The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-29
wKINLEY AND THE NEGROES.
THE GOVERNOR SEEMS TO HAVE
DRAWN THE COLOR LINE.

The Dodge worked so Diplomatic
ally That the Blacks Do Not Seem
70 Have Realized Its Real signff-
canoe Yet-The Reception Commit
tee Escorts the Governor for n
Drive over JackSOnviIIe-TheG Gov
ernor and His Party subsequently
Leave for 81. Augustine.
Jacksonville. Fla. March 2S.-Promptly
AT 1l.s0 o'clock to-day Gov. Mckinley, es-
corted by the members of the reception
committee. left the st. James hotel and
started on a drive through the city.
After taking in all the sights the party
returned 10 the hotel. and being joined
by Mrs. Mckinley and her maid, Gen.
osborne, Mr.. Hanna and Mr.. Smith, drove
10 the union station and took the 1880
o'clock train for st. Augustine
Hon John G. Long of st. Augustine ac-
companied the party to the depot and
went TO St. Augustine with them. Quite
a number of well known white republicans
were at the depot to see the governor oft
and wishes were expressed that he make
q brief speech, but this he declined to
do. as he was not feeling well.
A pleasing incident at the depot was
the meeting between Mrs. Mckinley and
Director General Davis of the worlds fair
Mrs. Mckinley was in the car when she
recognized the general. and invited him
TO enter He did so, and they had quite
q pleasant chat.
The negro republicans were conspicuous
by their absence at the depot, and the
only one who has shown any enthusiasm
III. .r..sfa. II
Albert Shaw, who keeps a store on the
corner of Bay and Second streets. AL
bert hung around the depot nearly all
day Wednesday and when the governor
arrived was one of the first to shake
him by the hand.
In his room at the St. James this morn
ing Gov. Mckinley was waited upon by
the members of the negro committee
which had invited him to attend a recep-
ton given under the auspices of their
race The governor received the negroes
kindly. but told them he would be obliged
to decline their request. The governor
and his managers have shown a dis
inclination to be publicly associated with
the colored element of the Republican par
~. but they have been shrewd about it
and the negro evidently does not yet
know that the color line has been prac-
tically drawn so far as the public is
concerned.
While this is true, it is evident that Gov.
McKinley's managers are also quietly at
work to secure the influence of prominent
negroes for the Ohioan. All this MORN
ing Gen. Osborne. of Boston, was closeted
with Joseph Lee. who is one of the negro
leaders in Florida. Hon. Dennis Egan,
chairman of the republican state execu-
tive committee, was present. Mr.. Egan
is accused of training with the negro ele-
ment and it is supposed that Cen Os-
borne was explaining to him and Lee
why the governor refused to attend the
negro reception All communication of
the governor and his managers with the
negroes has been conducted most quiz
city, and in such way as not to offend
the whites. 1t is evidently the intention
of the governors managers to outwardly
accept the southern view of the negro
question for the purpose of his campaign
in this section for the presidential nomi-
nation. Whatever bids are made for the
negro support win be made surrepti-
tiously.
St. Augustine, Fla, March S.-Gov.
Mckinley, his wife, Gen. and
Mrs. Osborne, Gen. Dwight of
New York. and Mr. Hanna ar
rived here this afternoon and were re-
ceived by committee, headed by Judges
Long and Swain. at the hotel Ponce de
Leon and driven about town. Tonight
wv NShlliSy helu d iecSptioH IN the
Ponce de Leon parlors and received sew
eral hundred people irrespective of politi-
cal faith. Among those received were
the Hon. George w. Davis, director of the
Columbia Exposition. Hamilton Disston,
Henry NJ. Flagler and Col. Fleischmann of
Cincinnati, who takes Gov. Mckinley and
party for ma ocean trip in his yacht to-
morrow. Gov. Mckinley has recovered
from his cold and refused to talk to cor
respondents further than to say that he
was better and liked the south.