The Colored citizen. [volume], September 24, 1894, Image 2

About The Colored citizen. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1894-1894

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
THE COLORED CITIZEN.
InSURD EVIRY MONDAY
- - BY-
THE COLORED CITIZEN PUBLISHING 00.
Olrrc Is N. MAIN STRIEr.
Advertising rates furnished on application.
TERMS:
One Year .................................................... 0
Six Months....... .......-............... ..... . I 00
Three Months................ ................ 0 -- * )
Entered as ,econd classamatter September
1st, 1104. at the Helena, Montana, Poetomce.
HELENA, MONT., SEPT. 24, 1894.
We cerhfy that our total issue has
aggregated 7500 copies.
COLORED CITIZEN PUB. CO.,
Per J. P. Ball, Jr.,
Ediuor esd Masegr.
INIAMII All WL.
"Man it born unto trouble, as the sparks
fly upwards."
Truly may these words be applied
to colored Amerieans. We have only
to enter the pathway of everyday life
to learn the peculiar force and appli
cability of the above concise state
meat of our case. Every man's hand
Is apparently raised against us. No
matter what our abilities, quallca
tions or merits may be, the very m.
mant we launch our bark into the
current of daily life we meet with ob
stacles and counter currents. We
would not have reason to complain
of them were they of the same gen
eral character as encountered by our
white fellow-citisens, for we ask no
extra privileges or seek to avoid the
adversities that beset ordinary
mortals. But when in addittlo to the
hardships imposed generally am those
who strive to contend for the henor
and reward of exerted energy, we are
contfroted and obtructed and barred
out by the hand and bulwark of prol
diceo a ccount of color, we are
fdred to realis the decided adsad
vantage that beset our pathway.
The oppressive weight sad demralis
tlg elect of the be of prejudice can
ot be fully realised or comprehended
ecept by those who are the victims
thense and smart thereunder. It Il
strange that America salNe should
be the choesl botbed of prejudice ae
account of color. Sbrely we have
S . seaned, by devetle, patriotism, in
dutry, thrift and assimilation, true
citlumehip and a place amoug the in
tegral compqesnt parts that make up
ear body politic. Why bar us out
Why crush us down ? Why deride us?
Why discriminate against us eo
every hand and on all occaslons?
ave we not dae as much for the up
btding and welfare do this country
as other egrafted elements of ouar
pOpuiw. e r un it. po0te.e -as
that we have ever been weighed i
the balance and found wanting? Why
them treat s a Ishmaelites and dwn
us at every opportunity? Shame o
our boasted civilisatl I Will not
the an d of Providence a rebuke be
raised against this republicl Who
weaould then be with voice to complain
thereat
There are everal cloued Anace.
da strikers In Helena. They are noet
dolag any harm, however, though a
few of our overcredulous citlasou
have been somewhat dlscomfrted
because the said emi.aries have told
them coaddentially, you know, that
some of the colored voters of this city
intended to vote for Anacoda. We
hope no e will lose courage and
give up the ight on the strength of
these unfounded reports. Our citi
las may rest assured that there is
no more loyal class of voters in the
city than the three hundred colored
men who will deposit their billots solid
for the city of their residence and
choice. So eat, drink and be merry
for there is no reason to doubt the
loyality of the colored voter.
EWA1 nit IlO nu
Kind and encouraging words, verbal
and written, have been bestowed on
us so lavishly that our columns are in
adequate to allow insertion. We,
therefore, tender in this general man
ner or r hearty and grateful appreci
ation of the numerous and unlooked
for compliments. The public craves
for something fresh, spicy and home
made. and its wants must be catered
to The paper that in these days of
push and pluck lifts its oars free
the water and allows the craft to
drift in the sluggish current,should net
murmur if an over indulget and
lenient public grows weary e its lack
of bis, vigor and vitality, and
mandl an adequate ceudderatise for
the pestiferous cellectos receipt.
The -smer this ceommenlt brigs
about tis nsde refrrm 0e better
ar the seputatm ef Helma.
MO COLOR LINE IN HELENA.
