The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-15
A UNIQUE AFFAIR. INDEED.

A UNIQUE AFFAIR, INDEED.
On Wednesday night number of colored
citizens who contributed to the election Of
Mayor Taggart by voting for him or by not
voting at all. met to celebrate his victory,
receive his thanks and enjoy his hospitality.
The Sentinel says 'the affair was unique
and may be said to mark an epoch in the
history of Independent negro politics in this
city, AS evidence Of it's uniqueneSs and
epoch-making character the paper says the
procession illuminating it's way with Ro-
man candles, first went to the residence of
Hon. John r. Pearson, late Republican
member Of the Council. Mr.. Pearson enjoys
the distinction of having drawn more coll
umns Of abuse from the Indianapolis News
in former campaigns than any other person
who has ever engaged in city politics. but
he has not a particle of vindictiveness in
his nature and in the recent campaign he
buried the Ratchet and joined the News in
supporting Mr. Taggart. The Sentinel says:
Mr.. Pearson was called from his resi-
dence, and in neat little address advised
MS visitors to maintain thorough indie
pendence in municipal politics. In that way
and by that measure alone, he said, would
the colored people of this country attain
anu Keep the TlSDlS Oh clt1ZCISuiD BudIdn-
teed to them by the Constitution and the
laws.
Now, in order that the movement for lin
dependent negro politics." as the Sentinel
calls it, may succeed it should start off
right If Mr. Pearson told the colored Tag
CART men that the maintenance of thorough
independence in municipal politics was the
only way they could preserve their rights
of citizenship he misinforned them The
colored mans right of citizenship, thanks
to the Republican party, is imbedded in the
Constitution of the United States. and 1t is
not necessary for him to worry about 1t in
connection with city politics. BY all means,
let him be as Independent as possible, but
don't try to scare him by telling him that
If he does not vote the Democratic ticket
now and then in g. city election he will lose
his citizenship. He would have lost il long
ago, in fact, never would have had it at all,
If tho Democratic party could have con-
troled the matter In States where 1T has
undisputed control he has no rights of ciu
zenship now to speak of.
From Mr.. Parsons the independent
movement marched to Mayor Taggart's
ISSlutlCC, JUL AlOb llliulIS nm ol AOhANt ~
began to make gradual approaches towards
the Grand Hotel The Sentinel says: THE
procession wound its way in and throughout
the 'Bucktown' district" This lapse into the
old style of speaking must be overlooked
The independent movement is young yet.
Napoleon said: IAN army travels on it's
belly" and an independent movement must
have refreshments. We quote again from
the Sentinel: AT Vaughn's cafe, on Indi-
ana avenue. the contingent was given a re-
ception by the proprietor" and again, Eat
the yellow bridge the colored men were
given reception by Charles Polster.'' Mr..
Polster is the citizen who came to Mr..
Colbert's relief OH a recent occasion and
who made assessments and collections from
the saloon keepers for the Taggart campaign
fund. He is in favor of independent negro
politics." From his place the, movement
moved to the Sentinel office, where its
spokesman complimented that paper for its
long and valuable service in the cause of
emancipation, universal suffrage and negro
citizenship. He was sorry he could not say
the Journal had been equally as good
q friend of the colored race Thence to the
Grand Hotel, where Mayor Taggart was
waiting to welcome the movement. It's lead
er congratulated him on his election and he
thanked the movement for it's answering
loyalty to me In this and other campaigns
He did not say anything about citizenship
or the necessity of independence in munich
pal politics. but, according to the organ:
Mr. Taggart then directed Caterer Vaughn
to take charge of the visitors and entertain
then. to a finish. The procession then dis
banded and those who had carried the dem
onstration to success, for the most part,
proceeded to the Vaughn cafe and devoted
the balance of the evening to the pleasures
of well-served banquet
All things considered, we quite agree with
Mr. Taggart's organ that the affair was
unique" So is the movement for 'independ-
ent negro politics." That movement has al
ways sprung up when Mr.. Taggart has been
q candidate for office, and its net result is
always the same, viz, number of colored
men vote for him and larger number do
not vote at all. The better class of colored
citizens. all those who value their princi-
pies, and are as inaccessible to improper in
fuences as the same class of white citizens,
do not hesitate to say that the independ-
ence of those who thus contribute to Mr..
Taggart's election is inspired by motives
very different from the publication of
municipal politics. Honest independence is
a good thing in politics or out, in colored
men as in white men, but independence for
a consideration is not badge of good citi-
zenship. Intelligent colored men do not need
to be informed by the Sentinel that They
are now their own political masters and no
man and no party has right to dictate to
them how they shall exercise the suffrage"
When the Democratic party pats them on
the back and assures them that it has al
ways been their best friend and that they
ought TO show their independence by vot-
ing for it's candidates, they might answer:
Perhaps it was right to dissemble your
love,
But why did, you kick me down stairs?
TWO FACTORS IN PRODUCTION.
The platform Of the Indiana Federation
of Labor contains several timely declara-