THE NORTHWESTERN
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Equality to All 1 9 IJIJ 1J B Xi. 1 /% I B m'jj %B J The Dependable Medium
VOLUME 111, N0..12
COB. W. L PETER
IS Ml EFFICIENT
BAN FOR PUCE
Facts Are Shown Whereby City
Has Been Greatly Benefited
by This Commissioner.
Commissioner Wm. J. Peter gave
some interesting facts in connection
with the problems of his department
when speaking to a group of. his
workers last Wednesday. He said in
part: The average citizen of St. Paul
has no conception of the problems im
posed upon the Department of Pub
lic Works at this time. There are
certain self-evident facts that slould
be taken into consideration in con
nection with the dirt streets of the
city at this time. As the streets have
been covered with snow for several
months and in a frozen condition,
consequently very little work could
be done upon them. In spite of that
fact, however, many hundreds of
yards of cinders have been laid dur
ing the winter. In addition to that
condition we all know that it rains
during the month of April and that
when rain hits the dirt street it
causes a muddy condition. This is
true every year during the month of
April. Again, the frost has been in
the ground which prevented the city
forces from doing effective work un
til just now. Work on hard-surfaced
streets is commencing this week. It
would be folly to put scarifiers %d
graders on streets before the frost is
out of the ground. Before the first
of M«y many miles of city streets
which are not now in good condition
will be put in first-class shape.
Citizens Benefited.
. It is a fact that we cannot overlook
that there are hundreds of people in
St. Paul who have hit upon the bright
idea that now is the time to secure
cinders for their street or alley. The
idea itself is a perfectly good one and
would prove of benefit to them imme
diately if it were not for the fact that
too many people get the same idea at
the* same time. The Department of
Public Works is naturally anxious to
please every one that it can and gives
as prompt attention to the requests as
possible. We are today receiving re
quests for cinders which entail the
work of two or three weeks. If all
the cinder requests were complied
with that are now on hand the work
would not be completed inside of
three months. It must be borne in
mind that the city does not pay for
the cinders and that the supply of
them is very limited. It must also
be borne in mind that the city could
not comply with all the requests for
cinders even if the cinders were avail
able. We have six trucks working
eight hours per day laying cinders at
this time. In addition to that, when
more cinders are available, we hire
one or two trucks, but we could not
hire more than that owing to the lack
of sufficient funds. Every year dur
ing April the office is besieged with
requests for the repair of streets and
alleys. Naturally the requests are
doubled and more during an election
year.
Hard Job Handled.
Every request now in the office of
the department will be taken care of
and as soon as possible. If the aver
age citizen of St. Paul could spend
one day receiving requests for the
repair of streets he would be con
vinced and very readily of the impos
sibility of complying with all of them
at once. The Superintendent of
Streets, who is properly called the Su
perintendent of Sanitation, is a. very
efficient man, who was appointed by
Commissioner H. C. Wenzel. He was
re-appointed by me when I took office,
and I believe him to be the best man
in St. Paul for the Job. He has with
out question one of the hardest jobs
in the City of St. Paul, and I believe
he is handling it very well. He was
here prior to my administration and
informs me that the streets of St.
Paul today are in better condition
than they have been for several years,
or since he has been here, at this time
of the year.
Mrs. L. Whitcomb of Juvenile
Court will give a lecture at Welcome
Hall, Farrington and St. Anthony
Ave., on Wednesday, April 30, at 8
P. M. Admission Free. -Adv.
The book of Esther is the only one
in the Bible which the word “God”
does not appear.
RE-ELECT HIM AS COMPTROLLER
f-O-L-l-M-C-A-L
DOPE
Mayor Arthur E. Nelson, candidate
for re-election, is one of the most pro
gressive Mayors St. Paul ever had.
Not only does he plan for a better
and larger city, but by his personal
efforts sees that his plans are execut
ed properly.
St. Paul has grown and prospered
under his regime. We have better
schools, better roads and streets and
we have received a dollar’s worth of
honest service for every dollar of tax
money expended.
A vote for Arthur E. Nelson is a
vote for a clean, honest and efficient
government. Vote for him on May 6.
