Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-10-30
STEWART URGES
 THE NEGROES ID
 STAND BY U. 5.

lANOCOu NCS1O w I1LcI duu
 Lecturer Points Way for
 Members of His Race.
 Rain did not keep the colorcd peo- pie from hearing one of the most not ed members of their race, Charles Stewart, AM, DID,, last night at the Eight Street Baptist church, of which the Rev. J. W. McCraery is pastor IL was a patriotic address touching phases of the negro's position in the present world wide war, and his duty as an American citizen.
 Dr. Stewart told his people that they had as much right to be called Ameri- cans as any people living in this coun- try and they could unite with any peo. pie in singing America" and it was the duty of every American to always stand when they heard sung or played in public the "Star Spangled Ban ner." "It is certainly an insult to re- main seated at this time," he said. "You must love your country, love your president, and consider it an in- suit for any human being to say an un- kind word about our president in your presence. It is personal insult to you"
 Dr. Stewart is in the city visiting Prof. J. G. Ish, Jr., superintendent of Branch Normal college, and Sunday morning he spoke at the Eight Street Baptist church, in the afternoon he delivered timely heart-to-heart talk to the colored men of the city, and preached Sunday night at St. Paul Baptist church. Yesterday afternoon a special lecture was delivered to the colored girls and women,> and his clos ing address was last night at the Eighth Street Baptist church to a crowded house.
 "I like to come to Pine Bluff," he said land see my people here because they are trying to do things, and then like to visit the Branch Normal col- |lege. Every negro in the state should take a part in this great institution and contribute to it's success. am sure it is an insipration to your boys and girls to come in touch with some of the best trained men and women of the race, and then every young boy who sees the superintendent can be inspired with the thought that T can do that, too.'
 "We are living in great age, an age where the test is applied to ev- Iery American. You can live and en- joy the prosperity of the coutnry, now are you willing to place your life upon the altar when it is confronting Ia foreign foe? What are you willing to do today? l
 We must act we'll our part today as we'll as talk.
 "Every negro should feel proud of the record of our fathers as soldiers, and with 625 negro commissioned 'of- l ficers from the Des Moines officers training camp, and with those who have won commissions in the regular army, and with the Eighth Illinois in- fantry with negro officers from col |Onel down, we are sure to do our part l in the present conflict.
 l No Traitors Among Negroes.
 "The negro was with Westinghouse army, with Jackson at New Orleans, with Sherman at Atlanta, with Grant atRichmond. He was at Port Hudson, Milliken Bend, Fort Pillow, Fort Wag- Toner and Petersburg. He was with Dewey at Manila, Sampson and Schley at Santiago, and the Ameri- can forces in the Philippines. His bind zeal for duty leads him on to the goal of fame, where friends and foe alike laud his valor. He was never ? traitor, nor a coward; he was always cheerful and content in the hours of trial; he was ever immune to the hard ships of fate; the miseries of war was but trial of his endurance.
 con the brightest pages of history we see the name of noble Christopher Attuck-he a negro and a slave. Twas he who with two others, shed the first blood on the altar of liberty for American independence. He, grand and sublime in his noble effort, helped to withstand the attacks of the British and to free America. One of the most thrilling battles was fought April 5. 1770.> that of the eBston Mas sacre," in which the negro distinguish ed himself as soldier.
 "The records of the war department show that there were 178,595 colored smen regularly enlisted as soldiers in the Union army, during the civil war, who, by good conduct, established a commendable record, and did efficient service in camp, fortress and field.
 Negro Must Discharge Duty.
 "It is needless for me to tell you about San Juan hill, the Spanish block house on Ell Caney, and their heroic work in rescueing Col. Theodore Roosevelt, for this is familiar. do say that thousands of black boys are now ready to go with their white brother into the trenches of France, England or any whereelse they are told to go. Command us. Our black boys are ready. It was Secretary Baker. who said to number of us last April, Go back and tell your people to get in line like others, and do what they are told to do for we will all have to do all we can do before this is over.'
 WI hauo roforrod tn tho soldiers nf