The Houston Informer (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 43, Ed. 1 Saturday, March 15, 1924 Page: 1 of 8
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colored Carnesie Library
Robin & Frederick
FINAL
EDITION
THE HOUSTON INFORMER
PRICE:
7 CENTS
“HOUSTON'S GOT 'EM”
VOL. V.
HOUSTON, TEXAS, SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1924
NO. 43
THE MIRROR
By C. F. RICHARDSON
DO THEY REALLY CARE?
The resignation of Reverend Walter
Payne Stanley, for the last several
months vicar of St. Clements Prote-
stant Episcopal Chapel of this city,
•and his acceptance of a call at Lexing-
ton, Kentucky, marks the passing of
the third colored vicar from this local
charge within the space of the last
three years, more or less.
There were two causes that, per-
haps, contributed to this distinguished
prelate leaving our city, one of which
was the poor living conditions foisted
upon the colored residents of this
community and the subsequent poor
health of himself and family.
While the reverend did not state it,
we are prone to conclude that the oth-
er motive was the failure or refusal of
the higher-ups in his church to back
up and support his contemplated and
outlined program of expansion and
-development of the local cure.
Peculiarly fitted both by education
and experience, Father Stanley was
eminently qualified to advance the
cause of his church and race in this
community and section, and in this
respect he rendered yeoman service,
doing exceptionally well under the
-circumstances.
But he had hopes, ambitions and
aspirations; he planned to transfer the
local cure from a mere mission to a
real church in the life of the com-
munity, but it appeared that his am-
bition was not to be realized nor his
objective obtained and where support
and encouragement should have been
forthcoming, it was opposition and dis-
couragement.
It seems that there are some white
Episcopalians in this diocese who
think that their church is too good
and exalted for the colored brother,
And, while they ostensibly proffer help
and assistance for a mission, they are
not willing to foster and make possible
a real church for the colored com-
municants of the church here.
If this is really true (and the train
of events in connection with the local
work among colored Episcopalians
would lead one to draw such con-
clusions), it causes us to wonder it
these people really care and are inter-
red In the religious, civic and social
welfare of their colored neighbors and
hether they are sincere . in their
yspousal of the doctrines of the lowly
•'Nasarene!
As for the Insanitary and unwhole-
some living conditions that were the
lot of this minister, it seems to be the
unwritten law of Houston that colored
residential sections are to be denied
any and all semblances of modern con-
veniences and appointments, and thus
thousands of our people are compelled
to exist amidst such deplorable and
disgraceful conditions.
Do the people who are responsible
for the city’s welfare and progress
care a whit about these people?
Have they ever stopped to consider
that they can isolate and segregate
people, but that diseases and epidemics
are no respecters of persons nor
races?
Do they care? They may not care
now, but before long they will see the
error of their way, but, alas! it may
be too late!
Even in the South it is time to
-change the generally accepted opinion
that “any old thing is good enough
for the ‘niggers; ’ ” for this attitude
may prove a boomerang.
It hurts a city and reflects upon its
entire citizenry, when men are forced
to give up their work because of lack
■of support from the proper sources
and due to the failure of the com-
munity to provide decent and respect-
able living conditions and sanitary
and wholesome environments for all
the residents. Do they care? Judging
by their actions, a negative reply
would not be far amiss nor overly
wrong!
If Houston’s Committee on Inter-
Racial Co-operation relly desires to
help the community, they can find a
very virgin and salubrious field in try-
ing to get better living conditions for
the thousands of colored citizens of
this municipality.
“So mote it be!” Selah!
R-DURKEE FIASCO
HOWARD DEAN DEFENDS ACTION
ANENT APPROPRIATION MATTER;
FORCES ARRAYED IN BATTLE FRONT
(By the Associated Negro Press.)