ONC IWSPECI'BL BRLtESS HEl 8SK-L
Odly a Few Juilats ad lives Making Vrs
For AIesa.
As the subsidized Anaconda papers
of this state are raising a hue and
cry against Helena on the alleged
ground that her five hundred prosper
ous and contented colored citizens are
discriminated against in public places
on account of their color, the CITI.EN
made the rounds of our principal busi
ness houses and places of public re
sort, for the purpose of unfolding to
our people in this state, as well as
elsewhere, the true state of affairs.
Everywhere we were received with
the utmost courtesy and full informa
tion given on all points desired. We
will state to the credit of our city
that in no single instance did we find
a place where the color line was
drawn or had been, save in one or two
joints that no decent colored man
should frequent. One of the charges
is that our best sample rooms refuse
to accommodate us. We regret that
our path of duty rendered it neces
sary to cover this class of business,
for our earnest wish is that such re
sorts should be entirely shunned and
ignored by colored men. Were it not
for the principle involved we would
be glad if every saloon door was shut
against colored tipplers. The friends
of Anaconda are trying to prejudice
colored men against Heleua in the
capital contest; therefore all kinds
of vague charges and rumors are put
in circulation regarding the preval
ence of unbearable colnr prejudice
against our people here. We hope
that such rot will have no weight and
that Marcus Daly will fnd out that
the colored people of this state are
not as gullible a set of chumps as he
would reckon them. Now i. the time
for us to demonstrate our boasted
sense of good judgment. Colored men
will And prejudice everywhere. Should
Anaconda be selected as the capital
it would soon become the hotbed of
culorphofla, and colored men would
not even be allowed to monopolise the
time-worn snap of spittoon cleaners
--uch things would be parcelled out
to favorite dagoes. As a people we
are too easily softsbaped. It should
be otherwise, for we have been duped
so much that we ought to know better
by now. We therefore appeal to our
people in every locality in the state
to stand by Helena and its colored
people, and nlastead of allowing a for
eign corporation to rope them in that
don't employ a single colored man,
stand by and vote for the city that
gives Ave hundred of us stely and
lacrative employment. Men, do your
duty. Let the women take a hand in
the struggle and we assure you that
Marcus will get left in his well-laid
scheme to capture the colored vote of
this state for his town.
- I. 'fJ~l mew' Mt -
The colored citizens of Washington
state deserve and are entitled to the
highest commendation for refusing to
accept or to participate in celebrat
tag a bay set apart especially for col
end people by the management of
the nlaterstate Exposition now being
held in the city of Tacoma. Just
uach schemes or jobs are conceived,
hatched and launched with a view to
promoting and perpetuating race
prejudice and maintaininag the color
line. We are American to the manor
born. We want no receut importa
tions to dictate to us. We are of the
people. We have helped to make the
history of this country. We want
nothing separate. We will take our
chaaces with the rank and file of the
American people and fd no fault.
We don't ask any special favors,
noither do we want their thrust on
.s in
AU I.A.mLII illTIV illYM.
The legislative ticket nominated by
the late republican county couven
tis is generally regarded as fairly
streag individually as well as collec
tively. There are one or two weak
spots that reduce the general aver
age a few points, but it is doubted
whether a streoger and more homo
geneonu combinatlis could have been
selected. The contest for the legis
lature, undoubtedly will be very
spirited, hotly coatested and cleverly
fought, for big game is at stake. It
Is, therefore, .ncumbent upon the
party to marshal the forces with such
care and tact that every element
shall become an actlve,aggre. lve pro
meter of victory, and that no part or
parcel shall sulk or even play a pa
alve part. Lt such harmony and en
thdeasm prevail for the legisLative
nminu s that there shall be no llrht
against any tndividual, but a strong,
hearty and wlnning pull for the whole
ticket,
We welcome upoe our eochange
table the .-om Crsn mt, publihe
at Heenaa, Meotana. It Is well edited
spicy sad brim fall of Interesting
news.-IdaluapoUs Courer.
***A. e b ems. enp a-r as.
RACE JOCBALIS.M.
