The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-02
BEFORE COLORED VOTERS
MIR. OVERSTREET GIVEN A WARM
WELCOME LAST NIGHT.
Prominent Negroes Show the Motives
Back of the SO-CaIIed elm
dependents"

Jackson secretary. Last night the first pub
lie meeting was held in old library hall
after very credtable street parade. Rep
resentative Jesse Overstreet, Col. Harry B.
Smith and other candidates were among
the speakers. The meeting was one of the
most successful political gatherings that
has been witnessed this campaign. The hall
was crowded with an earnest throng of
colored voters, who, judging by the dem
onstrations last night, may be relied on
Eext Tuesday to stand by the party, not
withstanding the efforts to make it appear
that the colored men are drifting away
into Independent movements.
A r. Posey was the temporary chairman
last night. He spoke briefly. I'VE have
met" he said, ito refute the statement that
it is disgrace and humiliation for colored
men to vote the Republican ticket"
George l.. Knox, the permanent chairman,
spoke of the broken promises that the Dem
ocratic party has to its credit In 1892 it
promised that money would be plentiful and
argued that labor should be given shorter
hours '"They promised to make the hours
shorter" said Mr. Knox. THAT is the only
promise that they kept. They made them so
short that they were cut clear off, He re-
viewed the conditions of distress that fol-
party, recalling the souphouses that had to
be established Mr.. Knox introduced ]. IT,
Lott, who paid his respects to the so-calleo
independent colored club, which, he said,
should think about the attitude of the Dem
ocratic party in Mississippi and North Car
DINA toward the negro. In the South, he
said, the party that these so-called "inde-
pendent men are supporting is declaring
bnf +ha Sha1 be. NV 70
regardless of numbers. By their actions COL
ored men are disfranchised. The speaker
said that he would defy any of the 'inde-
pendents' to disprove it, from Mr.
Sweeney down." He continued that the
very fact that Sweeney, Miller and the other
so-called independents had the right to adj
vocate their ideas at all was due to the Re
publican party. 1t was not necessary to go
farther back in history than yesterday to
show what the Democratic party is doing
against the colored man in the South, he
said.
"A colored man has right to be Dem
ocrat-"
mo, no."
Yes he hasa legal right. A man has a
legal right to be a fool if he wants to-
daughter and loud applause) While he
has a legal right to be fooi, there are GER
tain moral duties he should perform. The
war that has just ended was conducted for
the benefit of what in the South would be
called 'niggerS, and yet certain cOlored
men are indorsing platform that condemns
the war" The speaker asserted that there
have been but two wars in the interest of
mankind in the last part of this century,
and both have been conducted by the Re
publican party. The first made it possible
for him to be addressing his hearers.
William c. Brown, the chairman of the
club, was the next speaker. Some of these
independents say that they left the Re-
publican party because the national govern
ment failed to protect the negro in the
South" said he. Show me State that
is governed by the Republican party and
will show you one that does not need ma
tional protection for her citizens, whether
white men or colored. We do not ask for
Democratic friends to us, but we do ask for
laws that will permit us to go through the
land unmolested."
MR.. OVERSTREET OVATION.
Mr.. Overstreet, who had addressed a meet
ing earlier in the evening at Lawrence, was
given prolonged ovation when he entered
the hall. In introducing Mr.. Overstreet,
Chairman Knox spoke Of some of his pub
lie acts. He had the courage to stand up
on the floor of Congress and fight for the
admission of Representative Murray, a col
ored man. Il have in my employ an old
soldier" said Mr.. Knox HE wanted a
pension. Write to Mr.. Overstreet, 1 said.
I know him and l know he will help you
get your pension. The other day he got his
pension. Who got it for him?, l asked. Mr..
OVerstreet. MIR. knox told how hard
Senator Fairbanks and Representative
Overstreet had worked to obtain an APP
pointment for DR.. Ebert Mr.. Knox wanted
the appointment himself. Both told him
that they were pledged to DR.. Gilbert and
he found that they were going down to the
White House to urge it. And yet this man
says he has been badly treated by the Re
publican party" continued Mr.. Knox. "A
man who will quit party simply for office,
tell you, cannot be true to his principles.
money ten Republicans went on note for
$500 to enable him to get to New York,
where his transportation was waiting. They
had to pay that money few days ago. And
yet the Republican party has not treated
him right. You ought to know these
things" There was a good deal of a SEN
sation when these things were said. Mr..
Knox went on to say that President Har-
rison had offered DR.. Ebert position as
examining surgeon with a salary of $1,20C
a year and he had refused it. And yet
the Repuuucan party had not treated him
We'll" exclaimed the speaker. when
found Mr. Overstreet could not assist me,
] did not desert the party. ] am here tc-
night and have the pleasure of introducing
to you man whose attitude to our race is
known to be friendly"
1.-THE first lesson l learned relative to
the colored man." began Mr.. Overstreet, Il
learned from the lips of that famous man
of the race Fred Douglass, who said that
he came not to ask special favors nor char
liable considerations for the colored peo-
pie, but to ask the same consideration for
wanted was for the black man to be left
alone-if he lived, well; if he died, equally
we'll. (Appause) In considering the race
question, [ have had demonstrated to me
the wisdom of the idea that the colored
man wants to be let alone, that he does not
want to be led or driven"
Mr.. Overstreet said that in his dealings
with colored men he had always gone to
him as he would to the white men. He
asked if the colored man was not entitled
to the same consideration from the Demo-
cratic as the Republican party. What has
the Republican party done to cause
prejudice to arise in the minds of colored
men? Two years ago they undertook to
the party of the rich Has the party passed
any laws against the colored man under
the administration of President McKinley?'
He asked if the laws passed which had
made the conditions brighter had not af-
fected the colored man equally with the
white? II believe in a party that practices
what it breaches" he continued. that does
not depend on promises for the future when
asking support The party makes no prom
Uses for the colored man that are not equal
ly for the white. creates no conditions ben
eficial to the white man that are not equally
open to the colored"
When the Republican party took control
Of affairs two years ago no one anticipated
that domestic affairs would have to give
place to war on foreign soil. but when he
crisis came the colored man was there
alongside his white brother All party diff
ferences, all race differences were laid aside
in the trenches Of Santiago. IF patriotism
aroused men to the extent that all political
and race differences and preiudices were
laid aside then what reason is there for you
to hesitate 10 give approval by your vote
to the administration of the President? We
want to show TO Europe that while we were
patriotic and loyal in July and August we
are still patriotic. Once show to the world