The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1922-12-23
CHAPTER "

race. He was proud OF his people. His
ambition was to see them take a proud
place in the life of the nation. His
every thought was for their advance
ment morally and materially. His
numerous charities were known to
few. He was unostentatious in his
giving. Poor himself, yet always Civ
ing Of what he had to those who were
less prosperous than he His house
was open to his people night and day.
His advice and counsel were at their
command. He was a man of brilliant
intellect. His moral conceptions were
to be admired. He was friend whose
friendship knew no turning. He was
modest and unasslming, yet strong
and forceful. He had opinions and the
courage to express them. He was a
credit to his race and to his country.
The tribute paid to his memory on
the day of his public funeral should
be an inspiration to others to emulate
his life example He was honest be-
yond words. His place will be hard
to ill. Let US hope that he has gone
to a just reward and that for all eter-
nifty he will reap the fruits of his un-
selfish labors here.
Very truly yours,
MARTIN B. MADDEN.
All of the foregoing letters unmis-
takably tend to prove far beyond
reasonable doubt that this publication
exerts a most wonderful influence over
the minds of men.
1t can be stated with much pleasure,
that one free copy of The Broad AK
has been sent each week to the Old
Folks Home, the Hull House and the
Chicago Public Library from October
l, 1899, down to the present time.
In drawing our review to a close of
the twenty-seventh Anniversary Edi-
ton OF The Broad AK. il can be truth
fully said that the vast majority of
Afro-Americans have not yet sufici-
entity advanced in civilization to ap-
preciate the power. influence or the
real worth of the newspaper for after
more than forty years of freedom and
progress on the part of the Afro
Americans there is only one financial
supporter of Colored newspapers to
each $4,000 Afro-Americans through
out this country.
This IS an appalling showing when
we take into consideration the fact
that there are more than ten million
Afro-Americans in the United States.
1t can also De truthfully stated that
the vast majority of Afro-Americans
look upon Colored editors as huge
jokes. and they invariably entertain
the idea that they are making a great
sacrifice on their part 70 treat them
with civility. and many of them who
are utterly incapable of making a sue
cess in life or conducting successfully
any line of business have the nerve to
think that they are eminently qualified
to teach successful Colored editors
how to run or conduct their news
papers.
In speaking of the power and in
fuence of the newspapers, Napoleon,
who was one of the greatest warriors
OF ancient or modern times, on one
occasion exclaimed that che would
rather face an army composed of three
hundred thousand soldiers with all the
accoutrements of modern warfare than
to have three newspapers firing into
the rear of his army"
The immortal Thomas Jefferson let
it be known before passing away from
this earth that as far as he was con-
cerned he would rather reside in a
country without a government with
plenty Of newspapers rather than live
in a country with a government and |
no newspapers"
1t was the pens of William Lloyd |
Garrison, Benjamin Lundy, E. P.
Lovejoy, Charles Osborne, Frederick |
Douglass and a few other brave and |
courageous men, through the columns
of their small newspapers that revolu-
tionized the public sentiment in this
country in favor of the abolition of
slavery. 1t was their pens dipped III
burning FIRE and gall which made it
possible for others who stood idly by
at that time and refused to raise their
little finger to assist them in their
great and heroic struggles for human
ity, to wear the crown or the wreath
of glory. Later on, owing to the re-
suits which flowed from the war of
the rebellion.
Right at this very time il seems hard
for the Afro-Americans to realize the
fact that there are more than FIVE
hundred papers or articles written in
opposition to them and IN favor of
keeping them down intellectually, NOR
ally and in every other way; to one
article written advocating their eleva-
lion along the pathway which leads on
up to the highest mental, moral and in
tellectual attainment.
They are unable to comprehend this
great fundamental truth that they will
never be able to throw of the yoke of
oppression which is fastened around