Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 17 October 1908 — Page 1

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A Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Best . Interest?:, of the Negroes of Indiana.

Vol-Xll No. 15

INDIANAPOLIS. INDIANA SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17 1906

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1 Mr.Watson at Home and In Politics 1

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| Career of the Man Who Is Leading the Fight For the | I Republicans In Indiana. |

In presenting James E. Watson ol Rnshville for the office of governor th« Republicans of Indiana do so with £ confidence that he is fully qualified t< discharge the duties of that high office Probably no other man in the historj of the state ever made the race for gov ernor who was better equipped for thai position than Is Mr. Watson. He is £ young man, but ripe in experience. A1 the prime of life he has reached a po sition In congress next in importance to the speakership itself. If he hac chosen to continue his congressiona career it is conceded that he would have succeeded to the speakership 11 his party remained in power. But a 1 the urgent solicitation of his friends ii every section of Indiana, who for sev eral years desired his election to th< governor’s office, he voluntarily retires from congress to make the race for thi highest office within the gift of his owr commonwealth. There is much of human interest ir Mr. Watson's career. The story of his struggles from boyhood through younj manhood to his present position is no romantic in any way, but it contains much that furnishes Inspiration t< young men who have ambition to sue ceed. Beginning at the bottom in pub lie life, he has risen, not by leaps anc bounds, but steadily, to Republicai leadership of the house of representa tives, which is the greatest lawmakinf body in the world. Mr. Watson begat his congressional career at an earl? age. He entered congress after a mos picturesque tight with the late Willian Holman, who was known as “th< watchdog of the treasury.” Xominat ed in a district the Democrats had belt for many years, Watson’s chance die not look bright; but, with a determina tion and tact that have characterizet him in everything he has attempted, hi entered the campaign and managed t< defeat his able opponent by a comfort able majority. The methods of cam paigning that he introduced then at tracted attention from one end of tin country to the other, and they havi since helped to make him the stronf figure he is in public life. Mr. Watsoi spoke in every precinct in Holman’i district He talked to hundreds of peo pie who had never heard Republicai doctrine before. He went from housi to house and made himself personallj acquainted with every voter in the dis trict. While it was not expected tha he w’ould win, yet under the circum, stances his victory should not havi been unexpected. Prom that time until the present Mr Watson has gone on winning victor: after victory. His experience durinj his twelve years in congress has en dowed him with many qualities tha

make him an. admfrable candidate foi governor. His faculties are keen am alert. He is a matchless orator, o; ready wit and is full of sympathy foi his fellow men. He is a quick thiuke; and has been a leader in congress al most from the time be became a mem ber. His gifts as a campaigner hav« helped him to become a national figure The Republican oiganizatiou in na tional affairs has learned to call upoi him for assistance under trying condi tions. lie has never failed to responc to these calls. Two years ago unde: the auspices of the congressional na tional committee he spoke in nearl: every state in the country. Always ready to respond to his party’s call am always well equipped to fight its bat ties, it is no wonder that his service) have been in demand. Presiden Roosevelt himself, just before the re cent adjournment of congress, callet Mr. Watson to the White House am personally thanked him for his grea efforts in helping to bring about thi reforms the present administration ha: accomplished. Two years ago Presi dent Roosevelt selected Mr. Watson a; his spokesman in that campaign whei he wrbte to him a letter for publica tion setting forth his views. Mr. Wat son not only has. the complete confi deuce of President Roosevelt, but o the other great men of the nation win are trying to accomplish much needet reforms in public life. It was becausi of Mr. Watson’s record in public a: well as in private life and his wel known ability to deal with issues ii w hich the people are vitally interested and to capably administer the dutie: of governor that his party selectet him as the standard bearer in thi: campaign. Because of the great moral issue in volved in the effort to enact the count: local option law Mr. Watson's service: have been especially noteworthy. Hi has been the ‘‘man of the hour” fo: this issue. His fearless advocacy o county local option has brought dowi upon him the abuse of the Crawford Fairbanks-Lieber brewery combine which is trying to defeat the Repub lican candidates and to keep the peo pie from enacting law’s for further reg ulatlon of the liquor traffic. Mr. Wat son struck the keynote of the cam paign when he issued the challeng* “Shall the brewers rule?” In hopes o: ruling the brew’ers are pursuing a cam paign of slander against Mr. Watsoi that is unequaled in the history o: Indiana politics, thereby hoping t< arouse a suspicion as to his sinceritj in behalf of county local option. But MA Watson’s neighbors are th« ones who know best regarding the pu rity of his home life and his good qual