Washington, D. C.—The tempest of Teapot Dome, United States
senate, is but a measurable slant from this division of mankind,
compared with the tempest of Howard University, caused by the
writing of a seemingly unoffending note by Dean Miller, on a sheet
of plain white paper to Senator Smoot. Events followed, unex-
pectedly, thick and fast. The air was charged and surcharged with
explanations, denials, and repudiations. Some, unfriendly to the
administration of President Durkee, a white man, at the head
of Howard University, have seized the occasion to demand the
president’s resignation; others, unfriendly to Dean Miller, and
probably jealous because of the tremendous success of the Negro
Sanhedrin season, flamed into the newspapers with biased and
misleading statements concerning just what happened.
BETHEL REVIVAL ADDS
MANY TO CHURCH ROLL
Monster crowds are nightly attend-
ing the series of revivalistic meetings
conducted at Bethel Baptist Church,
Andrews and Crosby streets, Fourth
ward, and many accessions have al-
ready been made to the church rolls.
Rev. Alexander Wilbanks, Washing-
ton, D. C., superintendent of evangel-
ism of the National Baptist Conven-
tion, incorporated, is the evangelist
in charge and he styles himself as
a “devil fighter;” and he seems to be
making a mighty attack on the bul-
warks of his satanic majesty.
The series will be concluded with
Sunday night’s services, and Pastor J.
R. Burdett and officials have extended
a cordial invitation to sinners to hear
this gospel minister during his series
of sermons at Bethel.
Notwithstanding the fact that “All’s
well that ends well,” according to
Shakespearean philosophy, the reac-
tion has been terrific; and there will
doubtless be a large group of embar-
rassing moments for both sides before
quiet is again restored.
Miller Explains His Side.
Dean Miller explains his side of the
question in an extended statement sent
to the Associated Negro Press, in the
course of which he has declared: “I
am scrupulously anxious to avoid the
impropriety of an open controversy
with President Durkee; I think, how-
ever, the public is entitled to a
straightforward statement of the facts
in the-case." Dean Miller then pro
ceeds to relate the calling together of
the faculty of Howard by President
Durkee in an effort to save the How-
ard appropriation. He declares, in hig
statement, that nothing was said about
the insistence of the $500,000 item for
the medical school remaining in the
appropriation. The general under-
standing seemed to be, according to
Dean Miller, that if "worst came to
worst,” the big object was to save
the regular appropriation of Howard,
which had been placed in jeopardy in
the senate by points of order, and op-
position of unfriendly senators from
the democratic South.
Dean Miller states:
“On Saturday morning, after con-
ference and consultation, I went to
the office of Senator Smoot to find
out the exact parliamentary status of
the Howard University matter. He
had gone to a committee room and
could not be seen until the senate
opened. His clerk advised me to make
a memorandum of the matter that I
wished to present to him. I wrote on
a blank sheet of paper with lead pencil
a note to the purport that in case it
seemed that the $500,000 item would
jeopardize the normal appropriation of
Howard University, it might be well
not to insist upon its inclusion.
Letter Signed Without Title.
“The memorandum was signed in my
name without any title or description
whatsoever. This expressed the com-
bined judgment of every member of
the faculty and of the administration
whom I had consulted up to that time.
I then went to Senator Phipps’ office,
where I learned that the item would
be fought vigorously on the floor of
the senate. I then saw Senator Curtis,
the ‘whip’ of the senate, who explain-
ed his negative vote on Thursday and
stated that he would push the $500,000
Item vigorously unless or until it)
might seem to jeopardize the regular
and normal university appropriations
at which point he would withdraw it.
"Of course, I had no idea that Sen-
ator Smoot would submit this memo-
randum to Senator Lodge or Senator
Lenroot or have it read upon the floor
of the senate. It so happened, how-
ever, that this was done and caused
some confusion in handling the extra
appropriation for the medical school.
However, the secretary and president
were put in touch with the situation
and the item passed triumphantly.
"I might add that up to Saturday
morning I had kept in close touch
with the administration and members
of the faculty, all of whom at that time
had given up hope of the $500,000 item.
No one at that time could foresee or
predict that it would be forced through
the senate as a matter of political
expediency.”
Turn Opposition to Durkee.
The Associated Negro Press has re-
ceived a statement from an alumnus
of Howard University, who says that
(Continued On Page Five)
PULLMAN COMPANY
ASSISTS PORTERS
IN MONEY MAHERS
(Preston News Service.)
