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

so on.
As We have said before, as long as
the Afro-Americans manifest a dis
position not to support their own race
publication, what can they expect and
what do they deserve? Will they not
wake up from their long sleeping or
snoring spell long enough to drink in
this one self evident truth that there
will be no political change in their
civil or political status in this country
for many years to come and that they
will continue to be the under dog in
the fight until public sentiment is radi-
caIy changed in their favor through
the medium of their own newspapers?
With remarkable ability the average
Afro-American can tell you all about
the Holy Ghost descending from
heaven in the shape of a white dove,
which they say came in contact with
Mary. the wife of Joseph, the mother
OF Jesus, who brought two or three
other children into this world of so
much pain and sorrow aside from the
Son OF God. For If we mistake not
the Bible informs US that He had two
or three brothers. They can explain
how Daniel happened to larry so long
in the Lions den without being de-
voured by them. They can very mi
nutely relate to you that the three
Hebrews rested up in the fiery furnace
without getting one hair on their
heads singed by the roaring flames
But they are as dumb as oysters when
they are called upon to elaborate on
the achievements of the scholars be-
longing to their own race.
Therefore, let the Afro-American re-
frain from spending so much time in
studying the wild and visionary stories
in the Bible and devote more of his
time in familiarizing himself with the
literary productions of those of his
own flesh and blood; then it will not
be hard for him to learn that the pen
is more powerful or mightier than the
sword.
As Victor Hugo says in his eloquent
and classical Grafton on that great
humanitarian "Voltaire," that Voltaire
uttered loud shrek of horror which
penetrated down to the bottom of his
warm Eberty-loving heart, when he
beheld the priesthood and the church
cutting the tongues out of the mouths
OF the people, pouring melted lead in
their ears, tearing them to pieces over
the racks, binding them by putting
out their eyes, simply because they
would not yield obedience to the
church and the priesthood in all
things.
Voltaire, alone, with his pen, in the
presence of those united forces, the
court, the nobility, the church, CAPT
tai, that unconscious power, the blind
multitude, that terrible majesty so
severe to subjects, so docile to the
master, crushing and fattering, kneel-
ing upon the people before the king;
that clergy vile, melange of hypocrisy
and fanaticism, Voltaire alone, We re-
peat it, declared war against that
collation. OF all the social iniquities
against that enormous and terrible
world, and he accepted battle with it,
And what, dear readers, was his wea-
pom? That which has the lightness
OF the wind and the power OF the thun-
derbolt-a pen. With that weapon he
fought, with that weapon he con-
quered.
Our main contention is that if Vol
taire could stand up single-handed
alone and work up and create SEN
timent which compelled the rulers or
the authorities OF the church and of
France itself to accord to them their
religious and political liberty, what
could several hundred able Colored
writers accomplish in the way of GRE
ating public sentiment in favor of the
Afro-American being permitted to
freely enjoy all OF his natural rights,
if their publications were properly sup
ported? For IT hath been said by that
eminent authority who was one of the
greatest champions of the manhood
rights of the Afro-American-Wen- /
dell Phillips-that Armies are moth |
ing, courts are nothing. laws are moth |
ing, unless they are backed up by pub |
lie sentiment" And mark our words, |
the Colored man never will have pub
lie sentiment on his side in this coun-
try until he is willing to heartily and
cheerfully support newspapers pub
lished exclusively for the advancement
of his race.
For printers int. and education
tinged with irony and song saps away
the strong foundation of all monumen-
tai wrongs.
In conclusion, from the very bot
tom of our warm and sympathetic
heart. we most gratefully desire to
express our lasting gratitude to each
and every one who has in the past
and at the present time assisted IN
any way to make IT possible for US
to present them with a copy of the
anniversary edition OF