So long as race prejudice exists
there will be need and urgent neces
sity for race journalism. There are
many who condemn the idea of fos
tering and promoting papers devoted
to the interests of our people-they
would help obliterate the color line
by first suppressing every colored
paper. We, too, would be glad to
see the color line wiped out, and we
agree that when such is done that
there will be no further need of papers
conducted especially in our behalf.
We need papers of our own for we
have peculiar interests that must be
handled from our standpoint. We
have grievances that we want to
present to the world. We endure
wrongs that demand redress. We are
debarred of privileges that should be
accorded. We are hampered by the
ban of prejudice. We are not granted
an even show in the race of life. We
are discriminated against in the
trades and professions. We are rele
gated to the rear on all occasions.
Our grievances are many-as long as
they shall exist, so long will race
journals devoted to our interests be
demanded. *
WE'VB CUT TIEI OFF.
We've cut off a number of our ex
changes for cause. Some are very
sorry specimens of the modern news
paper and are not worth the unfold
ing. Others are so glaringly Daly
cuckoos slopping over with boodle
bosh that the average fair minded
citizen intuitively turns away in utter
disgust. A few are so tinctured with
prejudice that they are intolerable.
While we are a little of color, we are
somewhat particular about what kind
of visitors we allow in our sanctum.
We don't desire to hurt anybody's
feelings, yet we are compelled in self
preservation to draw the line in these
particular cases. Don't get drunk
about us drawing the line on you,
Brother Eds.-it isn't the color line;
it's the line of merit, decency and im
partiality. We are willling to associ
ate with you if you will renovate,
ablute and shape up. Index your
selves up to date and you'll know how
to behave in company. "A lost good
name is ne'er retrieved."
UI T1A D NATIII.
The heat and tumult of excited dis
cussion have given way to calm Ae
bate, and now the people of the st4te
are commencing to critically examine
facts and fgures presented by $he
rival candidates for the permanent
capital. This is precisely what Hel
ena desires. When it comes to noises,
bluster, braggadocio, chinners, lan
tern fakes, song and dance shows,
falsehoods, vililcation and indiscrim
inate prevarication, Anaconda has
the call. But the people have tired
of this, and now ask for a sober and
dispassionate aobitrament of the
meriu oftte relipetive capitaI-i
pirants.
The question has been called for,
the yeas and nays have been de
manded, men will have to g on re
cord, and it may be depended on that
when the Anal footings have been
cast up, that Helena will secure a
clean, well earned and decisive ma
jority.
TIEET Ni mI"
It's a safe proposition in politics,
as well as business, to igure on min
Imnus. It is also a wise plan to court,
-proper:y treat and give due recogni
tion to component factors of a politi
cal party. It's a more certain course
than to go about thinking "They are
ours." It is a mistake for any party,
now, to think that the colored vote
belongs to it, soul, body and other
wise. Such is not the fact. True a
very large majority of our colored
citisens are predisposed to republican
ism, but in these days of political
Sopping, does it not occur that the
colored voter, too, may want to be in
the swim? 8o we say to our leaders,
look after the colored vote-see that
it is not Ignored--see that it is re
warded with something more substan
tial than sweet soft words and broken
promises
H CA R M! NI PATT.
"The babbath was made for man, not man
for the Sabbath."
That is a biblical metaphor that
covers the colored voter'spresent pol
itical statues. We desire to go on
record as not being the political chat
tels of any party. We have general
ly allied ourselves to and supported
the republican party because its plat
form, principles, precepts and pro
gressive course have been in accord
with and conducive to our Interests.
Now-a-days men weigh parties as well
as persons and things. 8o it Is with
the colored voter. So it has been in
the past with bm, and so it shall be
in the future. As long as the repb
Ilcan party dem strates, as it has
uniformly in the past, thatt shall
continue the party at progress and
will best subeerve our race Interests,
just so leg will colored voters have
the sagacity to stick to it, stand by it
and vote for it.
NO COWIEI CITIZEN IlEl APPLY.
The Aucsada Csopaiy Implop suly White
In sad lesgh.
