The Houston Informer (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 40, Ed. 1 Saturday, February 23, 1924 Page: 1 of 8
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Colored C'arnegio Library
Robin & Frederick
FINAL
EDITION
THE HOUSTON INFORMER
PRICE:
7 CENTS
‘HOUSTON'S GOT 'EM'
VOL. V.
HOUSTON, TEXAS, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1924
NO. 40
STANDARD LIFE
ISKONUMENTTO
PERRY AND RACE
AN OPEN LETTER TO CITY FATHERS
Mayor Holcombe, City Commissioners Halverton, Anderson, House
and Britton,
There recently appeared an article Houston, Texas.
in Forbes Magazine, recognized as one H u, Gpntlemen-_
Of the leading business publications of Honorable gentlemen.
the country, concerning the standard While The Informer is fully cognizant of the onerous and marti-
Life insurance Company and allied in- du(jes incumbent upon you as public office holders and ser-
arc°tife StpSthofthe fertile brains vants of the people, this paper wishes to cite your attention to
of a former Houstonian, Heman e. the shameful, shocking and deplorable conditions existing in the
Perry. The standard is now engaged sections of the city occupied by the colored residents and tax-
in a stock-selling campaign to increase avers
t hat*^the* company ° may° mwt'"he^re- . Though nominated on a partisan ticket, and virtually elected
euirements incident to doing business similarly, after your induction into office you became tile serv-
in several Eastern. Northern and west- ants of all the people and these people, regardless of racial con-
ern states. nection, political faith or civic station, have a right to expect you
The article in Forbes calls the Stand- „ ’ aii tttf PFOPT F
ard "The Largest Negro Commercial to serve ALL 1HL rLUi Lb. ,
Enterprise in the World." This is the Our municipal government should be democratic, not from a
caption of the story, while the sub- partisan viewpoint, but from the standpoint of “a government of
title reads, “Amazing Story of Heman ^ peopiG( for the people and by the people.”
e. Perry, Commercial Booker Washing- For many years the coiored citizens of Houston have been forced
Ufe ^nsurance°Company." to eke out their existence in the most insanitary and unhealthy
" mt. perry’s cut. also appears in this sections of the city, where good streets are rare, few and for be-
issue, under date of February 2, 1924, tween; where drainage is a huge joke; where modern and sanitary
with conveniences constitute the unknown quantity; where electric
Company of AUantl Ga Perry is the street lights are conspicuous by their absence; where cesspools,
busiest, brainiest Negro in the South, sloughs, miniature lakes, surface privies, filth and disease-prod uc-
son of a Negro drayman of Texas, at- jng incubators are ubiquitous; where police officers are never
so he earns $75^000 aji^ailyjs^ured seen> un]ess they sally forth to apprehend some alleged violator
$8 000,000. He has 2500 people—all of the law!
colored-on his payroll, and scores of DEMOCRACY PRESUPPOSES A FAIR CHANCE FOR
'^elrtide w n^hcrmustratod With EVERY CITIZEN AND A SQUARE DEAL TO EVERY MAN.
a partial view of the office force and jt jg NOTHING MORE THAN REPRESENTATIVE, POPULAR
2ST; government, and the idea that it is a govern.
controlling corporation of the Stand- MENT OF A PEOPLE, IS A FALLACY AND CALCULATED
ard. and all allied companies and in- TQ DEFEAT AND DESTROY THE VERY ENDS THAT IT IS
f pfPRtS
Here are some of the observations SUPPOSED TO PROMOTE AND ADVANCE,
as seen by the Forbes correspondent, These citizens have filed petitions upon petitions, requests upon
requests and prayers upon prayers for some relief, only to be told
that no funds are available for the city to perform its holden duty
by these people in improving their living conditions.