Memphis, Tenn.—Following the ap-
pearance of an editorial in the Com-
mercial Appeal to the effect that em-
ployes of the Pullman Company were
victims of "loan sharks,” W. H.
Butcher, Jr., district manager of the
Pullman Company with headquarters
here, Issued the following statement:
“Employes of the Pullman Company
at Memphis or elsewhere are not vic-
tims of the so-called ’loan sharks'
and, if through failure to apprise the
company of their financial difficulties,
they should become entangled in the
clutches of the ‘loan sharks.' they are
not fired by the company, but are as-
sisted in paying off their indebted-
ness.
"Under our rules, I am permitted, at
any time, to issue to any employe any
amount of money I deem fit to be
charged against his pay for the cur-
rent month. Of course, we are not
permitted to issue a check in excess
of $100, but there is nothing to prevent
the issuance of more than one cheek.
Has Employes’ Confidence.
“Our company courts the confidence
of its employes and any time any of
them get into financial difficulties be-
cause of illness, death or from any
cause whatsoever, they are at liberty
to come to my office and get an ad-
vance of salary.
“There have been a number of in-
stances, where employees who were
buying homes and got behind in their
payments, and, in order to .preclude
their losing whatever Equity they may1
have, the company has loaned them
money and take out a small amount
each month from the pay check.
“The Pullman Company has a rule
which prohibits a sale of salary
checks, but when any employe has
sold bis salary check to a loan shark
and is being charged their usual us-
urious rate of interest and we find out
about it, he is not discharged, but suf-
ficient money is advanced him to
enable him to pay off the indebtedness
and, if necessary, we call upon our le-
gal department for assistance.
"The men working out of this office
know that when they borrow money
as an advance on their salary that the
full amount will be taken out of their
next pay check, but if they are still in
financial straits, another, but smaller
advance is made on the next month’s
pay, and so on, until the full amount
has been repaid.
“This system of operation is not a
great deal of trouble to the company.
It makes the company's executive rep-
resentative the confidant of the em-
ploye and promotes a better spirit of
loyalty and co-operation. It also elim-
inates the 'loan shark’ from a Pullman
employe's scheme of things for he
JERSEY TEACHERS
DEMAND SAME PAY
AS WHITE TUTORS
(By the Associated Negro Press.)
Jersey City, N. J.—Why should the
salary of the Negro teacher be less
than that of bis white colleagues when
both have to observe the same stand-
ards of performance and make the,
same preparation? This is the ques-
tion which the organzatlon of Teach-
ers of Colored Children of the State
of New Jersey is circulating with the
purpose of disclosing that the lower
pay in the counties of Salem, Cape
May, Cumberland and Monmouth is
based on racial grounds only and not
on the practical consideration of the
teacher’s worth.
According to a resolution recentl>
passed by the organization, Negro
teachers in these four counties are In
many cases receiving from $100 to $200
less annually than the white teachers.
This same resolution voices the opin-
ion that should this salary preference
continue the morale of the teaching
force will break down and inflict an
irreparable injury on school children,
who, according to the organization,
stand in most need of tutelage. The
second article of the resolution says:
“A lower salary schedule must in-
evitably attract an Inferior grade of
teachers' to the colored school, pre-
venting the colored school from main-
taining an efficient standard; many
of New Jersey's school children are
in this manner denied equal educa-
tional opportunities, and the spirit of
the state constitution is violated.”
REPUBLICAN CHIEFTAIN LAYS
DOWN GAUNTLET TO DEMOCRATS:
DEMANDS COHEN RETAIN OFFICE
(By the Associated Negro Press.)
Washington, D. C.—“The time has come for republican leader-
ship to stop acting on the defensive, and to begin aggressive war-
fare on political traducers, who sat silent while the greatest orgy
of waste, incompetency and corruption that the world has ev,er
witnessed took place in Washington under the democratic admin-
istration.” Thus closes a remarkable statement by Hon. John T.
Adams, chairman of the republican national committee. The chair-
man was speaking directly to the subject of Teapot Dome, and the
frantic efforts of the “holier than thou” democrats to besmirch
everything, everywhere, republican.
