Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1898-08-12
KE0KUk CELEBRATION
The 54th West Indies Emancipation Ami
versary and 35th American Ami
versary Celebrated.
Eloquent and Splendid Presentation of Charles
S. Sager's "South In Slavery.'

only question of time until he has hi
hand upon the topmost round OF tn
ladder. He said it was not the fault o
the Negro that more of them have no
taken part in the war; they tried hare
enough to get into the army but wer'
not taken. He closed with an eioquen
an patriotic ponegyric on Americ'
and all her sons, boath black and white
Mr.. J. L. Thompson of Des Molne
and editor of the Bystsnder, was in
troduced and spoke very feelingly and
forceably for nearly thirty minuets. a
times holding the vast audience spell
bound. He was hartily applauded and
received many complimentary congrat
ulations for his address, which was
printed in full, in both, the daily
Evening Press" and "Keokuk Gate
City" the former also running his cut;
after Thompson's grafton the band rem
dereda beautiful selection. Then Hon.
Geo. Z. Taylor Of Oskalocsa and editor
of the NEGRO Solicitor delivered a
very fine address, which by his wit and
humor held the audience. lie said in
part:
| know that it is customary for
| speakers on On occasion Of this kind to
laud the people to the skies and to hold
up before their eyes the wonderful ac-
complishments they have acquired and
the great progress they have made. l
don't intend to do it today. am on
Senator Tillman's side in some things
I firmly believe that one Of the greatest
obstacles to thb progress of the Negro
! is his over estimation of the advance
,uent he has made already. lie has
done much, but he shouldn't t be content
to rest with that. He should presn on
until he has reached the top Of the lad
der and then reach up to see if there
isn't another ladder on top of that one.
We are in danger of thinking too much
of ourselves. believe that George
Taylor is the greatest Negro editor in
the world and on account of that, l
will never be any greater than l am
have had an original idea, the only
one ever had, and it is this: Don't
go down to Alabama to solve the Negro
problem. Begin right here on this
platform. Convince your Caucasian
neighbor that you are his equal man
to man. Don't go away south to do it.
Begin here and then show Illinois and
Missouri the record of Iowa and spread
it all over the union. Booker 7. Wash
ington in the greatest speech he ever
made, said the same thing. His text
was Put down thy bucket here"
The next speaker was Rabbi Faber,
a native hungarian and q very scholor-
ally gentleman He spoke very feel
ingly of the suffering and oppression
that his race and ours had suffered and
said that the only way to stop it was to
fght-not with fist and tongue, nor
with pen or tongue, but by his honest
upright actions. After Mr.. Eaber's
address very interesting concert was
rendered by the Colfax band. The
base ball game between the Keokuks
and Hannibals resulted in score OF %
to in favor of Keokuk. The creased
pole contest was highly amuseing and
was won by Harry Cook.
"The South In Slavery"
Chas. S. Sager, who was responsible
for much of the success, having given
his entire time for several weeks to the
celebration, is the author of the play.
"The South in Slavery" 1t was pre-
sented at the Casino last evening unde
his direction before large and appre
ciative audience. The play has beer
given in Keokuk before and if anything
this performance was even greater
success. The first act shows typica
plantation scene with the festivities O.
the slaves in progress. Singing ant
dancing furnished the amusements ant
the scene was very realistic. Mr.. Sag
er as Uncle Pete and later as Sal Skin
ner WAS the real thing. Messrs. A Eos
sev. E, Proctor, d. Banister, B. Holt
Will Martin, Mrs. A. Holmes and Mis-
Jennie Turner were excellent in thei
respective parts.
The intermission between the act
was taken up with = military drill e,
ecuted with marvellous precision D.
Mrs. Carrie Brown; Misses Mary Rot
bins, Carrie Wright, Florence Jackson
Nav Mitchell, Bertha Alden, Maud
Harris, Ida and Clara Low, Carrie Iu'
ner. Fern Harris, Bertha Middleton
Ada Smith, Anna Holmes, George 10
bert, Anna Hurd.
The concluding portion OF the pr(
gram of the evening was in charge
the Toussaint l. Overture Musical clu
of Keokuk and consisted OF CAREFUL
> selected and we'll prepared musical an
, comic numbers. The principal cha'
, acters of this division Of the entertain
I ment were Alonzo Draine ss the pres
dent. Mrs. Mayms Green as secretar.
9 Charles S. Sager as Jasper Snow an
r Holt as Irene johnson.
p The opening number was given t
tho Des Moines Lady trio who rende
. en- two choice musical selections in