YET THE CITY CAN FIND WAYS TO SPEND LARGE
SUMS OF MONEY FOR “INVESTIGATIONS,” FOR IDLE
LAND FOR “FUTURE” PARK PURPOSES, FOR MONKEY
Eric D. Walrond:
When I entered the $152,000 office
building of the Standard Life I felt like
one in a trance. I could not imagine
Negroes owning or operating anything
like it (the office equipment alone cost
close to $100,000), I saw dozens and
dozens of colored men and women, of
the very finest type, employed as
clerks, stenographers, bookkeepers, star
tisticians, accountants, actuaries, and
executives. In the words of one of
the leading white corporation lawyers
of Atlanta, “These people are no long-
er serfs—fit to be cooks and butlers.
Educated, they must be helped; the
South must go out of its way to help
them realize their ambitions.” Fresh
from the North, I concurred; for I
knew there was not anything like it
anywhere up there.
Nor is it the fly-by-night, mushroom
sort of business. Far from it. Every-
thing at the Standard Life is predi-
cated on the basis of system and or-
ganization. Every morning at 8.30,
not 8:31, the men who are directing
the affairs of Standard Life and its
twelve sudsldiary corporations (includ-
ing two banks, one in Atlanta and the
other in Augusta, Ga.), whose com-
bined assets amount to $10,000,000,
meet and confer and map out plans
for the day. Keen, alert, hard-headed,
these are men who have made out-
standing successes of their personal
financial affairs, men who can and do
rub elbows with the keenest financial
minds of the South.
Organized in 1913 with a capital and
surplus of $117,598.92, the Standard
Life today has $2,400,000 assets and
$30,000,000 of insurance in force. (In-
cidentally, that represents 33 1-3 per
cent of the total volume of business
done annually by Negro enterprises in
the United States.) It is operating in
thirteen states, including the District
of Columbia; it maintains branch agen-
cies in twenty-two cities and gives em-
ployment to 400 salesmen, 300 inspec-
tors, and 700 examining physicians.
Altogether it has 2,500 people—all col-
ored—on its payroll.
In addition to the Citizens Trust
Company, whose total deposits up to
CAGES AND NUMEROUS OTHER NON-ESSENTIALS, LUX-
URIES AND WHATNOTS;%HILE THESE POOR PEOPLE
ARE DYING PREMATURE DEATHS AND BECOMING A MEN-
ACE TO THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY BY BEING
FORCED TO LIVE AMIDST INTOLERABLE, UNBEARABLE
AND UNBELIEVABLE CONDITIONS.
We can show you streets aplenty that have never been graded
by the city street and bridge department since these sections have
been within the corporate limits of Houston; communities where,
if the street department were to go out there to work their streets
and dean out their ditches, the inhabitants would die from heart
failure, superinduced by the excitement and alarm created by such
a strange, novel and unusual happening!
THERE ARE NOT SIX HARD SURFACED STREETS IN ALL
THE COLORED RESIDENTIAL SECTIONS OF THE CITY
COMBINED, AND THE USUAL ALLEYS (WHICH WE CALL
STREETS FOR DECENT REASONS AND TO ASSUME A
METROPOLITAN AIR) WOULD HARDLY DO CREDIT TO
PODUNK CREEK OR POSSUM HOLLOW!
Houston is making a determined fight for the Texas centennial
and every red-blooded resident of this city would like to see the
celebration held here; but who would favor bringing thousands
and millions of visitors to this city under the existing civic and
living conditions?
Before inviting company to their homes, good housekeepers not
only clean up the house and arrange everything in order, but they
also clean up and beautify the premises as much as possible—see-
ing to it that the place presents a spic and span appearance. This
is both good policy and good sense!
