The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-06-09
NEGROES BOYC0TTED
OUTRAGEOUS ACTION OF ST. LOUIS
HOTEL AND RESTAURANT MEN.
All Have Agreed to Entertain No Col
ored Delegates to the Republic
can National Convention.
SOLEMN PROMISES VIOLATED
BUSINESS MEMS LEAGUE AND CON-
MITTEEMEN IN A QUANDARY.
McKinIey's Managers Keeping the
wires Hot in an Effort to Solve
the Unexpected Problem.
NUMEROUS CONTESTED SEATS
15S TO BE Considered BY THE Ma
TIONAL COMMITTEE THIS WEEK.
Names of Gov. Merriam and HI. Clay
Evans Mentioned for Temporary
Chairman OF the Convention.

>
ST. LOUIS, June S.-What shall be done
with the colored delegates and alternates
TO the national Republican convention is
question which is puzzling the members
of the national committee who have ar
rived in the city, and the Business Mems
League, which secured the convention to
ST. Louis, as we'll. Every hotel, and board
ing house and cafe came out fiatfooted to-
day and declared that it Would entertain
no negro as guest or customer Money Is
no object. Threats of prosecution have
had no effect, and from the present out
look it would seem that unless tents are
hungry and unhoused.
II am thoroughly disgusted and discour-
aged" said national committeeman J. G.
Long, of Florida, tonight, in speaking of
the matter. Il have been looking all day
long for a hotel, boarding house or cafe
that would admit the negroes, but it has
been fruitless search. / even went so far
as to try to charter steamboat. but when
the owners learned for what purpose it
was wanted they found an excuse for re-
fusing me the use of the vessel. 1t is the
first time in the history of the Republican
ament has arisen
When asked what the national committee
would do in the matter Mr.. Long replied:
II have consulted with the members who
are here, and we have decided to offer a
resolution as soon as the committee meets
condemning the hotel and inn keepers, and
for the setting aside of fund for renting
a hall, in which cots shall be placed for
~ LOT; Of
may come to the convention. We will also
request the employment of "a corps OF
cooks tc supply them with food.
This trouble has been brewing for
nearly week. A number of days ago it
was learned by the Business Mems League
that some of the leading hotels had been
canceling agreements with certain State
delegations when the landlords learned
that negro delegates were numbered among
them. 1t became so apparent that the ne
groes were being Disseminated against
that the league issued the following mani
festo:
The Business Mems League, when in
Washington securing the national Repub-
lican convention for St. Louis. promised
that colored delegates and members OF the
national Republican executive committee
should receive the same recognition from
to the convention would receive. With this
1T was implied that the citizens represent
ing the city of St. Louis for securing the
convention would ask and endeavor TO in
duce pubic places. hotels, boarding houses
and bath rooms, at least for convention
week. to accord to the reputable and re-
spectacle colored men who Will come here
representing their section and their people
in the Republican party such treatment as
any reputable and respectable person
would receive. 1t is not believed that a
great many would want TO accept the priv
ileges. but Ii will be very humiliating if
one of them, with their colleagues and
friends, or alone should present himself in
any public place and be refused admit
tance or service. 1t is hoped. expected and
desired by the gentlemen representing the
citizens who secured the convention that
all will endeavor to meet the situation as
justice and propriety require Any parties
In interest failing to receive accommoda-
committee, C. c.. Rainwater, chairman, or
the bureau of information"
When the hotel men read this they were
wrathful. They said it was an invitation
to the colored delegates to prosecute them
for damages. They went to the league
committee on hotel accommodations and
made vigorous protest. Concerted action
then followed, with the result that the
negroes cannot find lodging places even
a reputable place TO eat. Maj. c. c. Rain
water. a member of the Business Mems
League and of the local entertainment COM
mttee, is quite as much displeased with
the turn affairs have taken as any mem
Der of the national committee. He, with
several other members of the local COM
mittee, has been hunting for a place to
entertain the negro delegates, but without
success.
Perry Heath and ex-Congressman
Thompson, of Ohio. who are here in the in
terests of Mckinley, are quite as much
disturbed as the national committeeman.
They have been in telegraphic communica-
ton with Marcus A. Hanna all day. but
as vet no solution of the problem has been
reached.
Many of the delegates to the convention
will be auartered in their sleeping cars in
the Terminal yard. The association has
space for 200 sleeping cars and they will be
so placed as TO afford their occupants no
trouble in reaching them. Already space
has been reserved for 119 cars. Among the
organizations that have secured such ac-
commodations are the following: The Cook
County Republican Club. of Chicago. will
occupy ten cars. The Marquette Club, of
Chicago. will have a special train of Ven
cars. The Young Mems Blaine Club, Of
Cincinnati. and the Cincinnati Lincoln Club
will occupy twenty-three cars. The Repub-
;ican Club. of Minneapolis, will occupy ten
cars in the same locality. and the Tippe-
canoe Club. of Cleveland. will have ten
sleepers, and two special cars. The Bur-
lington will have six special trains
with the sleeping cars. which will be stored
in their own yards here They viii be occu-
pied by the Golden Gate Club. of Cali
fornia. the Kansas City Mckinley Club. a
delegation of St. Joseph Republicans and a
special party from Minneapolis
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