Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-10-12
BISHOP CLIN'T|ON'S APPEAL.
No Colored Men Shonld Dream Of
Voting For Bryan.
Read His Eloquent Declaration In
Behalf Of Mckinley and sonse-
Welt and Good Government.

Bishop George w. Clinton is one of
the best known and most influential
men in the great A. NJ. e. Zion Church
South, and his views on any question,
religious or secular, are bound to at
tract attention because he always says
something worth remembering. At
Memphis the other day the bishop had
occasion to give his views on the pres
ent political situation and the duty Of
the negro and, rs usual, clarified the
atmosphere with the following cogent
and we'll thought out opinion.
ITO my mind the present is one Of
the most crucial periods in the history
of the American nation. The present
political campaign is one Of the most
important since the election Of Lin
coin. The election Of Lincoln gave us
the amended constitution. the emanci-
patton and citizenship for the Ameri-
can negro. Upon the election Of Nc
Kinley depends the maintenance OF
the amended constitution and the citi-
zenship Of the negro.
II have not thought it necessary un.
til quite recently to express myself on
these matters. since believed that the
American people had too much sense
to take any backward steps at such a
time as this. However, the action OF
men like Bishop Turner and few 9TH
ers who are styled race leaders In de-
claring themselves in favor Of the cleo.
ton of Bryan, in the face of the fact
that his politics is as many colored as
Joseph's coat and his chief henchmen
arc such men as Red Handed Tillman,
who acknowledged upon the floor Of
the United States senate that in his
state negroes are shot, robbed Of their
ballot and the like, make it necessary
to do so. Furthermore, when We see
that neither Mr.. Bryan nor his party Is
willing to speak out against the wrongs
being hcapcd upon our people, how can
any sane and thoughtful negro support
Bryan?
Bryan and Til1man.
"A vote for Bryan is vote for Till
man, for North Cardinals, South Caro-.
lina's, Mississippi's and Louislana's
notification of the three sacred amend
lnents to the federal constitution and
the continued degradation Of the me-
gro, to say nothing about the turning
back of the hands on the dial plate OF
American progress for years to come
l feel that this is the time when every
negro who loves his race and every
friend who wishes the race well should
vote for the best interests Of the coun'
try and for the conservation Of the p0'
litical rights Of every citizen Of the re-
public, whether he be black or whether
he be white.
"a vote for Bryan this year means
the Endorsement of Democratic meth
DDS in the south and Democratic intol
erancc and rowdyism in the west
where recently the Republican vice
presidential candidate, as we have
seen, was subjected to the grossest In
dignities and insults by Democratic
mob. No better object lesson than
this could have been furnished to illus
trate the Democratic idea Of free
speech.
A Creature Of Party.
"Even though Mr.. Bryan may be
ever so we'll inclined toward the negro
we must not lose sight of the fact that
no man is greater than his party, that
the thing created is not greater than
its creator. Mr.. Bryan is the creature
of the assorted Democracy of the coun'
try, and it will not permit him to put
into execution his good intentions III
he has any In respect Of the negro. He
will have to reckon with B. r. Tillman
of South Carolina and a goodly COM
pany of fire eating southern Democrats
If, in the event of his election, he
should attempt to recognize the negro
as a man and citizen. He has not
the courage to do it now, and it Is
doubtful il he would attempt it then.
81 stand ready to do anything l can
by voice, pen or hand to bring about
the triumphant election of William Nc.
Kinley and Theodore Roosevelt, who
stand for the principles that make for
prosperity and the security of the
rights Of citizenship"