The Independent – Page 3 – Old Magazine Articles

Igor Stravinsky and the Player Piano (The Independent, 1925)

Igor Stravinsky (1882 – 1971), acclaimed as the most distinguished, if not the greatest, of living composers, now sojourning in America after an absence of ten years, ardently advocates and practices the composition of mechanical music – of not merely piano music, that is, which can be played on an automatic instrument, but music composed without purpose of performance by hand, designed for the player-piano solely, and intended to take advantage of characteristics and limitations inherent in an instrument operated by a perforated roll of paper.

There is anew polyphonic truth in the player-piano. There are new possibilities. It is something more. It is not the same thing as a piano…

‘The Baseless Fear of War” by Andrew Carnegie (The Independent, 1913)

Andrew Carnegie (1835 – 1919) tried his hand at clairvoyance and wrote this article in response to the constant plea for money from the U.S. Department of War, which he found completely unnecessary and excessive.

Our naval and military officials must dream of wars since most of them never even see one.

The U.S. Senate’s Report on the Titanic Disaster (The Independent, 1912)

The White Star Company is properly condemned for the fact that there was no suitable provision for saving life, no drill of the sailors, and further, that the bulkheads separating the watertight compartments did not close properly.

The U.S. Senate’s Report on the Titanic Disaster (The Independent, 1912)

Segregated Infantry Divisions in France (The Independent, 1919)

A spirited commentary concerning how the African-American Doughboys came to see France, rather than their own homeland, as the land of equality and liberty. It was written by Oscelo E. McKaine, who was serving as a second lieutenant in the all-black 92nd Division. In later life he would play an important roll in the South Carolina civil rights movement.

Read an article about racial integration in the U.S. military.

Educating the Negro (The Independent, 1921)

Attached is a 1921 account of the Hampton Institute; it’s past, present and future is entirely outlined in this magazine article that was written by a celebrated journalist of the time, Mr. Talcott Williams (1849 – 1928).

Click here for the Ku Klux Klan Archive.

The Verville Packard Battle Plane: 178 Miles Per Hour (The Independent, 1920)

A short notice reporting on the one pride and joy of the U.S. Army Air Service, the Verville Packard, and how this one aircraft performed at the Pulitzer Trophy Airplane Race of 1920. The article is illustrated with a photo of the plane and the aviator, Lt. C.C. Mosley, who piloted the craft at the impressive speed of 156.5 mph.

Moratorium (The Independent, 1921)

A single column from 1921 reported on a proposal before the U.S. Congress to drastically reduce the numbers of immigrants who were entering the United States at that time.
The bill passed.

Anti-Immigration Legislation (The Independent, 1920)

The measure is not intended as a basis for permanent immigration policy, but simply as an emergency injunction to halt immigration until Congress… can determine the policy it wishes to adopt