The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-17

COSMOPOLITAN CONVENTION.
In racial sense the Republican national
convention soon to meet in Philadelphia
will be the most cosmopolitan one ever
held. The American people are so essen
TALLY composite that every large conven-
ton represents blending of nearly all
bloods and nationalities, but these mixtures
are not often so pronounced as they will
be at Philadelphia. The mingling of the
white and black races in politics is not
new, and there will be the usual proper
ton of colored delegates at Philadelphia.
Political conventions have got far beyond
the point of baking at the color line, as
the National Federation OF Women's Clubs
did recently. In political conventions, as
in elections, 1t is the votes that count, and
if vote is right in other respects it is not
scanned as to color. Negroes are even per-
mitted to sit in Democratic conventions In
the South, and to vote and have their
votes counted, provided they are Demo
Gratis The social dogma of white mans
government" does not exclude the idea
of reasonable amount of negro suffrage
OF the right kind. There will be the usual
proportion of colored delegates from the
South at Philadelphia, though, taking all
rhe Southern States together, large ma
5ority of the delegates are white. OF the
Alabama delegation of twenty-five, ten are
colored and twelve are white, including
some large planters and prominent bust
hess men. The members of the Mississippi
delegation. eighteen in number. are all
colored, and there Is a considerable
"sprinkling" Of colored men in most of the
Southern delegations.
A delegation from Hawaii will constitute
a new feature in the history Of political
conventions. The new Republican party in
Hawaii elected four delegates and four
alternates. although Territory is only en-
titled to two. If only two delegates from
Hawaii are seated, it is thought they
will be Samuel Parker and Judge Ke-
poikai, both of whom are natives and
former royalists. Parker is one of the best
known men in the islands. His grand
father was an American from Boston. but
both his grandmother and mother were
natives, so he is three-quarters Hawaiian
He was a member of the Cabinet under
Queen Liliuokalani, but is now a stanch
American and ardent Republican. Whether
there are enough Democrats in Hawaii to
send delegates to the Kansas City con-
vention is not known, but from this time
on Hawaii will doubtless have some kind
of representation in the national conver-
nf hof hac
got quite far enough along to be repre-
scented this year. but no doubt her dele
gates will be on hand four years hence.
and will be admitted as honorary If not as
active delegates.
| The oldest delegation at Philadelphia,
and one of the most picturesque features of
| the convention, will be a delegation of
eleven full-blooded Indians from the Indian
territory. And what is still odder, the del
| egation includes one woman, Miss Ida
| Miller. The men include two Cherokees,
| two Choctaws, two Chickasaws, two
Creeks and two Seminoles. They are all
| counted wealthy and travel in a special
train. On the issue of abolishing separate
| tribal governments, which Congress has
ordered. the Indians are divided into Re-
| publicans and Democrats, and the Demo-
cratic Indians will send a delegation TO
Kansas City. Until recently the opposing
| PARTIES among the Creeks were full-bloods
and squaw men; among the Choctaws ma
tionalists and pullbacks; among the Chick
asaws and Seminoles, progressives and non-
progressives. Now all these designations
have been merged in Republicans and
| Democrats, which, as any one can see,
embrace about the same distinctions Be-
| sides the regular delegation to Philadel-
| phia of ten men and one woman, there will
be about thirty full-blood Indians who go
there is ''rooters" and shouters for Indian
| Republicanism and for Mckinley for Pres
| ident. The Indians will stop at first
class hotel and will probably have just as
| good time as If they were permitted to
run the convention. The ruling force in
the convention will consist of big men, in
| Guiding senators, representatives, .big
fours" and representative men from all the
| States. but there will be sufficient variety
| TO make it cosmopolitan.