The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-04-17
SELF BEFORE PARTY.
John Ii. Brown Says He Looks Out
for Number One.
ENDORSED FOR AUDITOR OF STATE
BY n Meeting OF CO1ored Men Called
for ThatPurpOse-BrOwn NowPIaces
Party FeaIty sixth On the List.


meeting of colored people at the court
house, which was called for that purpose.
Sol G. Watkins. Browns able lieuten-
ant, called the meeting to order and Rev.
P. w. Barker was made chairman and
w. T. Mcknight was elected secretary.
George w. Smith, who held a job as
janitor at the statehouse under the last
Republican administration, addressed the
meeting and said he would like to have
a discussion as TO whether it was advisa-
BILE to endorse candidate or not without
calling q conference of colored men
from over the state
w. /. Jamison wanted to hear from the
committee that called the meeting.
George w. Charles was the only mem
Der of the committee who was present
and he said the mem bers of the commit
tee had held caucus in which they de-
cided it would be a good thing to en-
dorse some home talent for state auditor.
S. G. Watkins said the cOlOred people
showed what they could do when they
endorsed candidate for constable, and
he urged the endorsement of candidate
for auditor. He said they should en-
dorse some man who could put up his
campaign expenses if be should be NOM
mated as the Republicans have no adj
ministration to assess for campaign pur-
poses.
Dennis Hope was called for. He said:
at is high time the cOIored men are
looking after something more than jani-
tor jobs; Ise had one of them all my
life and Ise getting tired of it. l find l
am Mr. Hope about pay day and Dennis
ever afterward. | think we should en-
dorse some colored man. l was raised
in Kaintucky where Breckenridge was,
but Of course Ise of different kind of
stripe"
w. /. Jamison addressed the meeting
and said: II did not know whose name
was to be presented here tonight Each
county ought to be allowed to have some
thing to say in the endorsement of
candidate for state auditor. It will not
be good thing to endorse anybody I'M
colored people of the state"
The plan OF the meeting to endorse
Brown with a whoop was about to be
blocked when Manager Watkins offered
a resolution that it was the sense of the
meeting that some cOlored man should
be endorsed for state auditor and that
that man should be John NJ. Brown.
w. d. Driver, colored man who has
lately come to Topeka for the purpose of
starting a newspaper, said: Il favor
the part of the resolutions which endorse
some cOlOred men, but oppose the idea
of naming the man for the state of Kan
sas which has 10000 black ballots. l
am in favor Of the negro but against the
endorsement of any individual at this
time"
word negro but this county ought to
endorse its man.
About this time the Brown men became
enthusiastic and cheered loudly.
Editor Pope, of the Topeka Call, who
was standing back in the court room,
said: Il don't understand the resolution
before the body"
''Then you can't discuss it," promptly
responded Chairman Barker.
George w. Smith again got the floor
and said: "Brown will be met with more
opposition at the state convention than
any man that could be named here to-
night" and said Mr.. Jones, of Graham
county, has some rights which should be
considered in the selection of a candi-
date.
Editor Pope again attracted the atten-
ton of the chairman by declaring that
''the IS million negro voters of Kansas
ought to be consulted in this matter, but
am opposed to foreign dictation''
(meaning Driver.)
Driver was on his feet and shouted
back: II have been a taxpayer in Kan
sas for % years."
Manager Watkins walked across the
floor and pointing his finger at Driver
said: This man is not a voter in Shaw
nee county" to which Driver replied: 81
am going to vote here if any one does"
Watkins then made his effort of the
evening in Browns interests, and the
1--WE are not going to have the wool pull
ed down over our eyes by these men who
are here to darken counsel. There is a
plot here tonight to defeat a man for
state auditor and get few janitorships."
He urged them to endorse Brown and
called for vote.
The vote was taken and Brown was de-
clared endorsed.
There were cries for Brown, and ac-
cording to the arranged programme,
Brown was standing in the hall just out
side the door and came marching in with
his hat in hand and overcoat on his arm.
In his speech of over an hours length
Brown convinced all present OF what
they had known before--that he could
talk. He started out by giving his
record, telling how he was educated at
Oberlin college, Ohio; went from there
to Mississippi, where he was elected
sheriff, and afterwards came to Kansas,
after he had some trouble and lost all
his property.
He referred to the fight which was
being made on him, and declared "Ibere
is not a county in the state where there
is a corporaPs guard of coIored people
where / can't get an Endorsement" and
in the very next sentence denied that he
had ever claimed to carry the coIored
vote in his pocket
He said. 81 had no thought of being a
candidate for any office until about a
week ago my friends came to me and in
sisted that / should allow my name to be
used. / had intended to stick to my
FARM
He denied all the charges that had
ever been made against him, especially
those that he had been an officeholder
all his life, but in explaining he admitted
his clerkship in the state auditors Office.
his connection with the Ereedmen's Aid