ities as a fathei, a husband and a friend. They have had an opportunity to judge for themselves whetner or uoi he is liable to betray any trust, and they have promptly refuted the malicious stories that have been starteu for the purpose of injuring Air. Watson with the people w’ho are not in the position of knowing for themselves the exact truth. The following voluntary testimonial from Rushville uudet the date of Sept. IS speaks for itself: “Rumors of derogatory reports circulated in some sections of the state affecting the personal character of the Hon. James E. Watson having reached us, W’e, the ministers of Rushville, his home city, desire to certify that Air 'Watson stands high among us as a citizen. “With his neighbors his home life is recognized as ideal. In his church his character has never been questioned for a moment, and his reputation foi sobriety and morality is untarnished His manly stand for temperance is recognized as characteristic of the man and is in harmony wdth the private life he has led among us and the utterances he made as a citizen long before his present candidacy. “Virgil W. Tevis, pastor St. Paul’s H. E. church. “W. H. Clark, pastor United Presbyterian church. “J. F. Cowling, pastor First Pres bylerian church. “W. J. Cronin, pastor Roman Catholic church. “Richard W. Abberley, pastor Main Street Christian church.” “We have read* the foregoing test! monial and hereby indorse the same as being true. “Will M. Sparks, judge Rush circuit court. “Earl H. Payne, president People’s National bank. “Theodore Abercrombie, president Rushville National bank. “L. Link, president Rush County National bank. “A. B. Irwin, cashier Farmers Bank ing comp iny. “J. H. Scholl, superintendent of city schools.” Mr. Watson has lived in a modest way at Rusriville for several years. He is an able lawyer, but he has had no corporate connections. He has a most interesting family, consisting of a wife, three sons and a daughter. Another daughter died at the age of five years. Mr. Watson is domestic in his tastes and habits and Is devoted tc his family. His honesty in public life has never been called Into question. When a great ovation was accorded him in a recent convention held in his district he said: “I come back to you after ten years in congress, and the best and dearesl

trophy I bear are hands that are abso lutely clean.” No one uure say that Mr. W T atsou’: hands are not clean. There has uevei been a breath of suspicion cast upoi any of his public career. He has eu deavored to discharge his public duties in a conscientious manner and has dom so. In all his congressional career hi never cast a vote inimical to organizec label*; but, on the other hand, he ha: assisted in the enactment of man: measures for the benefit and protectioi of the laboring classes. Mr. Watson’! sympathies have always been with thi men who toil, and his closest friend: have been among the laboring classei w’ho have known of his broad view’i and his kindness of heart. Mr. Watsoi will be forty-four years old on the da: before the election. He was born Ii Winchester, Ind., in 1864. He is tin son of Enos L. Watson, one of the pio neers of that country. Mr. Watsoi spent his boyhood at Winchester, earn Ing his living by manual labor. Hi graduated from the Winchester higl school and entered De Pauw in 1881 Leaving De Pauw in 1885, he took uj the practice of law at Winchester. Hi identified himself with the Knights o: Pythias when he was but twenty-one He was elected grand prelate of tha organization in J891, in 1892^rand vlci chancellor, in 1898 grand chancellor He originated the idea of district meet ings, which have helped upbuild thi Pythian order. At Detroit in 1900 hi refused to be a candidate for supremi vice chancellor when the position wai practically within his grasp. Mr. Wat son is a thirty-second degree Mason, i Shriner, an Elk and a member of thi Red Men. His college fraternity is thi Phi Kappa Psi. Mr. Watson is a mem ber of the St Paul’s M. E. church a Rushville, and he is also a member o: its official board. He was elected stati president of the Epworth league ii 1891, and so- satisfactory was his ad ministration that he was re-elected ii 1893. From his boyhood^ he took ai active part in politics, and before hi was of age he was regarded as an abli campaign speaker. Mr. Watson’s career is an open bool in which there are no pages for whicl he or the Republican party, whose can didate he is, will have to apologize As stated already, his public and pri vate life have fitted him for the offici of governor so well that there can bi no doubt that he will give the peopli of Indiana an able and honest adminis tration. He has promised to fmpar tially enforce the laws and has de dared that if he is elected he will usi his power to prevent the repeal oi the county local option law and t< see that it is enforced. As a can didate he has honestly and fearless!: met the demands of his party and hii people, and he can be relied upon t« meet the demands of the office of gov / ernor just as honestly and just ai fearlessly as he has conducted his cam paign.