The office of comptroller is a very
important one and it is up to the
voters of our group not to overlook
the fact; no matter what plans the
Mayor intends to put through, he can
do but little without the co-operation
of the comptroller. Mr. Erman Skip
ton, the present comptroller and can
didate for re-election, has at all timer:
been ready to co-operate with Mayor
Nelson in his plans for a greater and
larger city. Vote for Erman M. Skip
ton.
Commissioner W. J. Peter, candi
date for re-election, is another public
official who has devoted his time to
making St. Paul a city to be proud
of. He has at all times been ready
to make improvements when needed.
Mr. W. J. Peter should be voted for
by the voters of our group.
Everybody knows and likes Larry
Hodgson (Larry Ho) Ex-Mayor of St.
Paul. He made good as Mayor and
there is no doubt that he will make
good as commissioner. Vote for him.
Albert Wunderlich, former com
missioner of education, is a candi
date for commissioner. When Mr.
Wunderlich was commissioner he
fought against the segregating of ad
ored pupils in the public schools. As
it is by "men’s deeds that we know
them,’’ don’t forget Mr. Wunderlich
on May 6.
Finch, Van Slyck, McConville
Auditor Receives Much Praise
Mr. John H. Hickman, Sr., who re
cently retired as auditor for the cor
poration of Finch, Van Slyck & Mc-
Conville after fifty years of service,
was the recipient of many congratula
tions.
Excerps from some of the con
gratulations received are:
Telegram.
Hot Springs, V»
Sorry I cannot be in St. Paul to
join other members of the firm In
thanking you for your fifty years of
loyalty and service to the corporation.
It is a quality of service of which we
are proud and is an example to us
all. lfest wishes.
Roger Shephard, President,
Finch, Van Slyck £ McConville.
"While I am no longer connected
with the corporation, I cannot let the
opportunity pass without expressing
to you my appreciation of the trusty
work you did under me for so many
years. You can always be depended
upon to do your best.”
Elbert A. Young.
“I have yet to hear one unkind
word spoken of you.”
Mrs. L. K. Fisher.
“Yours Golden.”
Geo. H. Hazzard.
ERMAN M. SKIPTON
Forum Meets at
Pilgrim Sunday
The Forum of the N. A. A. C. P.
will meet on §unday, April 27, at Pil
grim Chapel, Grotto and Central, at
4 P. M. The meeting will be in the
form of an open forum, at which time
every one will be given an opportuni
ty to express himself on any matter.
Mr. W. T. Francis will be the prin
cipal speaker. The choir from St.
James’ A. M. E. church will render
the music.
All solicitors during the drive are
requested to make a report, either
in part or in full.
The D. Y. W. Y. K. club at their
meeting on Wednesday night pledged
SIO.OO to the support of the asso
ciation.
In Knoxville, Tenn., the leading
colored women have organized The
Women’s Mutual Improvement Club.
John H. McDonald, commissioner
of public utilities, has conducted his
office in a manner that needs no criti
cism. t He has at all times been ready
to assist in the necessary improve
ments and deserves the support of the
colored voters in the coming election.
Judge Conrad Olson, the present
municipal judge, was appointed by
Governor Preus and has made good,
being fair and impartial in all of his
decisions, regardless of nationality.
Roy McDonald, assistant county at
torney, was appointed by R. D.
O’Brien in 1918 and was re-appointed
by Harry Peterson in 1923. Mr. Mc-
Donald is a candidate for municipal
judge. His public service has dem
onstrated that he is capable and ef
ficient.
When you go to* the polls May 6,
go with the intention of voting for
the man who has the interest of all
the citizens of St. Paul at heart and
not one who is being oisted on the
public to satisfy the personal ambi
tions of a. few. The mud-slinging
and whispering of personal calumny
is only being used by some politicians
to poison the mind of the credulous.
JOHN H. HICKMAN
"We extend to your our congratu
lations; and our prayer is that while
not so actively engaged, in a material
way, you may find time to be of great
er service to God and humanity, be
cause of the opportunity which now
presents Itself to you<
Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Berry.
