Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-01-19

Through a Woman's
Eyes.
By KArHERINE DAvls.TlLLMAx.
~ IL. s Chicago, III.
Special to the BYsTANDER.
Tho White City Is all astir and throb.
bing with life--intense lite and . never
ending nervous activity that seems q
characteristic OF the genuine Chicagoan.
A pa't and parcel of this great throbbing
mass OF humanity are 40 Iowa girl and
boy who are preserving their identities.
even in this great city. I refer to Miss
Edith Birney, t., msrly Of Des Moiues. Ia.
the lovely and accomplished young pian-
iss, now orgauist Of St. Johns A. M. E
church and teacher of the plano, and Mr.
E. w. Thompson, the wide awake young
city editor upon the staff OF the Illinois
Conservstor. one Of the most influential
Journals OF the state.
Among the churches, the birthday din
ner given to Dr.. r. q. Ransom Jan. 4. in
honor Of bis S9th, birthday and attended
BY the Presiding Elders Gains, Buudy and
McCracken and the A. NJ. E. ministers
and wives aud the reception accorded
Mrs. Hattie Ransom. the doctors mother.
who is here on short visit. On the Srd
are two Of the most interesting events.
st. Johns A. NJ. church is in revival.
Rev. Tiitman Is meeting with the hearty
support Of his membership and looks for
ward TO great success. Two accessions
so far. y. r~
Revs. Ransom. King and Fenwick
preached at st. Johns last week.
Sunday your correspondent wended her
way toward Grace Presbyterian church to
hear Mrs. Ida Wells. b irnett. the formost
woman OF the race, addre a Mothers
Meeting. Before reaching the church she
learned the meeting had been postponed
on the account Of Booker I. Washing.
tons lecture at Bethel church at $3.50 that
afternoon, under the auspices of the Uoit-
ed brotherhood. fraternal insurance
association with Messrs DR., ID. II. Viii.
liams. Harvey and L,ing Williams. The
admission was by ticket and the 1867
seats were soon exhausted and several
hundred people were obliged to stand.
Music was furnished by Aamant's Or
chestra, the pride Of Afro.American
Chicagoans. The lecture was late. owing
to the fact Of Mr.. Wsshington's train be.
ing late. but the great crowd took the
matter very good naturedly and when a,
last. Mr.. Washington appeared he was
greeted with deafsning applause. In ap.
pesrence MI. Wauhington seems to be oil
medium height. inclined to be trifle
stout; in complexion q light brown. well.
shaped head indicating ability 20 plan
and to execute as we'll. Mr. Washington
has an agree able voice, and spoke for an
hour and q half with perfect ease. Some
Of the things he said were these: ~
"Che magnificent audience I see before
me, is: an evidence, Of the struggle the
race is making to better its conditions. II
IS an evidence OF the evolution toward
better and higher things. 1t gives M
renewed hope for the race. l have never
been enclined to grow hopeless or des
pondent. 1t is said that two frogs fell
into jar OF milk. One frog said, what is
the use Of struggling, we're in this jar OF
milk and we might as we'll give Up and
drown. but the other frog said. I'm going
to keep kicking, and he kept Kicking until
he churned his milk TO butter and walked
out"
As signs of encouragement Mr.. Wash
ington spoke of a convention Of represen.
tative Southern men who gave one day to
the discussion Of the Negro problem and
of a resolution passed at that convention
By Ex-Governor McCorke of Virginia, to
see that the Negro is not defrauded out Of
his ballot; also the defeating Of bill of
Negro dist'ranchisemen that was pending
in the Georgia legislature, and defeated
by m.nly Intervention ofprominent Negro
men OF the South, and again Of body OF
Southern white men who came together
in Montgomery. Ala, Jan. 9th and said
that they believed the time had come
when the race problem must be solved by
taking the best colored men by the hand
and they would start the movement. -
Othe, remarks characteristic Of Mr.
Washington were: I'VE can dispense
10000 orators better than with one good
business mon" The Black man will
stand by anything deserving of support. ="
The Negro cannot succeed unless he
puts business methods in all of his trans.
actions. People succeed in business as
they are supremely. severely honest.
The Negro must learn to do common
things in an uncommon manner.
Make the Negro the most useful man
in his community and you solve the Negro
problem ih the South. ~ .- ..-.
1t is difficult to find people who are
willing to lose themselves In a great cause.
In beginning an enterprise be very sure
that you begin at the beginning instead