San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-03-28
FIGHTING FOR LIFE.

stands on the neck or the party
and rules the whites alone. 1t is
useless to protest, to hold indigna-
ton meetings, or do any other
foolish and useless thing. There is
but one way for men who are in
the power of an INSCRIPTIONS foe
to do, and that is to wisely size up
the situation, see what are the
chances OF reprisals, and take such
steps to recover ground as wisdom
directs. A few suggestions are in
order.
First-The colored vote Of Texas
is not a republican vote, and there
fore it is all wrong and misleading
to consider that vote lost to the re-
publican party, il it is shut out of
the control of the conventions Of
the party.
Second.-That colored vote, so
much of it as is in the party, is
weakness to the republicanism OF
Texas, because it shuts out more
white democratic and populist
votes than itself casts.
Third-The control OF the con-
ventions of the Republican party
in Texas for the past ten years by
the colored elements of the party
has been secured by appeal to their
race prejudices by their leaders,
and this fact Of race is the occas-
ion Of the domination of the white
Republicans Of the state by the
colored Republicans, and their col
ored allies who never vote the Re-
publican ticket.
Fourth-This existing condition
has alienated those who are nat
uralIy republicans in Texas from
the party and shut them out of its
conventions, because those con-
ventions are dominated by colored
mobs, and it is not fitting decent
self respect to submit to their die
tations. AS a result, the republic
can vote of the state is constantly
decreasing.
Fifth.-This condition is not due
solely to the colored participants
in these conventions, but in part
to those who use the colored voter
to promote their schemes, pur-
chasing his vote when it cannot
be otherwise obtained and in part
to those who combine with the
colored voters for the sake of the
offices and honors to which they
aspire in the councils Of the party;
the result being that the colored
mem bers of the conventions are in
the end the cause Of the corruption
OF the convention.
Sixth-As 1t has been by an APP
peal to race prejudices and the
color line, on the part Of the
colored members OF the conven-
tions, that these conventions have
been ruled by them, so it must be
by an appeal to the white preju-
dices and the white line, that the
deliverance of the republican party
in Texas is to come. There is no
escape from this conclusion.
Seventh.-It is the duty OF all
honest, self respecting republicans,
who, having only the good Of the
party at heart, are ready to act for
republican redemption in Texas, to
take steps to deliver the conven-
tions out of the hand of the colored
mObs that have disgraced them.
This can only be done by organiza-
ton, union, wise measures of con-
troll. All OF these are we'll within
the power Of the white republicans
Of the state.
Eighth.-Now is the time to
enter into such organization, for
the purpose OF sending to the state
convention that shall meet this fall
such white delegations as will COM
pletely control that convention,
and rigidly drawing the color line
in it hold the republican party OF
the state out of the power that is
sapping its life blood and destroy.
ing 1t inch by inch.