PAGE FOUR THE WORKMAN, SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 1927 Our Literary Programmes.
THE WORKMAN Published on Saturdays by 11. Rates for Advertisemen on applica WALROND, at the office No. 93 Central tion. Correspondence on all matus Avenue, Panama de ol public interest invited.
PO Box 74, Patama All copy for publication must be Rates of Subscription written on one side of paper only, and must be accompanied by the name of One Year 40 Cy. the writer, not becossarily for publicsSix Months 20 tion but as a mark of good faith.
Three Be.
We do not undertako to return rejected correspondence.
And The Liberty of the Press is the palladium of our rights. JONUIS SATURDAY MARCH 5, 1927, WHY WEST INDIANS ARE MIS.
UNDERSTOOD The (By JOHNSON)
WE have come to the first anniversary of our boble club, and as in customary, this is the time for us to make a retrospective view of the past, to take an inventory of oar demonstratione, to comment on the good worke and progress which we have achieved Yet it must be understood that the Programmes initiated from time to time by the Programme Committee is one of the strongest assets in its achievements, The the order of the meetings, order he bers, socially and educationally, to develop their latent powers, etc.
depends which are led meetings by the There programmes.
programmes must have that stay in them to interest the embers to stay as membrs, and visitors to become members.
Therefore, we see the use of a 200d programme and a Programme Committee whose love and interest on behrlf a club are ioflexible, sincerely hope that the Pro gramme Committee my still continue in the good work they have pledged themselves to, with the good hope that when this club shali have developed lawyers, doctors, great men for the coloured race, and gain respect and actknowledgement from the world, their names will be numbered among them.
on ONE Cigarette and LUCKY STRIKE MEETING OF IT TOASTED THAT WHY LUCKIES TASTE SO GOOD Panama Past Chief Ranger Court.
It is a stern reality that West Indians are the least understood people on the Isthmus, although we are among the oldest immigrants in this country. Long before the inceptive stages of the Panama Railroad and before the French Canal Company commenced operations on the big ditch, West Indians from Jamaica and other islands came here to settle among the natives who were then nationally Colombians and who indulged in no discriminations or prejudices against us.
Old timers on the Isthmus tell of the days when natives and West Indians shared mutual confidences and esteem, No absurd ideas about nationality or race had as yet seized the mind of the people of the country; but instead everyb dy lived in the bond of friendly relations and expressed good will. The habits and Customs of West Indians were respected by the natives and those of the natives were equally regirded by the West Indians.
As long as West Indians remained West Indiars so long did they enjoy the respect and esteem of the natives; but when, as it happened with the commencement of the American work upon the Canal, our people commenced to rush into the country, some of the newcomers tried immediately to imitate the doings of the rough elements of other foreigners and gradually lost their finer qualities in which they born and bred. They copied Totten examples in speech and manners and threw away their original twa g, vocabu ary and graces.
Not all, but many did Those who could foster sufficient self possession to resist the heavy tide of dissipation and revelry remained true to the discipline and training of their native land. They were not prepared to sacrifice integ.
rity for the novelties of strangers, however popular the patronage of these novelties had become. They could not be jack daws in borrowed feathers; they remained true to themselves.
The class or classes that departed from the principles of plastic youth and followed the unfamiliar vogues of their neighbors little knew that they were belying themselves and their fellow countrymen by their actions. Their profuse use of slang, their generous adoption of foul and obscene language, their garrulous proclivities, all of which were developed from their surroundings effected their dispossession of the finer traits by which they were formerly characterized and known The fact became evident that the mimicries of other types and races were awkward in our people and this soon made them appear ludicrous in the eyes of natives and others. Everything in this class was imitation and environmental reflection, nothing was original or naive. Gradually the general sentiment of respect for the West Indian community as previously fostered by natives and others commenced to simmer to the minimum. We ceased to advertise ourselves as we were and masqueraded as others.
There are many things in the social and domestic rela.
tions of West Indian people for others to admire. West Indian family relations and obligations, instinctive fondness tor quietude, disapprobation of the flippant and shallow, appreciation for wholesome and informative intercourse, love of candour, civic pride dread of the obscene and coarse all these and more were the marks by which we were known but which have disappeared from many of our people.
The effort of our people to get back into the former line of propriety and self respect is highly com nendable and every kind of support ought to be given it. We have much to offer in our personal presentations and in honour of our home connections and it would be to the happy advantage of us all if we would combine and exemplifiy in our general deportment the principal of former training and culture we could not fail to strike a mɔst favourable impression into the conceptions of native and all else.
Our school teachers, and clergymen, our reformers and our newspapers can all do much to restore the prestige and honour of West Indians on the Isthmus. It is not too late to recover ourselves and gain the favorable regard of others among whom we have elected to live, The Panama Past Chief Ranzers Court affiliated with the Cubrir ehre Past officers Court.
working under the jurisdiction of the Executive Council, O.
Londo. England, mee the 2nd Thursday is rach month, premises No. 45 Calidonia Road Court vine va HII.
The March meetings Thursday the 10 inst) witch will take the 10 of Conversazioce gives promise of engaging interest. Mr. Alexa der Ex President. recognized local authority on mat ters and things Foreetrie is elated for a lecture of peculiar sigoibi ance to Past Officers, which is sure to captivate the attention of his rire repast is being prepared by an efficient Committee for the ocasion Members are asked to assemble at 45 sharp, President Miguel Hive announces. 24 Look Them Over Canal Business Good In February Therage.
The following just arrived and are being offered at prices to suit everybody :Photo Albums Scrap Albums Vellum Pocket Books Stenographers Note Books Writing Pads Children Toy Books Accounting Day Books Hymn Prayer Books Holy bibles Typewriting Paper in First and Second Sheets Mouth Organs in two sizes Pocket Knives, Scout Knives Meador Knives and many other items too numerous to mention During the month of Febru: ry 1927, 499 commercial vessels and 28 small launches transited the Panams Canal Tolls on the com mercial veese aggregated 1, 99, 4860 82, and on the ladoches 142 41 or a total tolls collection of 995,(003 23.
The daily average number of transits of sea going vessels for the month was 16 09. and the daily tolle collection 71, 245. 03 average amount of tclis paid by each of the rommercial transits was 14, 443, 90, as compared with 4, 480, 27 for tho month Traffic for the past month January 1927.
established Dew record for February traffic through the both in number of transito and in the amount of tolls collected. The largest February traffic heretofore was 424 transito ia 1926, and 1, 964, 155, 59 ia tolle Traffic from the Atlantic to the Pacific was considerably heavier than in the opposite dyrection, there being 200 transits from the Pacific to the Atlantic sad 249 from the Atlantic to the Pacific during the month. to Contribute to Bolivar Statue Cana!
in 1924.
ID Snapshot (FROM THE COLORED PRESS)
Whenever one sees Negroes mingling with other peo ple and gazing at master paintings, whatever the appearance or attainments of those Negroes, let it not be forgotten that colored people have a background in art that is ancient, meritorious and secure that they carved and painted with wonderful skill fore Greece and Rome came into existence: that evidences of Negroid art are being dug up by archaeologist in the places where civilization was cradled, and that the last two centuries have witnessed a splendid Tesurgence toward artist expression in the ranks of the Jace. LOUISVILLE LEADER THE WORKMAN Stationery and Souvenir Store 93 Central Avenue. Panama City United States lawmakers are making efforts to have a bill put through by which the country will contribute ten thousand dollars to the proposed monument to Simon Bolivar to be errected in this city.
The Bill was already passed the House and is now before the Senate.
Rent Receipt Books in Span.
ish and English for sale at the Workman Printery.
of