Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-26
FIGHT OVER COLOR.
Exciting Time at Meeting OF
Patriotic Sons of America.
THE EXCLUSION OF BLACK MEN
From the Order Stirs Up Most Vocifer-
GUS Row in the Camp.
A WILD SESSION OF THE CONVENTION
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH


PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 25.-There was
stormy session at the opening of the Ma
tional Camp of the Patriotic Sons of
America, which began to-day. A hot dis
cussion of the color question, which it was
expected would not be taken up by the
assembly until to-day, was unexpectedly
precipitated by resolution asking the
privileges of the floor for Stephen B. Clip
son, President of Washington Camp, No.
579, of this city, one of the colored camps
excluded from the national organization by
the action of the National Camp held at
Boston last October, when by a change in
the wording of the constitution membership
in the order was limited to white persons.
The amendment by which the exclusive
term white is to be excluded from the con-,
stitution of the order was presented by
Frank B. Spiese, of Tamaqua, State Presi-
dent of the Pennsylvania organizations and
chairman of the constitutional committee.
After lot of wrangling in which good
deal of spirit was displayed, the convention
decided to make the amendment special
order for ten o'clock tomorrow.
THE WAR BREAKS OUT.
AT this point the warm feeling rampant
in the convention manifested itself on the
motion of Chairman Frank Spiese, asking
that Stephen B. Gipson be granted the floor
for the purpose of showing why colored men
should also be accorded the privileges of the
order. The motion was vigorously opposed
bv Joseph Williams, of Denver, Col, big
Western delegate with mighty voice. Mr..
Williams said he was opposed to admitting
any one to the assembly who was not a men,
Der duly accredited to the present conven-
tion. 81 am at the very head and front of
the movement to strike out this word white
from our constitution" exclaimed Mr.. Will
1ams but am not willing to have nybody
appear before us but duly accredited dele
gaten
This was the signal for general outbreak,
in which many members participated. Dur
ing the various speeches the widest excite
ment prevailed.
off you are going to accord their rights to
these colored people, Mr.. President"
shouted State Senator Spiese, "you ought to
accord them the rights of a hearing
A NEW YORK oUTBURsT.
Delegate George F. Taylor, of New York.
created an uproar by his violent stand.
"Why, in the name of God" exclaimed Mr..
Taylor, "must we always be violating the
constitution to please some man, whether
he is white or black? 1 am decidedly opposed
to striking out the word white from the con-
stitution. 1 shall vote against it. 1 am in
favor of the colored man, but 1 want to see
him help himself without being catered to
b. the whites. have heard one member
say that it was better to strike out five mill
ion whites and take in one million blacks.
Is 1t so? Ifyou strike out that word white
you Will never get a camp in any OF the
Southern States"
Lawyer Charles Brumm exclaimed in Wig
orous tones: You talk Of loyalty and pat
riotism and yet you would strike down the
colored man without giving him the right to
be heard. Let him come and speak for him
self. Let him make his little speech, and
then if you kick him out you can say that
You gave him q hearing, anyhow"
Mr.. Brumm's remarks were received with
great storm of applause and for a few sec
onds the convention went wild
WANT HIM TO SPEAK,
Fl. T. Currier, of Chicago, a member of the
Constitutional Committee presenting the
proposed amendment, created considerable
impression by declaring that he did not be- /
lfeve in the proposed amendment and wanted
the assembly to understand that the amend
ment was simply majority report of the
committee. "Still," added Mr.. Currier, "I
want to hear this coored man speak. 1 be-
lieve that man might change my views and
/ am not so prejudiced that am not always
ready to be convinced"
Mr.. Williams then created some amuse-
ment by Withdrawing his OD1ectlon- He
said: 81 was born in Virginia, but when a
man born in Massachusetts and another
from New York deem it necessary to have'a
colored man brought before this body to de-
fend his rights am willing to withdraw my
purely constitutional objection and let him
come in. But l want it understood that
when l return to Colorado if this camp
doesn't strike out the word white tender
my resignation"
1t was finally decided to allow Mr.. Gipson
to take the floor tomorrow and speak on be-
half of his colored brethren.