Negro Employees In Government Service Total Large Number

Indianapolis Negroes Receive Annual ly Nearly $26,000-00 There *re 515 Afro-American employee* in the Chicago post office, draw Dig annual salaries aggregating in round numbers $400,000. Mr James A. Cobb appointed Assistant Attorney General tor the District of Columbia, prepares cases for proecution under the Pure Food Law and has charge of forfeited bonds cases Hon. Wifflm W. Gibbs was elected City Judge of Little Rock, Ark., by the republicans M fbat city in 1873, and was the first man of the race to be so honored. in the Houstan, Texas, post office there are 21 afro-Ametican employees whose salaries aggiegate $14,000 ai-

nually.

Forty-three Afro-Americans areemr, ployed in the Jacksonville, Fla. post office, and they are paid salaries amounting to $35,000 annually. There are 30 colored employees in the Montgomery, Alabama, post office who draw salaries aggregating $27,-

000 annually.

Twelve Afro-Americans employed in the St. Paul, Minn., post office are paid salaries amounting to $12,800 annually All of the letter carriers at the Muskogee, Oklahoma post i ffice arecdored men. They draw salaries amount

ing to ilO 260 ancually. , Thorols Crump> c . c . of Montgom . There are 15 Afro-Americans in the | ery lodge NOt 6> K> 0 f p, anc i a. CInternal Revenue Service atLouisville | Cousins> sec » y of tbe Endowment Ky , whose salaties aggregate $16 500 ^ w ju gj ve a dinner Sundsy in P-r year. , J honor of the members of the Board, The 14 Afro-Americans employed in the Grand Chancellor and the Grand the Kansas City, Kansas, post office Keeper of Records and Seal, at 829 draw $9,400 in salaries annually. | Muskingum street. WHO IS MOST POPULflB MINISTER?

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Indianapolis Recorder Readers to Ballot for the Most Popular Minister of the Race in Indiana.

Fifteen Afro-American employees in tbe Columbus, Ohio, post office are paid salaries aggregating $13,600 annually. W H Lewis, Esq., Assistant District Attorney at Boston, Mass., has charge of the naturalization cases. He is an Afro-American lawyer honored by tbe Republican party. Tbe total force of the Mobile, Ala., post office consists of 33 clerks—16 Afro-Americans and 17 whites. The ^2 carriers are all colored. The AfroAmerican employees receive annnarly $42,400. S. W. Williams, Esq., Special Assistant District Attorney at Chicago, has charge of the naturalization casesMr. Williams is a colored man. In the post office and Federal Building at Jackson, Miss., there are 18 Afro-American employees whose annual pay aggregates $11,560. At the Galveston, Texas, post office there are 13 colored employees whose annual comoeusation amounts to $10.-

000.