*No Niggers Allowed i Oanr Works."
We are reliably informed that
though Marcus Davy and the Ana
conda company give employment to
thousands of men, not a single colored
citizen can be found among them.
Yea, even more, we learn that "No
niggers allowed in our works," is the
unanimous sentiment of those who
control the company as well as of
thosc who are employed by the com
pany. If Daly is such a friend to our
colored citizens, why don't he give
some of us employment in his exten
sive works? That's carrying his
friendship too far, Marcus thinks,
and besides he wouldn't like to see us
mobbed and killed by his imported un
American serfs that make up a large
part of his e mployes. No, Daly wants
just as little of the colored man in his
daily diet as possible. He will hobnob
and coddle us now, for he says to him
self, "I'll give the niggers a little
taffy and lots of promises now in order
to get their votes, and then they can
go to Helena."
We hope that our people through
out the state will give the capital
question calm and sober reflection.
Helena employs colored citizens in
nearly every walk of life from the
professional man down and all of us
are patronized and encouraged by all
classes of citizens.
What can Anaconda show for our
people? We challenge comparison
and joint debate. Let our people be
governed by facts and not by preju
dice. If Anaconda were to be se
lected as the capital, colored men
would be turned down as soon as the
official result was declared. We've
been made catspaws of enough al
ready, so let us be on the alert this
time and vote against the corpora
tion that, though employing thou
sands of men, allows none of us a
chance to earn a dollar at a time
when a friend Is a friend indeed.
Away with corporations and bosses
that treat us thus.
aIl IIGIT.
Whikyl-tp hduies M. CrItbres - let
Cdelaud Em Predrs enred s.,
Every now and then some stranger
-and we judge that most of them are
Anaconda strikers-comes In with a
tale of woe about being refused a
glass of whisky in this joint or that
dive. We are sorry our people, or
some of them at least, sould pick out
whisky shops as targets to test the
color line. We wish they would boy
cott every whisky shop run by white
men. We have decent places of the
kind run by colored men. Go there
and spend your money, if spend it for
whisky you will. Stop hgwlbng and
zhinlagntbont this one or that one re
fusing to take your money. Don't
thrust your trade on those unwilling
to receive your money, but patronise
those who are your friends. Money is
scasce and it's a hard pull for ordi
nary men to meet current expenses.
Why then not throw your extra dol
lars into ,the till of friends instead of
begging some prejudiced and ua
American plug to take your money
Men, get out of this rut. You spend
too much money anyway for wLisky
and tobacco. In many cases your
family or your creditors need the very
dollars that you are beging some
whisky bloated dude to accept. Be
men and stop this nonsense. Patron
ise your own people. Stop begging
people to take your money. Spend
your money with friends and use your
influeace against those who are our
enemies.
TOWIf TN iNTll CAFFAIR
The Seattle Republican, in a well
written article, deprecates the fact
that the colored citiens of that city
have not received proper political
recognition at the hands of the sev
eral parties. We concur with the
Republican, but whoser fault is it
Do you wish us to tell you ? In the
arst place you have too many cap
tains and not enough privates. Then
each man carries a small, short pout
ical dagger that he thrusts at every
opportunity into the side of his
brother for the purpose of killing him
of and ridding himself of competition
in leadership. Now, gentlemen, stop
this suicidal coure. If the whole lot
of you were brought before a jaury for
the purpose of having a worthy leader
picked from you, it's doubtful If light
ning would strike a sdngle one. With.
out further urging, tear od your self.
placed shoulder straps and get back
in the ranks and learn to keep step
with public opilaio. Stop kniang
each the other. Help your best men
to the freat. Say nothing of your
brother if not something good Be
men and not sycophants. Then, and
not till then, will you deserve political
recognition. Get down to businem
and put your political household in
order.
0a. sewm, as. 4ibpe
5WIILE V&S. BAINS.
There could never exist greater ur
gency than has during the pendency
of the present capital contest, for a
clear, concie, forceful and original
presentation of a case. The people
of the state have been clamoring to
hear and have presented to them
Helena's side of the case, and of
course they have rightfully expected
the tale to be unfolded in her dailies.