Suiting action to the word, however, with reference to being ag-
gressive, in another statement issued by Mr. Adams, speaking on
the subject of the confirmation of Walter L. Cohen by the United
States senate, for the position of comptroller of customs, Mr.
Adams said; “The position has been held by a Negro since
Grant’s administration, and I see no reason why a handful of
Southern senators should be permitted to dictate to the president
the manner in which he shall dispose of his patronage.”
UNIQUE PROGRAMME AT
ANTIOCH NEXT SUNDAY
The recently elected officers of the
Union Hospital, 1618 Andrews street,
will be installed at Antioch Baptist
Church 8unday. March 16, at 3 p.m.
In connection with the public installa-
tion, a short and spicy program will
be rendered, consisting of mysical se-
lections and duet by Mrs. L. Mann and
M. H. Montgomery; quartet and instru-
mental numbers. Prof. I. M. Terrell,
resident manager of the hospital, will
deliver a talk on the work and aims
of this institution. A large attendance
of the colored citizens is requested.
soon learns that the company will
help him when he needs help and not
charge him any interest at all, much
less a usurious rate of interest.”
Mr. Butcher declared that during
the period of years that he has had
charge of the Memphis district office,
but three instances have arisen where
Pullman employes have become vic-
tims of loan sharks and that in each
instance, as soon aa their plight be-
came known, the company took steps
to help them out of the difficulty.
President Coolidge has determined
to stick by the Cohen appointment.
He has agreed with Mr. Adams in
having the Louisianian remain on the
job, without pay, until Congress ad-
journs, and then will make a recess
appointment. There is some differ-
ence of opinion as to this being the
best method, but there is unanimous
approval of the lireajdent and Mr.
Adams not "throwing up the sponge"
in the matter of appointing an Ameri-
can citizen to a government position
in the South solely on the ground of
his racial identity. Hlgbminded Amer-
ican citizens realize that a “house di-
vided against itself cannot stand,” and
that this nation, even as in the days
of Abraham Lincoln, cannot long sur-
vive "half slave and half free,” wheth-
er that bondage be civil, political or
otherwise. The spectacle of 12,000,-
000 Americans being so distasteful to
a few Illegally elected senators that
these illlgitlmate lawmakers can over-
come the desires of the majority, sets
like an eternal nightmare on the mind
of racial citizens. There are those
here who are asking: "Where are
those good democrats of the North
who do not see as the democrats of the
South?" When Cohen’s name was be-
ing voted on, where was Copeland of
New York; Walsh of Massachusetts
and Bruce of Maryland? Their color-
ed constltuenta of these states will be
compelled to answer. "The only good
democrat is a dead one,” said one
“Leading Light."
Colored America is not in Teapot
Dome. It is a wonder that some-
where there hasn't been some kind of
connection. But in all the testimony
thus far brought out, there has not
been even a messenger, chauffeur,
clerk or confidant. That seems pass-
ing strange. This much can be Bald
of former Secretary Fall, however.
I IVhen he was secretary of the interior,
[one of his trusted employes was Lieut.
Flipper, and Mr. Fail refused to permit
color prejudice militate against Flip-
per's position. On one occasion an ef-
fort was made to ridicule Flipper, and
Mr. Fall stated that he had a desk
large enough to hold the resignation of
all those who did not care to work
with Flipper. It is a well known fact
that the department of justice under
Attorney General Daugherty, has
made more substantial and dignified
appointments under this administra-
tion than any other department of the
government.
Racial citizens throughout the coun-
try are agreed that political opportun-
ity will come stronger with political
righteousness, the group has always
been one of great faith—faith in God,
If you please—and the history of the
nation proves conclusively that “gov-
ernment of the people, by the people
and for the people” does not go far
wrong when activities are based on
righteousness and principles of jus-
tice. It won’t be long, it is figured
here, before colored America will have
all white America "coming to the
mourner’s bench."
