Fields in southern Oklahoma, during his campaign for governor several
years ago is true, we do not see the need of ditching the black man's vote
with him. Next week we propose to make a general survey of the political
situation as it affects the Negro in the state, and nationally. Here is what
Harlow's Weekly has to say about our recent editorial on the Farmer-Labor
Reconstruction League:
"This article indicates several important things. Possibly the most im
portant thing. i3 that there is a definite movement among the Negroes to
break the race away from their previous blind allegiance to the republican
party and to become independent voters. This, if true, and if successful, will
be the greatest political phenomenon of the past half century. Many Negro
leaders have come to the point that they believe that a great part of their
political disabilities have grown out of the fact that the race was only an
asset to a party rather than an independent class of people who would vote
upon the issues rather than upon party name. Roscoe Dunjee, the editor of
the paper quoted above, is probably the most intelligent publicist that the
race has produced in this section, and is apparently making an attempt to
lead the Negro into an improved political situation.
"Another clear indication is the attempt upon the part of the Walton
forces to align independent Negro voters behind Walton. The presence of
Negroes in the Shawnee Convention, the welcome extended to them by the
union labor element in that convention, and the continuous efTorts of the
Black Dispatch, whose editor has for a long time been a political follower
of Walton, make it seem very probable that a close understanding, supported
by promises, has been attempted between the Walton forces and the Ne-
groes. What the nature of the promises may have been has not yet beer
made public, but whatever thev may be there is small doubt among those
whe know Walton that they will be carried out. There is one rice of which
above all Walton is not guilty, that is. breaking his promises or abandoning
his associates. He keeps his word and will fulfill to the Negroes whatevei
promises he may have made to them to secure their support. If Dunjee it
able to carry out his plan and align a large portion of the registered Ne
groes behind Walton, it will undoubtedly add materially to his voting
strength. This is especially true, because of his largest support being union
labor, who have already welcomed the Negro as a political associate."
heart to reason. This fever for an
exodus now is madness.
A great many people of the mass of
our race hearing all this flowery de-
scription of Mexico and Africa, the
bread fruit, the butter tree, the ba-
nana and melons Will quit work, as
Dr. Capers says, and go to dreaming
about these things and all you can get
our of him is "When are we gwine?"
Soon you have a growing, shiftless
element forgetting the duty of today
living on the illusion of tomorrow.
This class of people reason with their
stomach. They do not stop to con-
sider that these things of which he
hears must be the fruit of exertion,
i nthe Mexican movement land can
be bought by the promoters for one
dollar an acre and sold to the masses
for ten dollars an acre. This personal
enrichment is sufficient to incite the
cry from a few of "On to Mexico."
The prudent man will not be caught
in this project.
Let us examine the civil condition of
Mexico. It has been in a continued
state of revolution for a decade or
two. Even the life and property of
white moneyed men of the United
Statss has been exceedingly unsafe,
with a nation and a flag behind them.
Ihe country does not seem to become
staible enough to give safe title to
property. In Villa's raids he seized
wealth, cattle, even people and held
.hem tcr ransom. Mexico is never
,ree from the terror of brigand bands
it seems to me if we are looking for
safety, in going to Mexico we would
je exchanging the Devil fir the deep
tea. 1 would rather trust to an oc
as onal race riot than live under the
.right of internal revolution. In the
lope to exploit the natural resources
if Mexico which are indeed great,
white American capital keeps the var-
ous factions of Mexico constantly em-
broiled.
AT THE ALDRIDGE
(J. C. B.)
Wm. Farnum in "His Greatest
Sacrifice" was an excellent vehicle
in which to display this actor's won-
derful personality and superb acting.
The story, one of neglected child-
hood and a fther's love, was really a
brief for keeping women at home. The
story seemed rather overdrawn. The
mother's love generally outlasts and
outshines a father's. This story gave
women the worst of it.
The Crawdad man is here. He has
a most fascinating and bewildering
"food song" and a pair of pants that
is a classic.
Art Acord's picture is drawing to a
close. The Robinson Crusoe picture
will be an old friend presented in a
delightful new way.
THE CREOLE BAKERY
Wishes to announce a DECREASE in prices—an INCREASE in
Service
Light Bread 5c—Fresh Rolls per doz, 15©—Fresh Line of Pastry
Daily. We made a specialty of pleasing your most exacting
taste. Phone your orders in for Birthday or Wedding Cakes.
TRY OUR CAFETERIA SERVICE
"WHERE THE ATMOSPHERE IS APPETIZING"
DINNER 30 CENTS
We strive to please
Courtesy supreme
311 East First St.
Service Superior
Phone M. 538a
DR. ISAAC W. YOUNG
SPECIALIST
EYE, EAR, NOSE AND THROAT
His office Is now fitted with the latest Electrical apparstU
and newest instruments, including the X-Ray and
Fluoroscope
330 E. 2nd Street
Oklahoma City
"WHERE SERVICE IS UNBLEMISHED'
ELK'S HORN CAFE
THE PLACE OF GOOD EATS—SHORT ORDERS A SPECIALTY
REGULAR MEALS 25c We Want Your Patronage
Our Motto: "Courtesy Plus Efficient Service Equals Satisfied Customers
DICK WALKER, Prop.
227 East Second Street Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
BOOK CHAT
By Mary White Ovington
Chairman of the Board of Directors; them through the swamp is one of
Of the National Association for the the most wonderful slave stories that
Advancement of Colored People. has ever been written of the South.