Mr. H. H Garner entered tbe postal service at Little Rock in 1890 when he was appointed letter carrier. The force consisted of nine canier. Mr. Garner was recently made Buperictent of Carriers. The present force consists of 45 regular carriers, 31 being Afro-Americans. There are also eight substitutes, four white and four

colored.

In the post office and Federal Building at Indianapolis, there are 35 colored employees who receive annually,

$25,910.

Will Entertain Endowment Board

Who is the most popular minister of the race in the state of Indiana} ..That’s the question, who? What’s his name? Where does he live? What church does he pastor? What’s the story of his life’s work, and why is he so popular? We might go on indefinitely asking questions, for you to answer, but each succeeding query depends upon an answer to the first one. Who is the most popular minister of the race in Indiana? The Recorder can’t answer that question. It would be a big feather in our newspaper cap it we could. We would “run his picture” with the history of his life and the story of his life’s work, and cause our newspaper competitors to hang their heads in shame and disgrace, and it would be a big thing for that preacher to learn that the thousands of Afro American citizens of Indiana regard him so highly. Such an approbation coming from the people is indeed no small honor. Who is the most popular minister of the race in Indiana? We don’t know, but our anxiety is so great if our readers and subscribers will say who the Recorder is ready to not only accord the honor, but to present a fine suit of clothes, at a cost of $50.00, with our compliments and best wishes, and this bran new suit will be selected %>y the most popular minister and made to his order and style That looks easydoes’nt it? Well it really is easier than it looks, for the plan is simply this: In each issue ot the Recorder from now* on until the holidays will be printed a voting ballot, which you will cut out, and write thereon the name of the most popu. lar minister, according to your judgement and also sign your own name. These bal. lots must be left at or mailed to the Recor. der office before the first of each month in order be counted. The only condition that The Recorder imposes is that you must cast your ballot for an Indiana minister, residing in this State, at the present time. There are over 200 ministers of the Race in Indiana, and you can take your choice. The result will be determined by the

highest number of votes cast, and the ballots will be published weekly, showing the standing of the contestants. SPECIAL BALLOTS Every minister in the State has an equal chance at the hands of his admirers, for in addition to the ballot in each week’s issue of The Recorder, special ballots will be given to all subscribers as follows: For 1 years subscription, 100 votes. For 6 months “ 50 votes. For 3 “ “ 25 votes. These special ballots will be mailed to all persons on receipt of the price of the subscription, whether they are old or new subscribers, and can be voted for your choice. The friends of the minister in the small J. • charge can by securing new subscribers to The Recorder and getting the special ballots, easly win over the minister in the large cities, where the voting would be by the weekly ballot. This contest is open and fair to everyone. The Recorder is the leading and best newspaper of the Race in Indiana. Its State circulation is larger than the combined circulation of all of the other colored papers, and it publishes more news of in terest to the Race than all of them. That’s why it has a larger circulation, and that’s why it deserves your support and confidence Now go to work for your minister. He labors in season as well as out of season for your temporal as well as your spiritual welfare. You now have a chance to show him a mark of appreciation by voting for him in this friendly contest. Interest your church club at once and get every member and friend to save their ballots for you or agree to cast them for your pastor. Write to your friends in other cities, asking the same support. Get the lead for your minister and then work hard to keep it. Remember that special ballots will win the day, so see your neighbor and friend to day about a subscription, and the most popu lar minister of the Race, in the state of In. diana will be your pastor, and while the glory will be his, the praise and honor will be for you and your friends.

