The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-04-22
THE LILY WHITES IN " hat 90 WiII narn
COUNCIL.
State Convention Of the Ne.
ton-Brayton Republicans.

Columbia, April l4.-There were
evidences of newness about the Conven-
tion that met here to-day. 1t was a
Republican Convention, as was evi-
deuced by the prcpondaranoe Of the
colored delegates and the familiarity of
some of the faces, but it was some
what new thing iu South Carolina poll
tics. They say that it is the growth of
McLaneism in the State, but however
that may be, there is DO doubt that the
reform element iu Republicanism iu the
State has grown. 1t is a matter Of su-
preme indifference whether the old line
Republicans have the majority of the
votes or whether the glory belongs to
the reform wing The old liners have
the vast prepouderance Of the old lead
ers, while in to-day's Convention there
is decided evidence Of freshness and
new blood in the organization.
The call for the Con Vention, which
has been dubbed the Lily White Con-
vention. was for $50 delegates, and
that number was on hand. From the
very jump there seemed to be a snap
about the Convention, and the old
stagers seemed to be put ASIDE as much
50 as possible Everything seemed to
work as if it had been prearrauged for
effect There was crowd in the gal
lery to see how the gathering would
pan ort. and quite uumber of col
ored girls were there to See what their
friends were going to do towards achiev-
ing fave
The makeup Of the Convention was,
perhaps, its most Interesting point.
There was decided absence of the
men who have been associated with Re-
pubicanlsm 10 the State Brayton.
Murray, Melton. Smith. Shrewsbury,
Wig and Whipper we're among the old
timers. but au inspection of the roll
will show how comparatively few these
veterans III Office were. The younger
negroes seemed to have taken bold
of the Lily White organization,
Judging from their attendance 10 the
Convention. Young men came
from all over the State They bad but
little to say. Some Of them came in
ecclesiastical garb, while others wore
silk mats and had the title professor"
before their names. Whether it is the
social side Of the new organization,
the utilization Of few white men with
the reform wing, the hope of Office or
what not. there are quite number Of
young negroes who have allied them
selves with the organization fathered
by Melton and Braytop and Clay
| ton
They have been talking about this
being Lilly White" Convention.
It may have been a Lilly White" Con-
veution, but it waa very far from be-
ing a white Convention. The colored
faces we're in the vast majority. Indeed,
on the left side of the hall there we're
not dozen white faces in the ocean Of
dark ones. There we're many more
white men ip the Convention, however,
than have been seen in such gatherings
in generation While the oil and
water ofthe body mingledio spots, yetit
was noticeable that almost the entire
front rows on the right we're lined with
white delegates 1t is uuusual TO see
many of the faces 10 the Convention Of
to-day in any other than Democratic
conventions, and this alone may have
been responsible for the enthusiasm of
delegates True, there were number
Of white men in the body who bave
been active or latent 10 their Republi
capism lp years that have gone by,
but there were others 10 the gathering
and it was evident from the start that
such allies we're to be pushed forward
so far as State effect is concerned.
Mr.. Clarence S. Nettles, Of Darlington, !,
and Dr.. Sampson Pope, of Newberry,
we're chosen as temporary and perman-
ept chairmen respectively and they
we're given all the send of that the
healthy lungs Of couple of hundred
coored men can give Il seemed to be
an aggressive Convention. and this
spirit was especially manifest on the
part Of toe recruits to the party.
It is generally a point of interest TO
note the white members of aay Repub
lcan convention, aDd it is as we'll to
put them on record The News and
Courier.
a NJ. Spur, president of the de
r a ] L.