The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-10
What to do With Negro Dele
ates to National Convention.
ALL THE ROOMS "ENGAGED"
A COlored Committeeman Turn
ed Out BY His Hotel.
A GOLD STANDARD PLATFORM
Hanna Will Arrive in ST. Louis To-Day
and Make Known Mckinley
Choice of Chairman of
the Convention.

st. Louis, Mo, June 9.-No solution
of the puzzling question has been
reached as to what shall be done with
the negro delegates to the National
convention. The proprietors of the
leading hotels deny that they have
refused to entertain colored men, but
say their rooms are all engaged" and
that they cannot accommodate the ne
groes much as they might wish. A
large number of National committee
men arrived this morning, but they
were reticent about giving their views
regarding the treatment of the negroes
by the St. Louis hotel and boarding
house keepers.
NJ. H. DeY1oung, of San Francisco.
owner and editor of the Chronicle of
that city and a member of The National
cmmHttee, said lit was not a part of the
duties of the committee 10 secure hotel
accommodations for my delegate. white
er black. He would oppose any effort
to brmg the matter before the commit
tee.
National committeeman JAS. Hill, of
Mississippi, and a negro, thought he Sc
cured rooms at Hurst's hotel, but when
he returned there last evening from
the headquarters of the Merchants
Republican League club, he found the
doors barred against him, as it were.
He was informed that the clerk had
made a mistake in assigning him a
room, every room in the hotel having
been previously engaged. Mr.. Hill
took in the situation at once. He
quietly paid his bill, and took a street
car for the home of William Dive. He
is still there and will continue to make
that place his headquarters until the
close of the convention in the event
that the Businessmen's League does
not succeed in opening hotel for him.
Those men who are having trouble
in getting rooms for cOlored delegates
have only themselves to blame" said
s. NJ. Kennard, President of the Busi-
nessmen's League to-day. when we
got the convention we pledged our
selves to take care of the colored men
and we are going to do it. But those
who waited until the last minute will
have to take what hey can get, so long
as it is clean and good. White men
cannot get accommodations at the ho-
tells now. They are all filled for the
convention week. But we will take care
of the colored men as we said we
would"
''You may say positively" said Maj.
Rainwater, that we cain get places
for the lodging and feeding of all the
colored delegates who apply. I know
this and can show it. If Hill will come
to me, which he has not done, I will
refer him TO places where he can put
his colored delegates and good places
too. | do not care what difficulties
may stand in the way.
For weeks past L have bombarded
the National committeeman with let
ters and kilograms asking them to let
me arrange for the accommodations of
their delegates. Especially did l pay
attention to the Southerners because
I foresaw the difficulty we might have
in placing the negroes at the last min
ute. Many of them did not reply and
now they canot get the same quarters
they might have secured had they let
us arrange it weeks ago.
"But everyone of them will have a
good place to sleep and plenty to eat.
Dozens of restaurants will feed color
ed delegates during convention week"
New York, June 9.-J. E.Millholland,
of the New York Mckinley League has
telegraphed J. J. Hill, delegate form
Mississippi to the National Republi-
can convention deploring the treat
ment accorded the cOlored delegates
by the hotels of ST. Louis. Mr.. Mill
holland added: "The New York Nc
Kinley League special train of parlor
saloon and sleeping cars will arrive
Sunday night and will be placed at
the disposal of yourself and others
and friends who cannot be accommo-
dated.'