The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-05-09

pooees nave done which failed to
convey wholesome moral or to ap-
peal to the good sense OF the masses,
Right now, in the City of Norfolk,
va, Is an apt Illustration OF, the
weight OF the argument we are maxi
ing. For the past month or SO, the
oead-Walls on every, highway and by
way or that hustling City-by-the-
pea nave proclaimed the start
ing fact that The Clansman" is
coming! and that the engag cement
would be for the season tor, the
entertainment of the exposi-
ton visitors. The company came
on a week in advance~of the opening
tor elaborate rehearsals and special
scener y was gotten together for the
occasion. Tom Dixon himself
rushed into town, amid a fanfare of
many drums and the footing of in.
Vulnerable tom-toms, to personally
conduct the preltminaries, and fleet
iotted Mercuries scampered about
me market'place to herald the glad
tClolngs. The daily papers printed the
conventional notices and the bill
posters waxed fat. But somehow. the
good people of Norfolk refused to
enthuse over the monster event.
Inc beginning OF the run"
brought out handful of curiosity
seekers, and after a night or two
the crowds" dwindled down to a.
corporal's guard, and everybody has
now practically concluded to forget
IL. From the outset, the CLANS
mans posters looked like all other
hy-by-n1ght shows that strike the
town. The white citizens allowed
the matter to go on without com
ment OF any especial nature. No
colored minister denounced It from
his pulpit or In private; no civic
organization filed a protest against
is production; no city official was
approached for an Injunction; no.
BODY talked about it on the curb
stones or In the barber shops. In
iact' : very few people seemed to
tnoW that the apDarition was in
he city. Further than that, nobody
looked as II they gave-a kitty. To
make long story short, 1.-The Clans
man has fallen fiat in Norfolk. and
he so-called run at the Academy
of Music, with the unspeakable /au-
nor as a side attraction, bids fair to
De a losing proposition for both
Dixon and the local management.
The let it alone" policy has proven
/ monumental success. It's wisdom
las been amply indicated. Tom
Dixon has made thousands Of dollars
the past two years through the Ill
oV1sed notoriety which our people
nave given his putrid mess; but
t Is very evident that a season of
sanity Is coming over the Spirit Of
our Dream and the. versatile press
agents will be obliged to cook up"
noJ L.
jcheme, or the author, agent play
md the entire outfit will have to 20
% the theatrical scrap-heap for good
ma all. The Negro has been used as
cats paw long enough, and he Is
determined to be worked" no more
Us a tool for these designing scound-
els. Your correspondent ventures
his parting word to record the
. beginning Of the end Of a we'll
meant agitation, which having serv-
ed Its. purpose, should now be per-
nitted to depart in peace to that
bourne from whence no nightmares
Ger return"
No class Of workers are doing the
Negro race more practical benefit In
ne eyes Of the great world than the
Intelligent, broadly-informed and
"ell-groomed representatives of the
International religious bodies, who
re being sent to the lands across
The sea, where, but for their elo-
luent tongues and earnest advocacy
If our cause the bright side Of our
story or struggle and triumph would
never be heard. They tell Of us as we
re, and give the lie to the marplots
Who would decry our merits on every
continent under the sun, and hold us
Up to tho scorn and derision Of every
civilized nation. Among those who
are nobly carrying our banner in for
eign lands Is DR.. James E. Shepard,
II North Carolina, the brilliant and
effective field secretary of the color
'd work for the international Sum
lay School Association. He left Am
erica In February to represent the
Negroes Of this country att the
Worlds Sunday School Convention
at Rome, and since that time he has
1een making preliminary tour of
social and religious conditions in
Egypt and the Holy Land, studying
Africa. and Asia, planning to reach
Rome some time this month, where
The great convention will be held.
tie Will be the only colored speaker
on the program and though wonder
{ul things are expected Of him by
that vast aggregation of scholars and
philanthropists, there Is no doubt in
the minds Of his friends that he will
give good account Of himself.
A special from Jerusalem, dated
April IL, gives the cheerful informa-
ton that DR.. Shepard is there the
guest Of the New Grand Hotel, the
principal hostelry of the "Saintly
city, He had just arrived from
Cairo, and while there among the
Egyptians he addressed large audi
ences Of that people and American
sojourners at Kena, Carlo and
Luxor. The American colony at Pal
estine, numbering one hundred and
thirty, rendered him a magnificent
reception recently at which the