BUT, SIRS, AS LONG AS THOUSANDS OF YOUR CITIZENS
ARE COMPELLED TO LIVE IN HOG WOLLOWS, ON MUD
ALL EYS, WITH LITTLE, OR NO, POLICE NOR FIRE PROTEC-
TION; WITH SHACKS JAMMED TOGETHER LIKE SARDINES
IN A CAN; WITH NO PARK FACILITIES AND PLAYGROUND
ACTIVITIES; WITH STAGNANT, FOUL AND POLLUTED WA-
TER BREEDING AND GIVING SUSTENANCE TO DISEASE-
PRODUCING AND HEALTH-DESTROYING PESTS AND IN-
SECTS, THE HEALTH, WELL-BEING, SAFETY AND PER-
PETUITY OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND COMBINED
CITIZENRY ARE JEOPARDIZED, MENACED AND IN CON-
STANT PERIL.
SUCH NEGLIGENCE WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO EITH-
ER AN EPIDEMIC, PESTILENCE, CONFLAGRATION OR
SOME OTHER DIREFUL AND APPALLING CATASTROPHE,
AND THEN THERE WILL BE THOSE WHO WILL ARISE AND
PROCEED TO READ THE COLORED RACE OUT OF THE
WHOLE ECONOfilY OF CIVILIZATION.
The incessant rains of the winter make it imperative that these
sections be considered and these conditions remedied and recti-
fied before the warm weather arrives, when mosquitoes and other
germ carriers will make Houston and environs their dwelling place, and truth! Selah!
IF SUFFICIENT FUNDS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR RE-
PAIRING AND PUTTING THESE STREETS IN ORDER AND
THEREBY IMPROVING THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF THE
MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMON CITY,
WHY NOT PROPOSE AND SUBMIT A SPECIAL BOND ISSUE
FOR THIS PURPOSE, IF SUCH CAN BE DONE UNDER THE
PROVISIONS OF THE CITY CHARTER?
HOUSTON POSSESSES WONDERFUL POSSIBILITIES AND
OPPORTUNITIES. BUT NO CITY CAN MAKE PERMANENT
AND LASTING PROGRESS AND GROWTH THAT FAILS TO
SAFEGUARD ITS INHABITANTS WITH SANITARY AND
HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENTS AND SURROUNDINGS.
The Informer could cite street after street, any number of which
are located within a stone’s throw of Main Street, that are im-
passable and unnavigable almost the entire year.
There are several thousand homes here that have no fire pro-
tection, as the fire fighting apparatus can not penetrate these
sections in case of a fire.
Delivery is practically a physical impossibility in many local
residential sections, and numerous neighborhoods, well within the
corporate confines, can not even get their mail delivered to their
homes because of the deplorable and bad shape of the streets.
Paraphrasing Dr. Emil Coue, celebrated French psycho-analyst,
"day by day, in every way, these streets are getting worse
and worse.”
We admit that there are many weighty and momentous mat-
ters demanding your attention and consideration, but there is
none more vital and far-reaching than the living conditions of the
citizens of this municipality.
YOU ARE THE CUSTODIANS OF THE HEALTH, WELL-BE-
ING AND SAFETY OF THESE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND
THEY HAVE NO OTHER RECOURSE NOR ALTERNATIVE
THAN TO APPEAL TO AND LOOK TO YOU FOR RELIEF
FROM THESE DELETERIOUS CONDITIONS.'
Realizing that you are grappling with many problems; that your
time is valuable and that you have not the time to inspect and
invesligate all these streets, we are addressing this open letter to
you, prompted by no selfish reasons other than a desire to see
our great city made as safe and sanitary as possible for all the
people,
EVERY CITIZEN SHOULD EXPECT THIS MUCH AND
SHOULD RECEIVE NO LESS, AND WE HERE URGE YOU TO
GIVE THESE PEOPLE SOME IMMEDIATE AND TANGIBLE
RELIEF FROM THESE SHOCKING AND SHAMEFUL CON-
DITIONS. v
Finally, sirs, it rests largely upon your shoulders whether Hous-
ton is to be a real city or a mere over-grown country town! Let’s
all do our bit to make Houston “Heavenly” both in name, deed
SIMMONS SWAYED MAGIC WAND
AT LINCOLN LEAGUE SESSIONS:
REPUBLICAN LEADERS PRESENT
an
(By The Associated Negro Press.)
Chicago, 111.,—Attracted by the magnetic personalities of
inner circle of brilliant, battle-scarred veterans of Republican
party strife, the Lincoln League of America, as represented by
forty-six states, drew itself together and became Chicago’s guest
for three days last week in its second quadrennial convention.
The league sessions were opened on the date of the birth of the
great man after whom it is named and whose principles it pur-
ports to further, Abraham Lincoln.
Roscoe Simmons, founder and president, using the talismanic
names of Henry Lincoln Johnson, Perry’ W. Howard, Robert R.
Church and a score of others, called together to rejuvinated league
into which it was sought to breathe a new spirit, healthier and
more lasting.
The pui-pose of the league convention was purely political. The
objects of the league, as a working organization, are purely politi-
cal. The league fathers, geniuses and nestors; believe mainly in
those results obtained for the race through the ballot.
mand of the Ohio state republican com-
wnose iuuu — As ever’ Simmons, was the power.
’™mber amountedTo $846,- Eloquent, witty comical (the word is
8.73, a» increase of $550,422.85 over right, Simmons’ best friends hesita
e previous year’s, it operates the tjng ^0 decide as to wheather he be
erates ^n^^porrfions—the CItiz'ens ereat leader or great clown), he kept
imnanv Service Itealty Company, his hosts together. He was defiant
rvice Engineering and Construction and confident. Time and time again
inmanv Service Pharmacies, Service he repeated to his legionnaires, “We
intine Companv. National Fuel Cor- have a convention; The Lincoln league
ration Penny'Savings Bank (Au- never dies; Arkansas are you there?
r'a) Service Farms Company, Massachuetts? Missouri and Homer
nset Hills Development Company, Phillips? Georgia and Ben Davis? Ohio
d Service Foundation Company, with and Cottrell?”
rablned assets of $8,498,217.37. Simmon* Master Tactician.
launder the^atToMhe^tate^f Thus he marshalled hla cunning bat-
tel* Starting with an authorized talions. Arrayed in front were the
“S, of *100 000, this was increased great of a vast audience. Gracing the
1^20 to $5M 000, and in 1923 to broard pulpit of famous Mother Bethel
MOOOO Like most of the enter- were other great and near great, black
^s under the control of Standard and white Americans. As the proud
l it began humbly, conservatively- orders of Simmons, the orator tacU-
* two steam laundries, one In At- clan, general, were issued. John T.
*2 the other m Augusta. Later Adams, chairman of the Republican
frew iTits varied and ramified national commute; Medlll McCormick,
f iTn’m todav It owns $2,000,000 United States senator from Illinois;
rth of rla estate 300 acres of land his wife, daughter of the famous-Mark
limits of Atlanta, on Hanna, and the manager of the Coo-
Sjj* *?!?,. he erected residential lidge women forces in Illinois, listened
lch ,wll‘ .^ oeonle- seven four- and marked the response to the gen-
res for color^ people, Beven^io ^ ^# command. simmons found the
Sxzsslssss
(Continued on Page 6.) it moved to suspend the Miles and de-
mittee that a Negro be Included among
the delegates to the convention in
Cleveland. The rules were suspended,
a resolution passed and telegraphed,
and Cottrell made to feel glad. Webb,
of Arkansas, financier, politician, took
the state of Helena and Elaine to
heart, and Henry Lincoln Johnson,
whose wishes were orders to his con-
freres, urged that the rules be again
suspended In favor of the open con-
vention passing another such resolu-
tion. The convention obeyed and simi-
lar word was sent to Remmel of Ar-
kansas.
Many Speeches Delivered.
There were speeches. Cotter—James
A. Cotter—assistant United States
District attorney for the northern dis-
trict of Illinois, welcomed the league
to the city. Calloway, the Rector men-
tor from Kansas City, acknowledged
the welcome. And there were speech-
es and speeches and spellbinders. Then
at evening, Simmons again, Abbott of
Defender fame and of Simmons’ faith,
McCormick, Adams-, Lynch, John R.
Lynch, former member of congress
and many other things, all speaking of
how good they were, of how good the
others were, of how little they were,
and then and on. There was laughter,
applause, there was whispering, there
were eyes narrowed and mouths wide
open, grumbling turned its back. The
Lincoln League of America was In
(Continued on Page 4.)
COLORED EXTENSION WORKERS HELD
INTERESTING MID-WINTER MEETING
WITH PRAIRIE VIEW STATE COLLEGE
Special to The Informer.
Prairie View, Texas.—The mid-win-
ter extension agents’ meeting, held at
Prairie View College, February 11, 12,
13, with the entire working force pres-
ent, was the most successful of its
kind held since extension work has
been carried on among Negroes in Tex-
as. These workers consist of 23 men
workers, a state leader, two district
agents, and 20 local farm agents and
14 women workers, a supervising agent
and 13 local home demonstration
agents. Three new workers who en-
tered the field since the last meeting
were introduced by C. H. Waller, state
leader, who presided over the meet-
ing. These were H. C. l^ingrum
Houston county; J. E. Mayo, Lavaca
county, and Miss Mary E. Jamison,
Red River county.
The forenoon of the first day was
spent In a general assembly meeting.
In this meeting District Agent R. H.
Hines impressed upon the agents the
importance of their positions, and
urged them to put their jobs over de-
spite difficulties. Mrs. M. E. V. Hunt-
er, supervisor of women agents, wel-
comed the workers and urged them to
ask for any needed assistance on prob-
lems relating to their work. Workers
were welcomed to all departments of
the school, and urged to visit these
departments whenever not in regular
session, especially those departments
where the instruction would tend to
help them in their work upon their re-
turn to their respective counties. In
Bethel’s Revival Wfll
Start Sunday, Mar. 2
Bethel Baptist Church. Andrews and
Crosby streets, Rev. J. R. Burdett, pas-
tor, will begin a series of revival meet-
ings Sunday, March 2, 1924.
Rev. Alexander Willbank of Wash-
ington, D. C., national evangelist, has
been engaged to conduct this protract-
ed effort. He is regarded as one of
the most forceful evangelists of the
race.
The church choir, under direction of
Madame Laura Alien-Green, is prepar-
ing special music for the revival and
will sing each night.
The pastor and church officials ex-
tend a cordial invitation to saints and
sinners to attend these meetings; be-
ginning nightly at 7:45 o’clock.
this meeting many problems confront-
ing individual agents were taken up
and thrashed out.
There were presont in these meet-
ings four whito workers from A. and
M. College: T. O. Walton, director of
extension work for the state of Texas;
H. H. Williamson, state agent; Miss
Mildred Horton, assistant state home
demonstration agent, and Miss Bennie
Campbell, district home demonstration
agent. These white supervising work-
ers were in the meetings throughout
the entire session, and gave from time
to time valuable assistance and sug-
gestions regarding the work. Tues-
day forenoon Mr. Williamson instruct-
ed agents in report making. In the
afternoon Mr. Walton addressed the
agents on “The Definite Job of Exten-
(Continued on Page 5.)
VICAR STANLEY ACCEPTS
LEXINGTON, KY., CALL
The Rev. W’alter Payne Stanley, who
has been the priest In charge of St.
Clements Episcopal Church, 2409 Had-
ley avenue, has resigned his cure, to
accept the cure of St. Andrew’s Epis-
copal Church, Lexington, Ky. Father
Stanley will assume his new charge
the first of March.
Since assuming charge of the local
church, Father Stanley has made a
host of friends and been quite active
in all affairs for the race's betterment.
His going is sorely regretted and deep-
ly deplored, yet all wish him success
in his new field of religious endeavor.
LOCAL SOCIAL WORKERS
LAUNCH ORGANIZATION
A group of social workers met last
Wednesday at the Carnegie Library'
and organized the Social Workers’
Council, with Miss Doris D. Wooten,
president; Rev. W. P. Stanley, vice;
Miss Bessie B. Osborne, secretary;
Felix C. Thurmond, treasurer.
The purpose of the organization is
to bring about a closer relationship
among social workers and to broaden
the field for research and study.
The organizations and institutions
represented were; Carnegie Library,
Dorcas School, Bethlehem Settlement
House. Social Service Bureau, Y. W.
C. A.. Y. M. C. A., Smlth-Haghes Voca-
tional Training department of Texas,
and The Houston Informer.
SANHEDRIN FUTURE TRIBUNAL
FOR SETTLING MANY PROBLEMS
CONFRONTING AMERICAN NEGRO
(By The Associated Negro Press.)
Chicago, 111.,—Unprejudiced comment among the delegates and
visitors attending Negro Sanhedrin conference would indicate that
as a vehicle toward the land of “Union” which was the announced
goal, the meeting qualified. In fact, there was an evidence of
harmony and tolerance. The so-called “leader” as a dominant
factor, present usually in former Negro national meets if pres-
ent, lacked all atmosphere or background to engage a spot light.
The conference, then, must be considered a combination of groups,
mass or organization, factors where single-handed business unless
recognized as representative of some national or at least state-wide
agency was left out of the picture.
There was not enough political methods practiced in the guid-
ance ol the deliberations to eliminate the thought cropping up here
and there that the delegates and even Dean Miller were feeling
their way to avoid any rocks. But thanks to the mental attitude
of the attending throng, there were no rocks either under foot or
in the air. That makes up the opinion on the meeting to include
harmony along with union.
The conduct, composition and result
of the Sanhedrin might also be de-
scribed as a surprise. More organiza-
tions were actually registered or at-
tending than had been expected. This
thought was shared by those present.
They were surprised to see “the other
fellow.” It was shared also, we suspect,
by some Important national and semi-
national leaders who did not arrive,
but whose presence was merely sug-
gested by lesser lights of their imme-
diate “famtiy” or on their official
staff.
8anhedrin Future Court.
Those attending, with the expectation
of radical or hurried decisions on the
part of the conference, must have been
disappointed. Most of the matters of
resolution or organization were ac-
companied by expressions that such
decisions were tentative in form. Even
the rules laid down for organization ; that the Sanhedrin not only lived up
the constitution and the like, were I to its call, but as an iniUal attempt
accompanied by expressions that these | to find the right road got Its bearings,
plans and decisions were in the very I Its progress difficult to calculate In
nature of things only tentative. One; terms of time may be uncertain. But
outstanding spirit, however, prevailed j it's in the race of other world move-
that overshadowed all. and that was j menu; it qualified,
the acceptance and adoption of the j . o.-a**
Negro Sanhedrin as the future court M'ln Co"”"'*** • Report-
of courts for guidance of the race in The commission on findings and per-
ail matters affecting the colored people | manent results at the Sanhedrin con-
of America and their relation to others 1 ‘
of African decent and also to other! (Continned on.Page 4.)
race or national groups; and that As
such the Negro Sanhedrin was to be
a permanent and continuously opera-
tive and active organization.
Kelly Milter Central Figure.
No one individual will be properly
written in the record as the central
figure in the actual deliberations;
Even Kelly Miller, who inaugurated
the movement and called the forces to
Chicago for conference, seemed to
stand in the picture as a hero or cen-
tral figure. National movemenU and
organizations were too numerously rep-
resented, each with their own heads—
kings or exalted rulers—to do more
than stand on the same level. Kelly
Miller merely served as a contact
point. The future may develop that
Christ's formula for making the ser-
vant the leader will force a leadership
not now fully appreciated.
Whatever else may be said covering
single impressions, the fact is evident
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Richardson, Clifton F. The Houston Informer (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 40, Ed. 1 Saturday, February 23, 1924, newspaper, February 23, 1924; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth523881/m1/1/?q=%22%22~1: accessed June 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .