The herald., 1896-08-14
silence FOR A MINUTE
Had in the AfrO-Americ
Congress Yesterday
WARM md NOISY SESSION HELD
The Financial Issue Is Brought
Out for Consideration
THE DELEGATES GET UNRULY
President Morton Threatens Them With
Individual Chastisement
Gives Them Distinctly to Understand Not
THE DELEGATES GET UNRULY
President Morton Threatens Them With
Individual Chastisement
Gives Them Distinctly to Understand Not
to Get Gay
Very Vigorous Debate on the Question as to
Whethe. or Not Trades AMI La.
Dor Unions Should Be
Condemned Is Hal

congress at llllllOlS udll NtSlClddS NCit
highly exciting. The scene presented on
the floor of the convention yesterday
morning resembled bear garden There
was on continual round of scrapping
and although no razors were exhibited
there was latent suspicion with many
who were present that more than one
of the gentlemen who We're in the merry
melee had a weapon concealed in his
boot.
There Is a stong trait of character
about the black man which makes him
fighter and when it comes to a conven-
ton OF gathering in which he is del
egate or a representative the antagonis-
tic instinct is bound to come to the sur
face. Therefore when you are taking III
convention made up entirely of the
colored brethren you may look for some
hot times. They have been witnessed
during previous sessions of the Afro
American congress in this city, but prior
meetings were calm and peaceful COM
pared with the one held yesterday morn
ing.
The first round of the battle was open
ed yesterday morning when Delegate q.
e. Brown introduced a resolution de-
the free and unlimited coinage OF silver
at the ratio of 1o to /.
Delegate Brown had some difficulty in
obtaining the floor. There were some
who knew what he intended to do and
1t took him over half an hour to get Il
hearing.
There was regular hail storm of mo-
tions. resolutions and amendments
poured in on President Morton, who
labored like Trojan to secure order
A majority of the delegates to the
congress all claimed the floor at one and
the same time. They yelled ond hal
loed and cheered.
THE PRESIDENT GETS WITTY.
President Morton mildly remarked
that there had been about all the noise
and confusion he proposed to HAY vnd
he said that unless better order was
preserved some of the delegates who in
sisted on raising Cain would be given
good physical reasons for bowling If he
had to even go SO far as to exercise his
own strength to bring II about.
Incidentally President Morton is quite
a humorist. He said that he hoped that
the convention would not be as disor-
derly as the gatherings held at Chicago
and st. Louis, He saiGihe knew that the
Afro-American congress was not a
model convention, but he wished to con-
sole the delegates by the fact that the
one held at St Louis was not, nor was
the one at Chicago. THE whites set
this kind of a criterion for the negro to
go by and they must not expect much
OF u.s." said President Morton amid
laughter
Delegate Brown was a man of great
perseverance and finally got the recog-
milton of the chair. Through the thick
est of the fight he held his ground and
did not permit himself to be over
whelmed. The chairman at length re-
ferred the silver resolution to the COM
mittee on resolutions without debate.
resolution endorsing the gold stand
ard and pledging the support of the
league to Mckinley and Hobart also
went TO the committee on resolutions
rms last subject was presented by Del
egate Henderson. who seems to be a
politician from away back.
d. r. Jones and 3. +. Talbot were ap-
pointed committee to draw up appro-
PIRATE resolutions on the death of Har-
riet Beecher Stowe. The motion direct
ing the appointment of the committe.
was adopted by rising vote the dele
gates standing and remaining silent for
one mlnute-the first time absolute
quiet has prevailed in the convention.
j. Z. Carter presented a resolution to
the effect that in the future no oreaniza-
tion be recognized in the convention ex-
cept the Afro-American leagues and
that where more than one league exists
In a city they be designated by number
and not given an individual name. The
matter went to the committee on reso-
lutions.
A resolution declaring in favor Of the
adoption of the eleventh amendment to
the constitution of the state was similar
ly referred, as was also one authorizing
the chairman TO appoint a committee on
commercial enterprises. One delegate
had big scheme in mind which he
I1oated in on the convention in the form
of resolution. He wanted a committee
appointed to purchase land upon which
the colored man will be put to work
farming and he would have the congress
raise funds for this purpose His idea
VIII come up before the committee on
resolutions also.
AS TO TRADES UNIONS.
a. A. Collins of Alameda, one of the
brainiest delegates in the convention
and a very eloquent speaker, at this
Juncture threw bombshel into the
camp that created more wild disorder
Mr. Collins was chairman of the com
1nittee appointed to consider the presi-
dent address and to report back to the
congress on the suggestions therein CON
tained. Mr.. Collins submitted his re-
port as the head of the committee and
then the wool commenced to ffy.
In his address the president had de-
voted a clause to trades unions in which
he had taken occasion to say that the
attitude of the trades unions towards
the colored race was one of discrimina-
tion inasmuch as skilled mechanics. In
every way fitted, We're denied admis-
sion into the labor unions on account
of color"
lnasmuch as the statement was hard
ly in accordance with the facts, Com
mitteeman collins reported in favor of
receiving and accepting all portions Of
the presidents address save that part
referring to the labor organizations
A motion was made to adopt the ro-
port of the committee and then the dis
cussion opened. 1t was hot and lively.
AS usual there was galaxy of speakers
all striving to be heard a once.
Delegate Henderson, who introduced
a resolution Wednesday evening con-
tanning a bitter TRADE on trade unions
took the floor and was recognized at
last by the chair Mr.. Henderson is the
man who wants the gold standard in