(Continued on page 4) ,
ST. PAUL—MINNEAPOLIS, lIINJJ., SATURDAY, APRIL 26,1924
FOR COMPTROLLER
KEEP SKIPTON AS
OUR CITY’S BEST
omparison Between Two Candi
dates Shows Present Man
Most Efficient.
When a city reaches the population
of St. Paul it becomes necessary to
have at the head of its financial de
partment a man capable of handling
the affairs in an efficient manner. Er
man M. Skipton, the present comp
troller, has, by years of experience,
become efficient in the handling of
public affairs. This experience em
bodies twenty years of accounting,
ten of which were with corporations
and ten with the City of St. Paul as
a municipal adviser.
During the relationship of Mr.
Skipton to the city the best financial
status in history was established.
News plans for the benefit of the pub
lic were inaugurated by Mr. Skipton
because he saw the necessity of cur
tailing expenditures of the taxpayers’
money. The curtailment has had for
its results the Installation of the
proper budget system for the City of
St. Paul instead of the hithertofore
expenditures for private use by those
vested with fiscal responsibility.
His Opponent.
Opposing Mr. Skipton for comp
troller is Wm. F. Scott. His pros
pectus embodies the following: "Born
and reared in St. Paul. Has grade
and high school education. Universi
ty training in accountancy and two
years at law. Eight years’ experience
in municipal affairs with Department
of Public Utilities. Ex-service man.
Enlisted May 6, 1917. Honorably
discharged August 27, 1919. A mem
ber of D. A. V., St. Paul Chapter
No. 2.”
Mr. Scott’s best trump card seems
to be his ex-service record and that
he is a member of the disabled vet
erans. We ccnnsde the benefits of
the service rendered by the veterans,
but this election for comptroller is a
matter of efficiency and capability,
not a service record. Mr. Scott does
not say that he got his university
training from a correspondencecourse
Neither does he state how long it
took him to acquire it. Two years at
law cannot make a man sufficiently
capable of having enough jurispru
dence to handle the comptroller job.
His eight years’ experience in the De
partment of Public Utilities was not
that of an executive. Now the voters
are called upon to decide whether a
man of no executive experience shall
supplant a man of varied experience.
Up to Voters.
It is a matter for the voters to de
cide on May 6 whether Mr. Skipton,
the efficient comptroller, or Mr. Scott,
the novice, shall occupy one of the
most important offices in the city gov
ernment.
To our very best opinion, Mr. Skip
ton is the logical candidate for office
and deserves the support of our 1
group. His past administration clear
ly demonstrates his efficiency in his
particular vocation.
Mr. Skipton seeks the support of
the voters solely on the merits of his
past administration. That adminis
tration is known by every citizen who
has made an investigation of the rec
ord of city offices. Those who have
not made a research of these activi
ties will do well to analyze the fact
before making a decision as to who
they will vote for.
There can be no successful admin
istration unless those responsible are
sufficiently capable of handling the
situation in an advantageous manner.
It has been the opinion of Mr. Skip
ton that has carried St. Paul through
the most successful fiscal period of
its history; so let’s keep Mr. Skipton
on the job as comptroller.
Mrs. Lona Skinner gave a birthday
party Friday afternoon In honor of
her little son, Otis, Jr., at the home
of Mrs. Burt McPheeters, 405 West
Central avenue. Seventeen little chil
dren were present. Otis was the re
cipient of many beautiful presents. A
delicious repast was served.
Athens, Ohio.
Hie Charity Sewing Circle wishes
to announce that statement appearing
in a past issue of this paper, inform
ing the public that there would be no
quilt given away, was unauthorised
by the club. Please hold your tickets.
The date will be announced later.-
Adv.
THE BEST MAYOR FOR ST. PAUL
13th Ward Civic
Club Lays Plans
At the last regular meeting of the
Thirteenth Ward Civic club it was
decided to set aside the second week
in May for general clean-up week.
All residents of the ward are request
ed to clean their premises in general.
Beginning the first week after clean
up week, a contest for club members
only will start in which a prize will
be given by the club to the person
having the best kept yard. The con
test will close September 15 and the
first meeting in October a “Pep-fest”
will be held And prizes awarded.