Never did a paper that pretended to
be the spokesman and index of a live
and progressive city have so large,
fertile and varied a source of advan
tages and incomparable and incon
trovertible claims to draw upon as
Helena's. Instead_ of showing our
goods to the people of the state and
working for the interest of the city it
would appear from the face of affairs
that tnere was either an indifference
in the matter or a lack of the neces
sary essentials expected of newspa
per men. However there appears to
be an improvement within the past
few days which no doubt is due to the
infusion of new blood. We hope this
condition of affairs will be cantinued
during the remaining weeks of the
capital contest.
_OsnACI , iOUliONI AND CIOAIKLa.
Have Outlived Their Uudhlnlm and Woald
Now Down die City.
Worse than lazzaroni in our midst
are they who by every word, action
and deed are unceasingly working to
down this city. Skulking in by-ways
and dark places their grim and un
sightly visages appear as a night
mare. Their husky voices saw the
air in faultfinding and deprecations.
Their serpentine coils would entwine
and crush out every enterprise. Their
venomous fangs are ever ready to
thrust themselves into the vitals of
all that bears semblance to life and
energy. By subtle devices, cunningly
worded innuendoes and often plainly
outspoken opposition, they block the
highway of progress and drive away
men who would invest their capital,
energy and time in furthering, build
ing up and promoting the interests of
this city. This element must be
squelched or neutralised before this
city can ever attain its destined
greatness. Happily this element is
rapidly dwindling away, and may the
day be near when it shall be entirely
obliterated.
FAIL II II.
The oudrm mmIe hmily s.
From every section of the state
comes news of new and increasing ac
cessions to Helena for the capital
procession. The injected Arnconda
enthusiasm, which like all artificial
stimulants soon wears of, is fast sub
siding and now even the most blatant
booster has commenced to tack his
salwit..t - ewtliJl-y d-ripp ag o
on the winning side. Truth crushed
to earth will rise again, even so will
the fact that the thinking, sensible
and respectable citizens of this state
will be just as duty bound to vote for
Helena as against Anaconda as they
would to support the republic as
againslat an attempt to establish a
monarchy. Let not our colored citi
sens be deceived by false representa.
tions. The Anaconda company is no
friend to the colored man. Not a sin
gle black face can be found among
Its thousands of employes.
MUT 1 UUNINIII.
It is encouraging to learn that our
people are making steady and sub
stantial progress all over this couna
try-that fewer of them pro rata are
idle than their more favored brethren
-that they are accumulating and
adding to their belongings-that they
are happy, contented and hopeful of
the future. Our people of this city,
about ive hundred in number, send
greetings to their brethren through
out the country, and would inform
them that they are faring well-that
they have steady and lucrative em
ployment-that they have been able,
through favorable surroundings, to
accumulate some of the worldly goods
-that they enjoy the confidence,
respect and esteem of their fellow
citizen--that they have accorded to
them all the rights, privileges and
immunities enjoyed by other classes
of citl en~, that the ban of prejudice
which nearly everywhere rests so
heavily on us. Is but little if at all
manifest here, Come and abide with
us, we will give you a hearty wel
come as will all of our citizens.
We of the Queen of the Rockies
can well exclaim, "I pity the man
who can travel from Dan to Beersheba
and cry, "Tis all barren.' "
We welcome the O(ouDn Cfnzir,
a new and interesting paper publishel
at Helena, volume 1, No. 1 of which
is at hand. While it is a little of
color o the capital question, iL other
respects we find t quite acceptable.
saccess to yo, and may yeo always
lead in the race for your race.--.J.
verite (Missesla.)
1
.OPULISiT WUYT. (flNTyIH.
The Populists of this county held a
well attended, harmonious and a
thusiastic county convention last
Tuesday and nominated a fullstright.
out ticket. Good judges claim that
their ticket is strong and will poll the
full party vote. The following c .
stitute tLe gentlemen who will make
the race and endeavor to secure the
political plums, viz.:
County Commissc.uers--Wm. Ke.
drick and Thomas Travis, four yer
term; W. W. Arnold, two year term.