You thrill when you find Miss Begue,
"The Children In the Mist." the mistress, coming for the first
By George Madden Martin. Pub-
lished by D. Appleton & Co. Price
$1.75, with postage $1.85.
allowance for an inferior being. For
myself, I am weary of this attitude
whether it refer to white or black,
rich or poor. Why should the per-
son who has been born into comfort
and has had every advantage feel
superior to one who has been born
without opportunity for education, for
comfort, for health of mind or body?
These beautiful, aristocratic owners
of slaves whom George Madden Mar-
tin depicts so lovingly scarcely
touched life compared with the rag-
ged, untutored blacks who toiled to
keep their owners m idleness. And
no amount of tender sympathy can
make the writer with the psychology
of the slave owner identify herself
with the inner life of those whom she
tries to describe.
After this introduction I am ready
to talk about a really remarkable
book once you accept its viewpoint.
For George Madden Martin is an ac-
complished story teller, who delighted
us with her tales of "Emmy Lou,"
and who, when she comes to tell of
The Children in the Mist" describes
some unusual and vivid incidents.
The first story, "The Flight," is the
best in the book. Sherman is march-
ing to the sea, burning houses behind
him, and you see Miss Susan Begue
owner of Scuppernong Hall, stand-
ing outside of her burning home, with
two young girl nieces, and five slaves,
old Maum Harriet, brought from Afri-
ca, her daughter and three little
boys, grandchildren. They must (By the A8S0cjated Negro Press)
travel that night fifteen mUes to WEATHERFORD, Texas, April ?.).
Cinnamon Court House, the roads are —Expressing opposition to everytft'.ig
full of troops and dangerous Leav- that the Ku Klux Klan gtanda f(Jr „M
ing their burning home behind them far as , know., Pederal Judge
the eight journey on together. |c wilson of the northern district of
At once the old Negro takes the; Texas in an address before the Weath-
lead. It is she who is the protector erfor(j chamber of commerce declar-
of them all. And how she guides ed that genator Culberson "did not
two young girls to safety.
The other seven stories vary in In-
terest, the best of them, "The Ink-
skip Niggah" moving like "The
Flight" about the theme of the lady
of quality and the faithful servant.
This must at times have been a beau-
tiful relationship but one grows a lit-
tle weary at hearing about it, and al-
ways from the master's pen. But un-
questionably beautiful is the ending
of "The Inkskip Niggah" where the
southern lady, Miss Lavinia, penni-
less, neglected in her pride by once
devoted friends, in danger of being
sent to the poorhouse, at the last is
saved by the wisdom and kindness of
her old servant. Laying her hand uf
on his shoulder, she looks into ti
faces of those others of her own ra/,
who did nothing and says: "If G/t
had not willed many things, it woul
not have come about that out of a
much friendship there emerged fc
me the miracle of a friend."
Here the attitude of mistress av«i'
servant vanishes and two spirits mee .
on an equality.
Books like "The Children in tin
Mist" do much good. They show thr
difficulties that beset the Negro'j
path and they breathe a very real and
tender sympathy. But 1 doubt f
they really portray the black man.
TEXAN RAPS KLUX
I read recently in a southern pa-
per of a college professor who in lec-
turing upon recent literature writ-
ten by Negroes, placed my novel.
miss it far" when he said that "if per
mitted to continue, the K'.an would
soon overthrow the government." The
,no federal judge said that it was nothing
bss, coming tor tne nrsi more tha„ a form of anarchjsm w),icb
time upon the slave s secret, the hard operate(j j,y first geUjD, as mcmbera
the sheriffs, then thi police, trial
firm foot path traversing to the white
man, the impenetrable swamp. "A
continuous narrow ribbon stretching
judges and preachers, and that it is
a smooth system of chloroforming the
ahead; winding in and out across government under the p^a of 100 pe,
marshes, through morass and around cent Americanism
lagoons, linking hummock to island GjVin as " d f
anfl taloni) In snmn linthrust of solid I I-Ti, * ..V _U,"K
- island to some upthrust of solid organization mob the mob the judge
"The Shadow" as the work of a col- footing in a sea of quaking bog. One | Ueclared th s could be done ,
ored novelist. My ambition as an grasped that this winding ribbon was | The judge urged tj,e armine of all
author makes me never read a mis- a road, • • • • a work of careful, jails wilh machine KUns and 6 ,
toUo lilro this n-ithriiit fppline deenlv nnrt nalnstakine construction, a cor- lo
take like this without feeling deeply
:ompllmented. It must show that I
have suff'ciently penetrated into the
hougbt life of the Negro race to be
ible to depict it, not as an outsider,
but as one with understanding.
>orge Madden Martin, who by the
vay is a woman, will never be mis-
taken as to her race. When she
rites of "The Children of the Mist"
she is an outsider, looking at her
character sympathetically, tenderly,
and painstaking construction, a cor- j 'man them
daroy foundation of felled trees, built
upon with the turfy sods of marsh
grass.filied in and surfaced with bog
mud and clay, now hard and dry with —We Appreciate Your Business-
time and usage." Here slaves have HARRISON AND MEYERS
traveled from plantation to plantation, | Commercial Photography
and here runaways have been lost to I w " dp '
the r owners and sometimes have sur-! _ ,e P'ctures at Your Home,
And here one of I ™«reh,_LcdBe
vived for .Ana nere one or j '/ace of Business
Miss Begue a own slaves, who fled! W. XK GUARANTEED
The masses of Mexican people arebut as a superior who tries to make > from her plantation, belps \er and thei 12J4 W. J rand Phone M. 2084
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Dunjee, Roscoe. The Black Dispatch (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 20, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 20, 1922, newspaper, April 20, 1922; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc152381/m1/4/: accessed April 18, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.