The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-11-11
GUARDIANS 38th
(By B. d.
(By B. d.

Let us turn back the clock, for lust
few minutes and imagine the pride
nd happiness that must have filled
he heart of William Monroe Trotter.
S he held the first edition of his brain
hid for last minute perusal. The
ate line reads, Saturday, November
, 1901. An historical date as it
ounded the deathknel to any and all
Tho sought to still the voice of colored
america. No longer would injustice
eign without protest. No longer
'ould constitutional rights of Colored
americans go unchalleneged. Now
hey have voice, voice which has
cen heard around the world.
AS we turn to the editorial page a
aptlon leaps to met our eagre ewes
The Guardians Mission"
(reprint)
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER, 9. 1901.
THE GUARDIANS MISSION.
In making its bow to the public
today, The Guardian congratulates
in advance the constituency that if
aSplres to serve, upon the prospect
OF an organ which is to voice intelli-
gently the needs and aspirations of
the colored American. 1t has been
long felt that the colored people of
TINS section were allowing them
selves to be caricatured rather than
characterized by the vast number
OF publications issuing forth weekly
under the guise of newspapers.
These papers" know neither the
needs OF those they aspire to repre-
sent, nor how clearly to express
what they do know. They are sim
ply children crying in the night"
Out of very shame, therefore. The
Guardian enters the journalistic
field, no less to deliver our commun-
ltty from this sad plight of affairs.
imam as a protest against allowing
ourselves to be misrepresented at
the bar of public opinion through
lncompetency. 1t is the province,
too, OF well-conducted newspaper
TO reflect the lighter moods and pas
tunes OF its constituency, no less
than the most serious doings of
thelr severer hours. But more i'm
portant by far than all of these is
the consideration of those ethical
and moral questions of the rights of
citizenship, those grand fundamen-
tai postulates of government, which
make all citizens joint heirs to equal
rights and protection by the laws
OF the land. And in CONSIDERING,
these we shall assume public opin-
ION to be natural product common
allKe to all citizens, a public foun
tam free-tiowing for the use of all.
wherever, then, this public product
has been usurped or monopolized bv
any one class to the detriment of
another, 1t is the duty of the out
ragged class to enter an eternal pro-
test against it. Now it is to voice
TINS eternal protest against having
pubic opinion mOnopolized and used
forever to the detriment of the col
ored race in this country that The
Guardian has come into being. And
II other classes of our citizens-the
Germans, Italians and Irish-feel it
necessary to have papers to champ
ION their rights, surely none will
object to the Colored races making
use OF the same means in their own
behalf. The Guardian, therefore
Will always speak out in no uncer-
tam tones where the races rights
are involved.
we nave come to protest forever
against being prescribed or shut off
IN any caste from equal rights with
other citizens, and shall remain for
ever on the firing line at any and
all times In defence of such rights.
He had poured out his heart and in
ermost thought in a pertinent mes
age TO his people and his tenacitv of
purpose came to life which has lived
ven after his death thirty-three wears
alter. But as we are still with him in
ne year 1901, what must have been
lis plans and hopes for the coming
ears when this seed must bear its
fult. How he must be musing as to
ne limits of mans friendship and as
o what lengths these friends would
'e wiling to go or involve themselves
the nights to come He knew that
race shows its own intrinsic STRENGTH
ma quality, or it's innate weakness
nd lnferiority. by the extent to which
percelves that it has a common
ause, that he who works for it serves
ne personal interest of every mem
er, and mostly by its willingness or
Willingness to share the net losses
consistent race workers steady
9npalgn against wrong to the race
AS we catch the aim that motivat@
Us printing a paper in Boston we find
nat the policy of this paper is to
"'tate against lynching, all Ministries
!sfranchisement, denial of indenticai
lights in all places and institutions
or the public. AS the years pass in
eVleW, watching on the sidelines. we
nd his efforts concentrated on fight
NO the policy of Colored people aid
ne the white mans movement for
epression by submission, bv endorse
oent' bv accordance of proffered. SEN
r"t" institutions and self-segrepation
n the freer North.
His voice today, is stilled in death
ut to those who knew him. worked
1lth hlm and loved him, he will always
I'VE. TO those who knew of him. tbe
"rltsoe he left behind him will al
'aVs be memorial to his name. the
marx OF courage to the beginner and
he ex"mple of true American. who
wed "nd died for what he believed
o no the Truth.