The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-02
.tro-Anaeri.
can Council.
Mr.. CONWAY HOME.
Impressions of Sessions
Resolutions Adopted.

~ . SCAAb NllSiC lie represented
colored citizens of Worcester in the de-
liberations of the National Afro-Ameri-
can council, held in that city Thursday
and Friday of last week.
Rev. Mr.. Conway occupied his pulpit
as usual, Sunday, but made no special
reference to the recent council. In con-
Versation with representative Of The
Spy who saw him at his home on
Bowdoin street, after the evening SER
vice, the pastor gave him the impress
sions of the council and outlined brief
~ the general features of the meet
ings.
1t was evident that Mr.. Conway did
not feel that the council accomplished
the good it had been expected, nor was
1t of exactly the nature he had been
led to believe before leaving to attend.
Inc pastor did not hesitate to say that
he was disappointed in the meetings
as a whole.
4 had hoped" he said, that an effort
might be made to secure some sort of
local organizations as offsprings of APP
parent organization, with regular meet
lngs once year, at which delegates
from all the subordinate bodies would
attend. Nothing of this nature was,
hover, mentioned in the meetings.
To be frank and fair, / do not be-
lieve that any more good viii result
from last weeks council than has come
from other similar meetings held in the
past. There were many men there who
wanted TO have their say, and clamor-
ed for a chance to vent their feelings
whether they were right or wrong.
There We're those who were fairly boil
ing over to say something against the
president, but those men were kept in
check, l am glad to say. While l was
disappointed that President Mckinley
in his annual message made no refer
ence to the southern outrages STILL /
think, there have been many who have
gone altogether too far in their state
ments against the president
Il was in hope that some new solu-
ton to the great problem of our race
might be presented at the meetings.
None, however, was forthcoming. There
was no new solution"
The program of the Friday morning
session, says Mr.. Conway, went to smash
over a wrangle and acrimonious debate
as to whether or not the committee
which was preparing an address for
the public, and which was to be made
by Thomas T. Fortune, should report
70 liIe tAGtullNe tOlilIillltG, uS NdS Tue
case with all other reports or to the
council as a body
Disorder reigned for two hours, the
chairman calling vainly for quiet and
order, before yea and nay vote was
taken. Pandemonum was the supreme
ruler of the council, and every one on
the floor endeavored to be heard at one
and the same time.
Bishop Walters srentorian tone
.Tf nN11
tude, and he ruled that the address
committee should report TO the execu-
tive committee, which in turn should
report to the council tonight.
There was an appeal from the deci-
sion of the chair. After working for an
hour to quiet the delegates two tel
lers were appointed to poll the vote of
the convention on The motion to sustain
the ruling of the chair. The confusion
did not subside while the vote was be-
ing taken, and the tellers consequent
ly disagreed.
This added to the general excitement
and confused order of things, and new
set of tellers We're called for. Finally
the delegates quoted down somewhat,
and the vote was proceeded with. 1t
resulted in the chair being sustained.
Delegate Marsh from Massachusetts,
arose and moved that the address be
received from the executive session at
730 o'clock, declaring that there should
be time to discuss It, as the document
was unmanly and was prepared by adj
office~holders. No self-re- |
speeding black man, he said, would vote |
for it's adoption.
In the renewed confusion following |
these remarks some one moved an ad |
journment, and the convention broke !
up without action by the chair and |
needless of an attempt to pronounce a |
At a session of the executive commit |
tee, resolutions were adopted.
THE purpose of this council is to |
dispassionately consider the conditions
under which the Afro American is
out his progress as an Ameri-
can citizen, and devise means of anne
such incidental circumstances
as operate unfavorably. AMI to utilize
such opportunities as promise greatest 4
good and
THAT we regret that in the public
meeting held during our session last
night, certain persons not members of
our council, but whose attendance we
could not well prevent. should have
given expression to their prejudices
and irrational emotions in q manner
hat was mistaken by some as an ex-
Jression on the part of this council; a
dtK OIL confluence IN tne purpose or the
to guard and to promote
he welfare of all the people, regard
ess of class, race or section.
And we declare it to be the sense
# this council that all such expressions
re foreign both to our opinions and
he spirit of our work.
One vote passed by the council that
vas heartily approved by Mr.. Con-
way was that calling for the establish
nent Of a daily colored paper in the
ty of Washington. The council an
'ropriated the sum of $2500 to start the
'aper.
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