CONDITION OF HOUSTON COLORED SCHOOLS
The Informer, in previous issues, has discussed the urgent and
crying need of better school buildings, facilities, equipment and
more spacious campuses, and now the business manager of the
Houston school system makes public the valuation of the grounds,
buildings, furniture and fixtures, both in the white and colored
schools.
He states that a committee, composed of three local real estate
men, has made a survey and taken an inventory of the local school
holdings, etc., and here is their valuation of the school property
of the Houston Independent School District:
WHITE SCHOOLS—GROUND, $2,398,000; BUILDINGS, $5,-
044,000; FURNITURE AND FIXTURES, $827,500; TOTAL
VALUATION, $8,269,500.
COLORED SCHOOLS—GROUND, $154,500; BUILDINGS,
$457,000; FURNITURE AND FIXTURES, $55,000; TOTAL,
$666,-500.
This appraisal places the entire holdings, property, equipment,
et cetera, of the Houston schools at $8,936,000.
But it does even more than that! It reveals the shocking, deplor-
able and shameful condition of the colored schools and how the
public schools for colored children have been sorely and almost
criminally slighted, neglected and overlooked.
HERE IS WHAT THESE FIGURES REALLY MEAN AND
PROVE! DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE COLORED POPU-
LATION CONSTITUTES FULLY 25 PER CENT OF OUR TOTAL
LOCAL CITIZENRY, THESE PEOPLE ONLY HAVE RECEIV-
ED 7.03 PER CENT OF THE APPROPRIATIONS, EXPENDI-
TURES AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR GROUNDS, BUILDINGS
AND EQUIPMENT; LEAVING 92.97 PER CENT FOR THE
OTHER 75 PER CENT OF OUR URBAN POPULATION!
Now, if figures do not prevaricate, as the ancient adage goes,
then there has been gross negligence demonstrated in making
proper, suitable, fair and decent provisions for the colored schol-
astics of this city and community and our civic pride has been
shocked and fallen below par.
Not only is the disparity in these figures startling and stagger-
ing, but the report did not disclose the fact that the majority of
the colored schools are located in swamps, hog-wallows, sloughs,
lakes, rivers and miniature seas and that it is often necessary for
colored teachers and pupils to virtually swim to and from these
school buildings!
THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE HOUSTON SCHOOLS
ARE A DISGRACE TO AND REPROACH UPON OUR CIVIC
PRIDE AND DO MORE TO KNOCK THE CITY THAN ANY
OTHER DEPARTMENT OF OUR GREAT AND GROWING MU-
NICIPALITY-EXCEPTING, HOWEVER, THE STREETS IN
COLORED RESIDENTIAL SECTIONS.
This condition must be remedied and situation relieved, if our
schools are to take their rightful and logical place beside the other
schools of the Lone Star commonwealth.
There are any number of smaller towns and cities in Texas
that possess school buildings and equipment that makes Hous-
ton blush with shame!
JUST THINK OF IT! THE ENTIRE VALUATION OF THE
COLORED GROUNDS, BUILDINGS, FURNITURE AND FIX-
TURES IS ONLY $666,500; WHILE THE VALUATION OF THE
FURNITURE AND FIXTURES ALONE IN THE WHITE
SCHOOLS IS $827,500.
Expressed in a different way: the various school boards of this
community have invested and spent less for the physical proper-
ties and equipment of the entire colored school system than for
furniture and fixtures alone in the white schools; in fact, they
have even spent $161,000 more for said furniture and fixtures
than for and on all the colored schools combined.
This niggardly policy has been pursued in the face of the fact
that Houston has both the largest colored population and largest
number of colored scholastics in the entire state!
When it comes to schools and equipment, the colored schools
are like Bert Williams’ “Br’er Needmore;” We “need everything”-
from school houses in, to grounds out! (Let us pray!)
SPRING FESTIVAL, EMANCIPATION PARK, MONDAY NIGHT, MAR. 31
Auspices of Houston Odd Fellows and Households of Ruth. Tickets Now Selling, 25c.
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Richardson, Clifton F. The Houston Informer (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 43, Ed. 1 Saturday, March 15, 1924, newspaper, March 15, 1924; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth523816/m1/1/: accessed June 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .