Cayton's Weekly

--- PRICE FIVE CENTS CAYTON'S WEEKLY Published every Saturday at Seattle, Washington, U. S. A. In the interest of equal rights and equal justice to all men and for "all men up." A publication of general information, but in the main voicing the sentiments of the Colored Citizens. Subscription $2 per year in advance. Special rates made to clubs and societies. HORACE ROSCOE CAYTON. Editor and Publisher Entred as second class matter, August 18, 1916, at the post office at Seattle, Vash., under the Act of March 3rd, 1916. OUR OWN HUNS It is most unfortunate that at the very time when the world is rejoicing at the defeat of the Hun and Hunnish practices, we should be slapped in the face, as it were, by the news of Hunism within our own borders. But the plain truth of the matter is that in the southern section of this country there are disorderly elements that are disgracing the entire republic. This country, as do all other civilized ones, rests upon a respect for the law. There are some laws, passed with sinister motives, that no true freeman can respect. Then he sets about, with his fellow men, to repeal them and wipe them off the books. But among the laws that appeal to the decency of every man and woman is that one which calls a man innocent until he is proved guilty. And it is just that law which certain hoodlum Huns of North Carolina have fouled by the Hun-like practise of breaking into a jail at Winston Salem with murderous lynching in their hearts. Before the piece of outlawry was finished five peole were killed, six more wounded so seriously that their lives were despaired of, and more than a dozen others hurt. A condition like this demands plain speaking. Do the Huns of North Carolina imagine that this nation is not big enough to mete out justice, that they must take it into their own hands and kill and wound others in the fray? Are the 12,000,000 Negroes in this country to be victimized because of color and prejudice, while some of their own sons are across the ocean, with an honorable record in war that was meant to free the downtrodden of all nations and colors and creeds? Maybe these prisoners were guilty. If so, it was the government's business to prove them so. That was the individual's right. And if they were guilty it was the business of the government, not individuals, to execute that punishment. Any other course would be anarchy. And that was just what the North Carolina persons who participated in this disgraceful affair were guilty of. They should be apprehended and punished as such. As such they should be imprisoned, and protected against the very sort of uprising and breaking-in to which they themselves gave vent. Such as these are Huns, anarchists of the most dangerous type. Just as long as the nation as a whole does nothing about it, just so long will we be disgraced in the eyes of all who see in justice more than a word, and in tolerance more than a pretence. When these men lynch or attempt to lynch a Negro, they are lynching the law itself. They are reverting to a barbarism out of which we have fought our way through hailstorms of bullets and rivers of blood. And shall the result of all this noble sacrifice be that self-willed Huns shall be able, with impunity, to defy the decent laws of this republic.—New Appeal (Gerard, Kans.) It is barely possible that the above paper has the largest circulation of any weekly paper in the United States as it voices the political sentiment of the Socialist element of this country. The article is clean cut and does not split hairs on what it wants to say. How much effect such articles have on the body politic of this country is more than we can conjecture, but certain it is they can do no harm from our view point. From time to time we ourselves indulge in similar philipies and if they have ever done any good its more than we know, but bread cast upon the waters will return after many days, and so it is the duty of every man, who loves his fellowman, to continue to condemn such lawlessness. From Tuskeegee on New Year's day, came the report that in 1918 there were 68 persons lynched in this country and four of them were colored women. That is a most beautiful report to face President Wilson, who is gallavanting from one European country to another, holding up the United States as the model Republic of the world and encouraging the warring monarchical governments of Europe to fashion their governments after the United States of North America. The white man of this country who can not be as fair to a red, yellow or black man accused of crime as he could and would be to a white man, is unfit to be an American citizen and should be banished to the Figi Islands. EDITORIAL PARAGRAPHS Wages and high cost of living are in an ardent debate just now as to whether one or both of them should go down. The labor trust wants the high cost of living to go down, but let wages remain in a statu quo, while the money trsut wants wages to go down, but the necessities of life to stay on top, so that the rich can get richer and the poor poorer. It would be just and humane if both of them took a tumble and did not stop until they got to the bottom. Comes now a Ft. Scott, Kansas, Democrat and explains the recent defeat of the Demo- certaie party by saying, "all the Democrats were in France at the time of the election." All the same, Kunnel Hawthorne. We heard at the beginning of trouble with Germany that "this was a white-man's war," but we had no idea that it was a Democrats' war, but when so eminetn Democrats as Kunnel Hawthorne and the Ft. Scott Bourbon declare it was, we must surrender. What our ears hear our heart is bound to believe. When Rev. Carter returns from France we suggest that he set about to raise money to build a canning factory, which would give ecolored persons employment on an equal footing with organized labor. We suggest this because he has raised a thousand simoleans, on which to go to France, before the other fellow got in ship shape to oppose him. May perhaps Martin and Simmonds are guilty for the disappearance of the "police whiskey," but there is a suspicion going about the town that, they have been paid to be the goats for the guilty ones. There seems to be a "nigger in the wood-pile" as well as in jail. VOL. 3. No. 30 Every colored person, who has gone into business in Seattle, knowing when he or she did so that, if he or she had any business success, it would be because an overwhelming majority of his or her customers would be white, have made most a brilliant successes. If one can do so others can, for, what man has done, man can do, therefore, numbers of colored persons should open up small business houses in thickly populated communities, whether the population of said communities be white or black. Numbers of them should, like Dan Myer, go into the poultry business and still others go into the gardening business and still others go into the hog raising business. In other words, this community should be so well served by colored persons that it would wonder how it could get along without them. All these years we have lived in and about Seattle we have been parasites rather than independent self-supporting men and women. The most of us have worked faithfully when given a job and when we failed to get a job we have scowled at the whites for fostering race prejudice. Whining about the short comings of the whites does not help our condition a single iota. The white folks of this country would trade with colored merchants just as quickly as they would Japanese merchants and we truly believe a hundred times quicker, if they only had the opportunity to do so, all of which has been demonstrated by those who have gone into business. We do not believe we would make any mistake in saying that the Alhambra Cash Grocery has as many white as colored customers. One of the chief reasons, we suspect, for Robert S. Lovett opposing government ownership of railroads, is because he owns a large block of railroad stock and he sees the opportunity of robbing the peole out of millions each year by the railroad route, fast fading away. Never again should the railroads of the country pass into the possession of private individuals. Let some industrious soul send Col. House a souvenir postal card with the picture of sixty light persons hanging to a lynchers' limb and four of them women, with "model Republic" printed thereunder in big bold type. It is said that Michigan has 848,000 women eligible to vote. There would not be more than half that number if, how to vote was substituted for eligible to vote. A great many of the pink cuffed gentry, who were caught by the order of "work or fight," may now quit work, but so many of their prerequisites have been taken from them that they will now have to work or starve. If Henry Ford's newspaer partakes of any of the qualities of his benzine wagons, it ought to be a "rattling" good paper. There is a well grounded suspicion that the Huns are desirous of slipping a lump of "con" in the peace conference. Municipal ownership will be a stern reality in Seattle when the entire street car system, within the next sixty days, becomes the proerty of the people. --- ```markdown ``` Montana is now bone dry and we suspect the train porters running through there will not find bootlegging quite so profitable as they did when it was wet. High fever is now racking the body of former Kaiser Wilhelm. Doubtless he wants to die, but the good Lord will not accommodate him. It strikes us that Senator Lewis will have to use a piselm club instead of his senatorial whip to keep the senators from doing Wilson. SOME EMBARRASSING MOMENT One of the embarrassing moments of my life was, when I was a lad just eighteen years of age. That you can more fully realize my discomfiture I was small for my age and had neither the appearance nor the strength of a man, though I felt very much a man in my own mind. After having passed my eighteenth mile-stone I was exceedingly anxious to go out with the ladies and at my first opportunity I was up and at a very handsome young lady, two years my senior and fully fifty pounds heavier than I, to go walking with me. She accepted my invitation to go out walking with her along with a dozen other couples, and it could have been safely said, I was the only "kid" in the bunch. The couples managed to scatter along until they were far enough apart to be only in speaking distance. We were in the country and the leader (confound his picture), lead the way to a stake and rider fence over which all had to cross in order to reach the desired destination. When that fence loomed up before me and I saw the other fellows getting over and reaching up and taking their girls from the top of that fence like baby dolls, I saw my finish and the big sweat stood on my forehead. There were couples in front of me, couples behind me and couples beside me and I inwardly seethed and pondered as to how I would get my girl over that fence. I may have wanted to be a man prior to that time, but at that moment I prayed to be a boy again for the time being. I got over myself and in my half dazed state I turned to reach for my girl only to see the arms of a big straping good naturde fellow reach for her and save me the embarrassment tof making an exhibition before the bunch, who was enjoying the fun at tmy expense. I was born in the state of Mississippi where the relations between the white and colored folks were always strained. Not being of the servant class, I probably did not speak to a white woman once in five years, yea, i f that often. Few, if any of them, knew me and I knew none of them. There were frequent reports of colored men being lynched for having been too familiar with white women and that too at the solicitation of the white woman, and not caring for such trouble, you, dear reader, can fully understand my unconcernedness of knowing in any shape or form any white woman. To speak more plainly, if I had met a white woman on the public highway and she had have stopped me and endeavored to engage me in conversation I am inclined to think I would have run from her as fast as my feet world have carried me. At the age of twenty-one my father sent me to Indiananapolis on business. In that city my uncle was in the cigar business and I was a daily visitor to his place of business. One evening about 6 he discovered that his stock of cigars would not last him until closing time and so he rushed me over to the wholesale cigar house for stock. The delivery teams had gone home and he only had his single buggy, in which his wife had come to the store to take him home. He said he would take the necessary cigars to my uncle in his buggy as he went home and bade me wait. It was a single seated rig and none too large and when I looked at it my heart went to my mouth. “Get in,” he said to me. I hesitated for a moment but finally crowled into that rig as awkwardly as a polar bear. “Now you get in” he said to his wife and in she rolled. He himself then got in, and his wife stood up and he sat dawn and then she sat down in our laps. Despite the fact the time was in December and the weather freezing, I never sweat in August, down in the state of Mississippi as I did that short ride. Both of them tried to talk to me, but I was too far gone to make intelligent replies. Time, however is a great healer of all troubles, especially of this nature. In Natches, Mississippi, quite a majority of the society folks among the colored people are quadroons and octaroons, a great many of them so fair in complexion that it would keep even a southerner guessing to separate the white folks from the colored folks, but as fair as they were, none of them at least in Natches, ever "tried to be white." A college friend invited me to spend a part of the summer with him at his home in Natches. Despite the fact my friend was an octaroon it never occurred to me that I would be embarrassed by going out with him and his four sisters, all of the same complexion as himself. I accepted the invitation and with a trunk of good dunage and a cherry face arrived in Natches and was met at the train by my friend and school chum. I was pleasantly received by the family and was told I was just in time to attend a very select dance that night. I patted myself on the back and exclaimed, the time of my life. With a beautiful damsel on each arm I strutted off to the ball that evening and Jay Gould would have had to get out of my way. We were a bit late and on arriving, the most of the guests were present and ready for the fun. My lady friends and I strolled in and I was being introduced, when suddenly a clear voice was heard to say, "Well, I wonder what the nigger wants here." Although I was a mulatto I was the darkest person in the house, and as I saw the color come and go in the faces of the girls as well as my chum --- HAPPY NEW YEAR and may the goods the gods provide come your way in copious showers. The Alhambra Cash Grocery has shared in your trade the past yaer and if man to man dealings counts for anything it will get the bulk of your trade. That carload of Southern Yellow Yams is being dug into but plenty are left to fill your order, and another carload is coming. When we get a good thing we push it along. TABLE DELICACIES Happy Home Corn .....23cts. Reliance Corn .....23cts. Delmonte Corn .....23cts. Ultra Brand Peaches .....27cts. Ultra Brand Pears .....27cts. Ultra Brand Appricots .....27cts. Raisins, Cranberries, Figs and Dates Finest Apples and Oranges THE ALHAMBRA CASH GROCERY H. LEGG, Prop. W. H. BANKS, Mgr. 1201-3 Jackson St. Tel. Beacon 505 --- I think I was even more embarrassed than they. Some months thereafter I was tickled to death at an opportunity to humiliate the girl who made the dirty remark and that, in the presence of two of my friend's sisters. Revenge is a very sweet morsel. I was on a N. P. train, coming from Olympia in ye olden political days, when the most of the politicians rode on passes and the newspaer men on mileage that came as often as you wrote for them, if the publisher "was all wool and a yard wide." When the train left Olympia there were almost a coach full of politicians and publishers. The conductor had no sooner put in his appearance when the bunch began to guy him. I was the only colored man in the bunch and the others agged me on to rough joking the conductor, which he did not appreciate though he tried to smile. He looked at some of the passes and some he took their words for it. When he came to me he showed his displeasure at my jokes by examining my milage book fore and aft. In my rush to catch the train I grabbed up the expired milage book instead of the new, which had come January 1st. Mr. Conductor smiled and then roared and told the bunch I was trying to rush a last year's milage book on him. I got the horse laugh and had to come through with the cash. I left the N. P. at Tacoma and took an interurban for home where my pass was current. A more embarrassing moment never before had I met and never again did I so much as recognize that conductor when he came round for tickets, though I had gotten what I richly deserved, but there is one thing certain I was careful to examine my pass before I got on another train. While living in Western Kansas I answered a want ad, which I saw in the Rocky Mountain News, calling for a second book-keeper in a business house. It was a blind ad so the class of business was unknown to the applicant. Being pretty well posted in book-keeping and both quick and accurate with figures, I felt myself thoroughly qualified to fill the place so an application was sent by me to the paper by the return mail. In due course of time a set of questions were sent me by the institution, which was a bank, to be answered in my own hand writing. This was quickly done and the papers started to Ogden, where the book-keeper was wanted. In the course of human events I was notified by the cashier that out of eighty-six applicants I had been selected. Delighted to get an opportunity to get a good position "way out West" I lost no time in getting ready et go West and as soon as steam could take me I hurried to Ogden and the next day after arriving, presented myself to the cashier of the bank with his letters in my hands. The cashier looked at the letters and then, with mouth open, looked at me. He thought for a moment and then inquired: "Did you write those letters?" He was assured that I had and for a few seconds nothing more was said. The situation had reached a very embarrassing state at least for the applicant, as a dozen clerks had been attracted by the queer antics of both applicant and cashier. "I did not know you were a colored man and I will not give you the place. Under no circumstances would I put a colored man to work in a bank with white men. I have no appologies to make." I left the bank, but how I got out I know not. Within my life I may have had more embarrassing moments, but if so I do not THE EMPORIUM Soft Drinks. A Choice Line of Cigars and Tobacco. Candy Meals from 6 a. m. to 2 p. m. Chillie Con Carnie C. GREER, Proprietor 24th and E. Madison East 207 --- War Prohibition The President anticipated the closing order provided in the War Prohibition measure by a few months. This measure, passed by Congress in November, was signed by President Wilson November 21. It prohibits the use of grain and fruits in the manufacture of liquor, effective May 1, 1919, and prohibits the sale of all intoxicants, effective June 30, 1919. The manufacture of distilled liquor has been prohibited since September, 1917. The War Prohibition measure remains effective until the termination of demobilization, which termination is to be determined by the President. How long the period of demobilization will continue, of course, no one knows, but the most optimistic liquor advocate can't figure a very long lease of life for the beer and whiskey makers and sellers in the United States. If there is an open period between the time when War Prohibition becomes effective by reason of the termination of demobilization and the time when the National Prohibition Amendment becomes effective, it will be short indeed, and would hardly justify the resuming of distilling and brewing on a large scale. Dry Territotries Added In addition to the states that have been put in the dry column during the past year, a number of Uncle Sam's territories have become arid. On March 2 Porto Rico became dry following an act of Congress approved by a referendum of the voters of the island taken in July 1917. In May Congress passed a bill providing for Prohibition in the territory of Hawaii during the period of war and thereafter unless the same shall be repealed by a vote of the people within two years after the conclusion of peace It became effective August 24, 1918. Prohibition became effective in Alaska January 1, 1918. The Virgin Islands, America's new possession in the West Indies, went dry in July, to become effective July 1, 1919. Many Restrictions Imposed In addition to War Prohibition, many restrictions and regulations have been imposed by the federal government, which greatly crippled the beer makers and sellers. Dry zones were cast about military camps and naval training stations designed to protect soldiers and sailors from the vice and liquor interests. The act enabling the creation of these dry zones was strengthened from time to time as the needs required. The result was that the soldiers and sailors who were prohibited from using intoxicants were kept physically clean and sober to a degree not heretofore known in the army and navy. The Fuel Administration reduced the brewers' coal ration and finally cut it off altogether. The Food Administration limited the brewers' output to 70 per cent of the average output of the three years previous, and later prohibited malsters purchasing any more grain at all. These are but a few of the many restrictions that were placed upon the brewers and liquor sellers. They came thick and fast and finally culminated in the closing of the breweries entirely. German-American Alliance Charter Rescinded A notable event was the investigation of the German-American Alliance by the Senate Judiciary Committee. This investigation revealed some astounding facts showing the close relationship existing between the brewers and pro-German propagandists and resulted in the rescinding of the charter of this un-American organization. The close of the year finds another investigation under way by the Senate Judiciary Committee again involving brewers. This investigation was the result of charges made by Alien Property Custodian Palmer against the brewers. It involves the purchase of the Washington Times for Arthur Brisbane by brewery money. The committee has enlarged its scope of inquiry and many startling revelations are coming to light showing the activities of the pro-German agents in this country, and here, too, is seen the relationship existing between them and the brewers. World-Wide Prohibition Drive Launched This year, made memorable by the crushing defeats administered to John Barleycorn will ever be known as the year when the drive for world-wide Prohibition was launched. The Columbus, Ohio, conference held in November, called to devise methods for best combatting the liquor traffic on a world-wide scale, no doubt marks the beginning of the end of the liquor traffic as a world power. The conference resulted in the Anti-Saloon League determining to render assistance where wanted and where practical in other countries in the struggle to overthrow the liquor traffic. These are but the most conspicuous events of the temperance reform for the year 1918. In addition many victories of minor importance represented in court decisions, local option contests and legislative battles, might be mentioned. All in all it was a most disastrous year for John Barleycorn and a most happy one for the forces of righteousness.—New Republic. THE SPICE OF LIFE "What are you taking for your cold?" "Make me an offer""—Boston Transcript. "To what branch of the service do the baby tanks belong?" "I suppose, to the infantry."—Baltimore American. We do not suppose that anywhere in the wide world by this time next year will there be a turned-up mustache.—Grand Rapids Press. Dyer—"Is Dr. Deum well up in his profession?" Ryer—"What he doesn't know about medicine would fill a cemetery."—Judge. "What is the best appetizer you know of?" asked Smith. "The absence of the price of a meal," replied Jones.—Knoxville Journal and Tribune. WEST & WHEELER There are real estate dealers and real estate dealers, but— WEST & WHEELER Marion Building Cheasty's Good Clothes for Men and Women. You can't beat it. CHEASTY'S Second and Spring IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF Washington, for King County: In the Matter of the Estate of Enoch J. Mathis, Deceased.—In Probate. No. 23991. Notice to Creditors. Notice is hereby given that the undersigned has been appointed and has qualified as Executor of the estate of Enoch J. Mathis, Deceased; that all persons having claims against said deceased or against said estate are hereby required to serve the same, duly verified, on said Executor or his attorney of record at the address below stated, and file the same with the Clerk of said Court together with proof of such service within six months after the date of first publication of this notice, to-wit: within six months from the 7th day of December, 1918, or the same will be barred. Date of first publication December 7, 1918. WILLIAM H. CLARKE, Executor of said Estate. Address 701 Leary Building, Seattle, Washington. E. H. GUIE. Attorney for Estate. ATTORNEY FOR ESTATE. 701 Leary Building, Seattle, Wash. December 7, January 4, 1918. IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF Washington, for King County. In the Mater of the Estate of Nelson J. Wing, Deceased—In Probate. No. 23689. Notice to Creditors. Notice is hereby given that the undersigned has been appointed and has qualified as Executrix of the estate of Nelson J. Wing, Deceased; that all persons having claims against said deceased or against said estate are hereby required to serve the same, duly verified, on said Executrix or her attorney of record at the address below stated, and file the same with the Clerk of said Court together with proof of such service within six months after the date of first publication of this notice, to-wit: within six months after the 7th day of December, 1918, or the same wil be barred. Date of first publication December 7, 1918. VIOLA GRAY, Executrix of said Estate. Address 701 Leary Bldg., Seattle, Washington. E. H. GUIE, Attorney for Estate. 701 Leary Building, Seattle, Washington. Dec. 7. Jan. 4. 1919. SEATTLE LIGHTING CO. Lightens your burdens. Day or night it's always there with the goods. SEATTLE LIGHTING CO. A. D. Richardson Undertaker and Embalmer Fully preared to handle those who pass away by the latest and most improved methods. Day and night service. A. D. Richardson Undertaking Co. 1218 Jackson St. --- UNITTING CO STORE Phone East 179 PENN UNDERTAKING COMPANY Funeral Directors and Embalmers The only Colored Undertaking Establishment in the Northwest Owned, Managed and Financed by Colored Brain and Money. "Best service at moderate prices," is our motto. Your business will be highly appreciated. Calls promptly answered day or night. P. FRAZIER Funeral Director and Manager Parlors, 1215 East Marion St., Seattle