Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-09-01

the southwestern Christian Advo-
cate has undertaken the Job Of teach
~ the Philadelphia Inquirer some
thing about tho rather curious rsla-
lion between slave and master in
slavery days. It Is all over old Jim
ZONES. who was born to be . slave.
Or. Jones observes:
incidentally an aged negro, few
days ago, was the occasion OF = lively
debate In the United States senate.
Ne was the body servant OF Jefferson
Davis during the times that tried
mems souls. This negro has been ON
the pay roll Of the United States for
wears, doing practically nothing. Dur
ing the PAST several years he has not
even reported An effort to strike
his name from the government pay
rolls. along with others, provoked the
digniied gentlemen of the upper
house to q use OF sharp words. (By
the way. sharp words are not unusual
in that august body.) At any rate.
the chief point o. interest about this
negro, and the one that gives him the
null with the southern senators, is
that he was entrusted by Jefferson
Davis with the keeping Of the great
seal of the Confederacy. Only Mr..
Davis and this negro knew the where
abouts Of the seal. Mr.. Davis died
years ago. The negro was charged
never to reveal the secret. He has
not done 50. Doubtless there are few
southerners or negroes who DO not
believe the story. But some OF our
friends across the border hesitate to
accept the statement To them II is
rather fishy.7 For an instance. the
Philadelphia inquirer Is among the
doubters. In referring to the story OF
the negro, Mr.. Davis and the great
seal, the Inquirer says: 1t looks very
much as II It were either a Pigment of
his imagination or q cunningly de-
yised tale to secure support through
life. Why Davis should have confided
the secret to his servant does not ap'
near. II It had been done for the pur-
pose of revealing 1t later. that would
be ineligible; but that MIR. Davis felt
It incumbent to unburden his mind to
one Of those whom he had iabored to
enslave seems . little out of the pic
ture.
Nov, Mr.. inquirer. You are of. II
there is one thing the days of slavery
proved beyond . bubble 1t was that
the negro could be trusted. The negro
yearned for freedom, prayed for 1t,
sang about It. and. too. loved the Yam.
kee soldier, his brass buttons. his blue
Jacket, and. above all, the flag. and yet
the negro protected the families OF
those who fought to keep him In slav-
eiy. Personal honor means much with
the average negro. Individual respon-
sibility placed upon negro has sell
dom been betrayed. Write this char
acteristic down as one Of the claims
OF the negro to manhood. Likely
. enough Jefferson Davis had the negro
to hide the seal and enjotned him
never to tell the secret. Thus the ne
gro's lips were sealed But one could
unseal them. Jefferson Davis could
have told the negro to bring the seal
and he would have said. Yes. sab
But now that Mr.. Davis own lips are
sealed, no man can speak the word
Of power to the negro. This whole
story is clear to him who knows the
character Of the negro. Even the ne
gro in the rough is worthy OF serious
study. Know him and you will con-
rede that he fs part OF the human
family, with virtues peculiarly racial.
but virtues nevertheless"
The following news item indicates
that In the matter OF founding and
operating schools We are at last set.
ting down 10 bedrock The item fol-!
lows:
An Industrial school for negroes 10,
to be established at Texarkana It;
will be on rather q large scale and.
will be patterned after the school OF
Booker Washington at Tuskegee. Ala.
Wealthy local white men are behind
the enterprise and win give It all
necessary financial aid, Among them.
are Mayor De Leach Of the Texas
side. Mayor Kline Of the Arkansas
side. President e. A. Frost OF the
State Natioaai hank. President ". T..
Wood Of the Beard at Trade. Cashier
E. L. King Of the City National bank.
and others. "A site has been secured
two miles south Of the city for acon-
stderation Of $4,000, and i u an
bounced that ths constructJ0n OF the
necessary buildings will DO begun IN
q short time. There are 126 acres IN
the site and It IL proposed 70 raise
enough foodstufls on It to supply the
students. Besides farming. the boys
will be taught carpentering. brtckmak
ing and brickiaying. shoemaking,
stock raising, upholsterin9 and other
trades, while the girls will be taught
cooking. washing. ironing. sewing.
etc. Pfee. Rsfus 8. Stout, formerly OF
Little. Rock, who has had large expert
ence in teaching such lines. - presi.
dent Of the school. He has decided
to name the institution the Inter
state industrial college Of Texarkana,
Ark.-Tex.
Farmers. cotton-selling time is near
It land. Get your crops out. pay your
debts. save the other and do not
throw It away foolishly. Several
years Of this saving and perseverance
viii put yoa on the plane Of inde-
pendence.
idleness is$a vice generator. Keep
busy and avoid perhaps serious trou.
BILE.
Mr.. ". c. Daniels. the sheriff Of