The Washington bee., 1889-04-06

Republicans from all portions OF
the State to a conference to be held
in this city on the 10th day of April
1889, to take into consideration the
condition of the party, and if posi-
BILE formulate some plan of party
action by which large element in
our population who are heartily In
sympathy with protective princi-
pies declared by the national Re-
publican convention may come into
closer and more active affiliation
with the party organization.
This invitation is personal to you
and attending you will please bring
it with you, that you may partici-
pate in the meeting. We deem it
important that you should be pres
ent. But if unable to do so, please
return this invitation to the COM
mittee with such views as you may
desire to express for the considera-
ton of the conference.
Arrangements are being made
now with railroad companies for
reduced rates to and from the con-
yention. Respectfully,
LOUIS E. PARSONS, JR.,
W. q. SMITH,
CHARLES TURNER,
F. g. SHEPPARD.
Headquarters; Parlor, Palace
Royal Hotel"
No colored man in Alabama is
regarded as being decent enough
to enter the Birmingham confer
ence and not one has been invited
to attend. But among the white
men who have been invited to par
ticipate in this great undertaking
to make the Republican party of
Alabama respectable" are some
we'll known men of questionable
political methods,
Captain Edmulds of the
Georgia Pacific railroad, "a con-
ser vative Republican" being inter
view ed by the Birmingham "Chron-
icle" in regard to this movement
said:
81 have seen" said the captain,
San article in one of the city papers
in regard to secret letter said to
have been written by Lew Parsons
and others, calling for a msettng in
this city on the 10th of April. All
that know about the matter is
that short time ago number of
leading Republicans net in the par
lors of the Palace Royal Hotel, and
after discussing the situation, de-
cided to call meeting of what they
considered the better and more con.
servative element of the party from
throughout the State in order to
get their views as to who should be
recommended for official positions
in Alabama under thenew admin
istration."
"What was said or done in re-
gard to the colored element of the
party?' The sentiments expressed
were simply a reiteration of the
ideas expressed by myself a year
ago when l called a convention of
the white Republicans of this city.
What we desire, is, that the negro,
being a recognized political factor,
shall be as nearly equally divided
between the parties as possible.'
"The odium which has been at
tached to the party in the past has
been caused by the election of dis.
reputable negroes to Offices; and we
propose to put stop to this. In
other words, we are willing that the
colored voters shall ride in our
wagon, but do not propose that
they shall drive"
The objective point of the confer
ence is to secure the federal Office
for the respectable few" will be-
seen from the above. Why did not
captain Edmuuds, whose lips were
tightly sealed in the last campaign
take the stump in the States of Ohio
Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania,
Illinois or Michigan, and preach
bis doctrine of a division of the col.
ored vote? Is not the negro a "rec'
ognized political factor,' in those
States? But who is this leading
spirit of the white mau's party in,
Alabama? Captain Edmunds is a
negro-hating carpet -bagger from
the State of Maine who drifted down
to Alabama some time after the wal
and who is now conductor of the
meanest railroad company this side