Judges and further particulars will
be announced later. Club meets first
Monday in each month at Public
Library, corner Fourth avenue south
and 36th street, Minneapolis. .Carl
Wade, Sec.
Anchor Hilyard Lodge No. 2, F. &
A. M., of Minneapolis have organized
a club of well known men active in
their fraternal work for the' purpose
of establishing a building fund. They
will give the public first class enter
tainment from time to time. The
members of this club are * Chester
Johnson, chairman; Earl Comly,
sec’y; W. J. Grimes, treasurer; An
drew Johnson, Thomas Stovall, Jo
seph Askin, Geo. Johnson, Russell
Underwood, Clydie Allen, Harry Don
aldson and Wm. R. Walker.
The Pittsburg Council of Negro
Women is one of that city’s most ac
tive organizations.
Minneapolis Women Marching
Forward; Organize Home-Center
No longer will the Negroes of Min
neapolis have to reluctantly admit
that aside from our churches we have
not a single Institution in this beau
tiful city of existing rare opportuni
ties and abundant good will and fel
lowship that is functioning for the
physical, intellectual and spiritual
uplift of the people of our communi
ty. Some of otir best women have
come to the rescue and have organ
ized and established The Colored
Women’s Home and Service Center,
located at 253 15th avenue south,
Minneapolis.
It is undenominational in charac
ter, and is broad, unselfish and Chris
tian enough in spirit and attitude, as
not to be an Institution for colored
people only, any more than the Swed
ish hospital is solely for the Swedish
people, but to administer to the needs
of all races alike, whenever an oppor
tunity is given. Christ was no re
specter of persons; let us make him
our exemplar in all things.
The name of the home simply im
plies that it is ever to be an institu
tion fouhded, owned and controlled
by the colored women of Minneapolis,
for the purpose of radiating service
city-wide in its scope, assuming with
other institutions of a similar nature
some of the responsibilities of the
responsibilities of the charitable and
uplift work being done in this grow
ing metropolis, of which there is such
a great need.
Their activities are to be focused,
however, more directly on work
among women and children of our
own group, because it is but natural
and right that charity should first be
gin at home. In other words, "to the
Jew first then also to ihe‘ Greek." If
Local Girl Wins
C.H.S. Laurels
Announcement of the honor roll of
students who will graduate from Cen
tral high school at the end of this
semester was made Wednesday at the
school assembly.
Seventy-one of the graduating
class were placed on the role as hon
or students. Miss Lucille Howell,
941 Rondo street, was among the
list. She was the only race student
of Central high school to be placed
on the honorary list of the graduat
ing class.
On several occasions articles con
tributed by Miss Howell have been
used by the C. H. S. paper. This dis
tinction came as the result of her
unusual ability as a writer. Her
articles were printed following the
the elimination of various English
students’ work.
Being placed on the honor roll at
Central high school is a distinction
every studious pupil is desirous of
having. Out of the vast graduating
class only seventy-one students made
such high gradingß to be placed.
Miss Howell is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Owen Howell.
The D. Y> W. Y. K. Club met with
Mrs. James Murphy, 1354 Thomas
street, Wednesday evening. The an
nual election of officers were as fol
lows: Queen Johnson, Pres.; Mrs.
I). Roper, Vice-Pres.; Florence John
son, Sec.; Ida Mae/ Murphy, Corres.
Sec. After which a delicious repast
was served.
any individual or race first learns to
respect and help itself, it will eventu
ally receive the consideration due it
from others. This is not the spirit
to encourage prejudice or segregation
as some fear it is and which has ex
erted a retarding influence upon our
development and progress; but to the
contrary it is just good common
sense seeing facts as they actually ex
ist and an effort to so improve our
selves and conditions that the word
"Colored” or “Negro" may be a name
of which all of our race may feel
justly proud. Let us awaken to our
best interests and so prepare Our
selves to give to the world the best
we have tbat the best may come back
to us. /
The women who have signed their
names below have thereby indicated
their acceptance of such a program
and creed, and may they ever con
tinue marching onward and upward
in that same direction, enlisting
many in their noble cause.