THE MOST POPULAR MINISTER CONTEST ONE Vote REGULAR BALLOT. OCT. 17 Name of Minister “ of Church City or Town Name of Subscriber. Address »• - ■' . '-'S Elate 1908

The Indianapolis Recorder is conducting a voting contest to decide who is the most popular minister of the race in Indiana. Ballots will appear weekly and are good for one vote, if received at the Recorder Office before the first of next month. Special Ballots will be given with all subscriptions as follows; 1 year, 100 votes 6 months, 50 votes; 3 months, 25 votes. A $50.00 suit of clothes will be presented to the m5ni«tpr Hv tVip Rpcfirfiftr. the Vote each week. i

Gives Good Advice Dr. Booker T. Washington Visits H Boyhood Home. Mr. Booker Washington visited the home of his boyhood in Franklin county, Virginia, last week and made k lit. tie talk to the people of the neighbor hood, 1 black and white, who had gathered at the news of his coming. Jt is a wild and mountainous region which has never been restored since the war to its former state of development and many of the people whom the, slave lad had known or remembered had died o. moved away. He stood when speaking naar the ruins of the home of his old master, the dining room where he had done his first service that of waving a fan over the dinner table while the family 8 at at meals still remaining. In the forty years or more since he had left there, going first with his mother and other children to a neighboring county and then taking his lonely, unaided way to Hampton, wonderful changes have taken place not only in his own condition, but in that of his race. For though fae has won his way.by virtue of unusual gifts giflsthat made him the ‘“born” leader —foresight, administrative ability, an understanding of the needs of his people, great intelluctual force—the race as a whole has made remarkable progress. They may yet be as children children compared to the whi es in their stage of development, but nevertheless they have advanced with surprising and gratifying rapidity considering their ‘own disadvantapdfe of ignorance and inexperience and the impediments constantly put in their way by white men. Something of this progress has been due to tbe inspiration given them by Booker Washington, not only through his great Tuskegee industrial school, whose students carry the leaven of induury and thrift to their more benighted breth en, but th>ough hiscontant preaching of the virtues of worr and economy. He told his old neighbors and their descendants that he had never been sorry that he had been born a slave, becanse, coming up from that lowly station, he had learned a great many things about life that be could have learned in tto other way He did not regret that* he hao Keen born poor, because he had learned some things from povertv that were worth all they cost. He did not speak of these humble people of the Virginia hills as one fiom a great height above them, but as one who had known what they know and who had rise above the conditions, as they might do. He said the most important thing he had learned was the opportunity there is in this country for every man, white or blacx if he has the heart and courage to work. He urged upon his colored hearers that it was too late for them to begin, i! they had not already done so, to save a little money, to get a little home and to make something of themselves To stimulate their pride and their spirit of independence and self respect is what he constantly tries to do, and he knows that these can be promoted in no better way than by the ownership of property. He also knows that every negro who becomes the owner of a home helps to solve the vtxed race problem, for he not only becomes a better and more stable citizen himself, but his white neighbors regard him with approval as safe and trustworthy. The Washington doctrine of indus try and thrift has gone far; hosts of his disciples are now preaching- and practicing it, but white people have not awakened to their full duty in the matter. It is said that Negroes should work, but it is not always easy for them to secure work without opportunity to fit themselves for special callings. Indianapclis itself has need of a small Tuskegee. The public schools are laying a foundation for industrial equipment by their manual training work in the grades; certain enterprises among the colored people themselves, as the Flanner Guild, the little private night school conducted by Principal Valentine of School No 26, etc., are helping in the some direction, but there is need ol something more extensive. An admirable opening for philanthropy is presented here and in all Northern cities where the negro population is large. White people un* animously agree that Washington advice to his race is good, but it is time tor them to reflect that they can help in the carrying out of that advice. For their own sake, to take a purely selfish view of it, it is *‘up to tbeln ,, to do their part towards making their Negro fellow citizens good and useful citizens.—Indianapolis Star. Voting Starts Off Standing In The Most Popular Minister Contest.

Rev. R. D. Leonard, pastor Union Taber nacle, city 157 Rev. K. Warren, pastor Olivet Baptist • •hurch, city 100 Rev. Charles Johnson, city 75 Rev. G. H. Shaffer, pastor Bethel A. M. E. church, city 50 Rev. G. A. Martin, pastor Corinthian Baptist church, city 25