Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-20
SUSTAIN THE PRESIDENT.
Speeches by Leading Co1ored Men NJ
Church Celebration.

A series of meetings, in celebration of the
thirty-sixth anniversary of the organlza-
ton of the Metropolitan Baptist Church,
covering three days, closed last evening.
The exercises were held in the main au-
ditorium of the church, on K street ne
tween 18th and 18th streets northwest, and
at each session there was In attendance a
large and representative gathering Of the
Afro-American people. metropolitan Bap-
fist Church is one of the most notable
church properties owned by coiored peopie
in the District, Rev. Robert Johnson being
The principal address d7 the series was
delivered Tuesday evening by former Rep
resentative Henry p. Cheatham of North
Carolina, at present flling the position of
recorder of deeds for the District of Co
lumbla Mr.. Cheatham's remarks We're re-
ceived with many manifestations OF favor
He paid a high compliment to the Metro
poIitan congregation, and congratulated
them upon the thrift, business sagaclty ana
Christian zeal which had senabled them 10
acquire such a magnificent temple OF Wor-
ship 1t had been secured, he said. shorty
after the great civil conflict, which resulted
in the emancipation of the negro, and no
thoughtful man or woman OF the race was
unmindful of the fact that the freedom
which made the. buIding and ownership or
this valuable property possible was brought
about through the agency of the repub-
lican party-the organization, he said,
which has always stood in the van of in
teiiectuai and moral progress OF the natIon,
regardless of creed or color. ut.i..i
He referred to some of the CRITICISMS
made upon the republican administration
by some colored men whose amntlons 1t
had not been able to satisfy, and brought
forward strong evidence to show that Pres
ident Mckinley had done more IN an oihclal
and personal way to promote the negro
welfare and to secure to him the hign priv
leges and immunities of American citizen
ship than any other executive who had oc-
cupied the chair since the war. He did not
believe the reports of discomfort among the
colored people are well-founded, and pre-
dicted that before six months have elapsed
the wisdom Of President Mckinley's gem
eral policy and his breadth as statesman
and a true American will be So apparent
his most captious critic of today Will be-
come his enthusiastic admirer.
Mr.. Cheatham said he would never, under
any circumstances, be an apologist for any
man who was IN the wrong, nor would he
compromise the interests of his race for
the sake of office but he honestly believed
the administration represented the best
thought Of the country on the revenue and
money questions, and that Mr.. Mckinley
was heartily in sympathy with the aspira
tons of the colored people, and would go
far as any President could go to guarantee
them the rights which they contend are
justly theirs.
DR.. C. B. Purvis followed. speaking in a
similar strain. He saw nothing derogatory
to the American campaign in the Philip
pines, and expressed the belief that the adj
mnistration is sound in its fiscal policies.
AT the closing meeting last evening Mr..
Judson W. Lyons, register of the treasury
made telling speech, reviewing the record
or the republican party on the negro ques-
ton, and describing the glowing achieve
ments of the negro soldier In the several
wars Of the nation. He showed that the
black man had always been loyal to the
stars and stripes. and said they always
would be, whether the battle be pitched on
the soil of the Philippines, the European
mainland or upon the American continent.
Fatal Yellow Fever Mt Santiago.
Gen. Brooke, at Havana, reports to the
War Department that Herman Poine quar-