We, the undersigned colored wom
en of Minneapolis, having seriously
considered the urgent needs of wom
en of our race, along lines pertaining
to better housing conditions, employ
ment, wholesome recreation and so
cial conditions; in fact, along all lines
tbat tend toward the spiritual, mental
and physical betterment of our wom
en everywhere, do hereby and now,
pledge our loyal support to this In
stitution which has just started such
work in our city, and is known as
the "Colored Women’s Home and
Service Center," located at 253 15th
avenue south.
We realise that having interests In
common along all such lines of up
lift work, the duty of its promotion,
(Continued on peg# 4)
PRICE: FIVE CENTS
GIVE SUPPORT TO
NELSON AND KEEP
THE IST MAYOR
Statistics Show Better Municipal
Government in Regime of
Administration.
We wish to call the attention of
our voters to the advisibility of sup
porting our present Mayor, Arthur
E. Nelson, in his campaign for re
election. Our present Mayor is high
ly deserving of the favorable consid
eration of our group because he has
stood for only such measures that
meant fairness to all. His adminis
tration can pass the most rigid mus
ter because his platform speeches
were fulfilled after his election, which
is more than we can say for some of
his predecessors.
Mayor Nelson has always stood for
a greater St. Paul and has worked
faithfully to secure that end. The
city has been benefited by his regime,
so let us keep him at the head of our
municipal government and secure
liberty, justice and equality for all
citizens, regardless of race, color or
creed.
Tax Criticism.
Critics of the city tax rate should »
bear in mind the factß when finding
fault with the expenditures of public
funds, namely, that within the last
year fifteen miles of city streets have
been paved, two and one-half miles
of alleyß have been paved, thirty
miles of county roads have been hard
surfaced, approximately fourteen
miles of county roads have been per
manently improved by grade revision
and widening, seven miles of new
county roads have been graded, four
schools and additions have been built,
six permanent buildings and six ad
ditions are under construction, eleven
and one-half miles of sewer were
built and fifteen miles of sewers are
under construction. One permanent
school, the Roosevelt school, has been
completed this year. Those who be
lieve in progress will concede that at
least the money is being used in a
worthy cause.
Elect Nelson.
Re-elect Arthur E. Nelson
B—St. Paul Grew and prospered
most while Nelson was Mayor.
E—We provided for decent schools
for our children while Nelson
was Mayor.
C—We got sewers where common
sense and public health de
manded them while Nelson
was Mayor.
A—We got good roads and streets
where we needed them while
Nelson was Mayor.
U—We got a dollar's worth of honest
service for every dollar of tax
money while Nelson was May
or.
S—We got honeßt, efficient govern
ment while Nelson was Mayor.
E-—There was government for all the
people while Nelson was
Mayor.
We believe as Mr. Albert Cum
mings says:
“To change horses in the middle
of the stream would be a matter of
serious consequence.”
Mayor Nelson has given St. Paul
the best, most efficient and most pro
gressive city administration in the
history of St. Paul.”
WOMAN DIES AT ANCKER
HOSPITAL; WAS AGED 74
Funeral services of the late Eliza
beth Haskell, aged 74, the beloved
wife of John T. Haskell, who died at
Ancker hospital Friday morning,
were held at Pilgrim Baptist church
Monday afternoon. Rev. L. W. Har
ris preached the funeral sermon. The
beautiful casket was literally banked
with handsome floral offerings frdm
the many friends and organizations.
Mrs. Haskell was a former resident
of Roseil, Kan., having moved to St.
Paul three years ago. Household of
Ruth No. 553 and Biddle Post, G. A.
R., bad charge of the services. She
leaves to mourn her passing a devot
ed husband and daughter, Mrs.
Amanda Bond. Interment at Oak
land. Simpson and Wills, funeral di
rectors.
The Modern Priscilla Art Club will
give a whist party Monday, April tt,
at Pioneer Hall, 588 Rondo St., at
8:80 P. M. Admission 15c.—Adv.
There are 130 colored tailors in
Baltimore, Md.
m
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