St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1949-08-26

bert Block, at the corner Of third
and Cedar streets. BY then J. Q.
Adams had purchased the paper
and was its editor. He added such
nuggets as "Hither and Thither,"
Current Comments" Railroads
were running their routes in the
paper. Subscription dropped from
81 to $3.50 per year.
Under the editorship of Adams,
the paper was extremely touchy
on any news comments on the
Negroes behavior in the daily
papers. He drew up recipes and
household hints Of interest to
women. He began using pictures
in his advertisements and en-
larged the pages of the paper.
Adams often used his newspaper
office for political meetings for
his Republican friends.
In 1888, he added a Des Moines,
Chicago, st. Louis column and
the same year opened a Chicago
office with his brother, C. r.
Adams as manager.
Newspaper Battle
1t was in 1888, however, when
Adams ran into some competition.
In September Of that year, an
other paper, the AFRo-NDE-
PENDENT, was begun in St.
Paul.
From the beginning, the INDIE
PENDENT, under the editorship
Of w. H. Davis, staunchly waged
war on the APPEAL. The only
interest the two papers had in
common was their special interest
the Negro.
The INDEPENDENT was q
Democratic paper, the APPEAL, q
Republican paper; the NDEPEN-
DENT believed in accepting no
compromises, while, Adams. In
dealing with his political enemies,
did often; the INDEPENDENT
stated it would run the APPEAL
out of business, and Adams
claimed the INDEPENDENT was
in business for the political
plums."
Win H. Brown and w. J. Single
ton were city editors of the paper
and Charles s. Sneed was manag-
ing editor. 1t was a six column
paper, published both in st.
Paul and Minneapolis, and sold
for 81 per year. Its advertising
rates were slightly lower than
those of the APPEAL,
Aside from Its constant blcIk-
ering with the Appeal, 1t printed
general news, fashions, politics
from Washington, ID. c., and
other national news. However,
this paper laster only a few
months.
The smouldering ashes Of the
AFRO INDEPENDENT had
hardly died down before another
paper arose in Minneapolis. The
TWIN CITY AMERICAN, which
called itself an independent race
journal, devoted TO the interest Of
the colored race, was begun in
1899.
Selling at $3.50 per year, It was
chiefly a Democratic sheet. T.
Thomas Fortune, Democrat, and
editor Of the New York AGE, was
a supporter and contributor to
this paper. J. M. Griffin, editor
Of the paper, had his office at
the Window Block, corner of
Washington and Second Ave. So,
Minneapolis.
He stated he would give careful
attention TO local questions a.
they relate to Negroes. He en-
deavored to print each week pic
lures and stories Of successful
businessmen in the Twin Cities
The paper was four pages, viii
seven columns, with the fourth
page completely devoted to ad,
, vertising. He carried full
column called the Labor Direc.
tory" with new about unions anC
when they met.
Griffin published three issue
of the paper and then consolidated
with the "Colored Citizen" anC
the two editors called the papel
AFRo-AMERICAN ADVANCE.
]. C. Reid, publisher Of tn,
"Colored Citizen" was president
of the company, Griffin, manager
and McCants Stewart, an 1891
; graduate of the University o.
Minnesota, business manager.
Advertising grew In this
paper, and news from Washing
ton, ID. c., Duluth and Chicago
was used A cleaner paper arose
from the merging Of the tw'
4 papers, but Griffin became IN
the same year and could not
4 continue, leaving Reid editor
and proprietor.
Tha ADVANCE totteres