The herald., 1896-08-18
A VIGOROUS PROTEST
The Action Of the League Hss Destroyed AFRO
American Unity

The Action Of the League mss destroyed A"o'
American Unity
The Herald has been furnished with
the following official statement, which
takes the ground that the leagues ac-
ton has resulted in the complete de-
struction of unity among the negroes in
California;
Los Angeles is the birthplace of the
Afro American league. About SIX
years ago the necessity for race or
ganization first made itself manifest
among the negroes in this city. When
T. N. Mcclellan, B. +. Talbot, z. NJ
Hickman, S. Oliver and other represen-
tative men of this city called meeting
in the little store house on Fifth street
and organized what was known as the
Afro American Protective association.
This institution was non-partisan in
its character and destined to promote
the interests of our race. morally, So
cially, intellectually and religiously.
Since that time many vicissitudes nave
taken place, during which time the
name was changed from the Afro
American Protective association to the
Afro American league. Not only did
the institution change in name, but in
character and in object. 1t was organ
lied as a non-partisan institution, with
a good object, having in view the inter-
est of our race, but in six years 1t has
grown throughout the state, and has
become a corrupt political institution
for individual aggrandizement,a and this
fact was clearly demonstrated during
the session of the congress which con-
vened in this city last week. The object
of the congress was successfully carried
out until Saturday last when it was
plainly seen that corruption was the
paramount issue, and that the league
Il. n Azds 49, x..,.~ f,xr -,
racial organization to corrupt political
machine. This principle was fostered
by a few corrupt politicians who were
backed up by what they styled 'the
DOODLE" However, quiet prevailed till
Delegate w. e. Henderson of San Fran
cisco presented a resolution condemning
labor unions. This section of the resolu :
tion called out an earnest discussion.
and the many representative colored
men fought furiously against it. as
many of them had been recognized in
the unions in Los Angeles and through
out the state, having in San Francisco
a colored man who is president of the
union Despite their earnest efforts for
right and justice and the protection of
the Afro-Americans, they were defeated
and styled as "hoodlums.'
But we desire to let 1t be known to the
unions in this state who have so kindly
recognised the Afro American, that the
adoption of that resolution by a few
corrupt politicians has no effect what
ever on the Afro o-Americans in this city,
and throughout the state, and it was
energetically fought by the intelligent
element of this city. We do extend to the
unions of this city and state that have
recognized the Americans our
hearty congratulations, and we feel per-
fectly safe in saying that the resolution
as adopted was not the sentiments of
the majority of Afro Americans
throughout the state. The next section
CT the resolution was the one which
effected the complete destruction of the
Afro American league. The section was
in substance as follows:
That we as an organized body highly
indorse the Republican ticket"
This perpetuated antgonistic strife
and instead of showing and proving the
idea for which 1t was presented, simply
shows that we were divided in opinion
II not in politics. Men who are prominent
members of the Mckinley club, ,energetj-
cally fought this section. AS the insti-
tuition was partisan in it charac-
ter, and from the unfair ruling of the
chair many of the well thinking men
from Los Angeles and Alameda county
left the house in disgust, and this sec
tion was adopted, which completed the
death of the Afro American league and
severed the negroes further apart than
they have ever been before in the his
tory of California. Men of true Republ
can principle fought it, and the endorse
ment of that resolution did not make one
vote for Mckinley, nor did It prejudice
one Afro-American against the labor