Sheriff-J. Henry Jurgens.
Treasurer-Alex. F. Burns.
County Attorney-T. E. Crutcher.
Recorder-F. E. Adams.
Assessor-B. C. Hudson,
Auditor--P. H. Campbell.
Superintendent of SchoolsMi
Turnley.
Adminstrator- John Workman.
Surveyor-A. G. Lombard.
Legislature-Joe Oker. C. K.Brown,
John Shober, John Huseby, Mart
Mitchell, Phil Manix, Michael Cor.
bett and B. J. Berger.
Justice of the Peoce-J. W. Rose.
Constables-J. Y. Bennett and Law.
rence Schranslager.
We wish the COLORED CRITZEN su.
cess in its journalistic career aad
hope that it will keep its people here
and throughout the state in good dis..
cipline. They are not of that class
of people who know not when and
where they were born, like a good
many of those "whites" who were re.
cently admitted to citienzhip by
Judge Speer in Butte. The colored
population of Montana are an intelll.
gent class of people who take an i
terest in all public enterprises and
who are throughout busy, Industriou
and enterprising people, and wide
awake in business affair. The new
publication devoted to their interests
has a good field, as from 2500 to 501
colored people are located in Mo
tana, the majority of whom are prop
erty holders, and as free citizens ia
this republic of ours they enjoy the
same privileges as the white people.
In the coming election the colored
people are a main factor, as well Is
political tendencies as is the capital
fight. We hail the COLORED CrTsla
as a step in the right directiom.
Staatd Zeltung (Helena).
We welcome with much pleasure to
our exchange table the CoLoars
Crr.zzE, of Helena, Montana, uider
the able management of Hon. J. P.
Ball, Jr. The CrniaN at once takl
its place as an able and strong race
journal devoted to the interest sa
cause of the colored citizens. * * 0
Again the Republican welcomes the
COLORED CITIrEN to the journalistic
feld of the Northwest, for heret
fore we have fought the battlese
the colored citisens of this section
single and alone, and the appearance
of reinforcements under an able gen
eral assures us of success, not only
&oor r.st, -r f.thie Negro Tn
the Pacific Northwest in general.
Editor Ball is an able writer and
will handle the public questions with
perfect ease. Long live the CoLosl
C.TIrZn.-Seattle Republican.
We notice from our Seattle ec
changes that our former townsman,
Mr. Oscar 8tenstrom, has been noali
nated onthe republican ticket for the
legislature from the Twenty-ninth
District, Seattle. Mr. Stenstrom re
sided in this city for several years,
and Is very well and favorably knows
here. He is a sterling republicananl
has stumped this state several times
in the interest of his party, and as a
Scandinavian speaker has few, if any,
equals in the state. His numerous
friends in this state sincerely hope
that Mr. Stenstrom will be elected by
an overwlming majority. Among
our people here he was a great favor
ite, and we hope the colored voters of
the Twenthnainth District will give
him a hearty and unanimous support.
The true status of the colored mga
in Anaconda is seen in a flippant
criticism of an article lately pub'
lished by the OOLORED CrrIzrN,
which appears in the columns of the
leading smeltertown organ. The
CITIZsN is an excellent journal, well
and forcibly edited, and has been
generously welcomed in the field by
the state press in general. It is the
desire of every patriotic person to see
the Afro-American element of the re*
public attain to a high plane in our
citizenship, and every step taken by
them to this end should be encour
aged. To lampoon the CrrizwN, infer
entially or otherwise, is not the bet*
ter part of wisdom.-Missoullan.
A bright and newsy exchange comes
to s this week in the shape of the
0OLORED CITZEsx, a new venture is
the wideawake western town of Hel
ena, Montana. It is edited and ma
aged by J. P. Ball, Jr., formerly of
this state. Mr. Ball will be remew
bered as the clerk of court of CaO
coi parish in republican days, as1
was noted for his efciency and worth.
From the columns of the CrrtiIEN
glean that several former Orleaniam
are doeng well in Heaena.-New 0
leans Mealttr.