The colored American., 1900-10-13


last nights Times which suggested that
he should read to the audience the Iet-
ter addressed to the Democratic Ma
tlonal Committee by Bishop Turner, of
the African NJ. e. Church, in which
| that gentleman announces his intention
to support Bryan. Il have no obiec-
ton to saying what think of the bish-
ops acrobatic flop into the Democratic
party" said Mr.. Anderson, land as it
has been suggested that read his let
! ter L will do so. l hold the clipping
from the Times in my hand. Bishop
| turner's letter begins as follows:
am declaring my preference for
William Jennings Bryan for President
because he represents the same broad
| principles that Abraham Lincoln es-
poused, and l believe it will be for the
| benefit of the people to vote for him.
AS Abraham Lincoln was a friend to
| the cOlOred race, so is William Jennings
Bryan. All Of this silly sentiment of
adhering to the Republican party be-
cause Of Lincoln's proclamation of
emancipation is misapplied. The Re-
publican party of Lincoln and the Re
publican party of Hanna are distinct
ly things apart. Lincoln is dead, but
his principles of personal liberty still
live, and verify the mantle of Elijah
never fitted the shoulders of Elisha as
perfectly as Lincoln's mantle fits the
broad shoulders of Bryan
William Jennings Bryan first came
into public notice as an inferior mem
ber of Congress from an inferior West
ern State" said Mr.. Anderson, laying
down the clipping temporarily. -Four
years ago he secured the nomination
for President by making a dramatic
speech before the Chicago convention.
He had as one of his principal cam
paign managers in 1896 a man who,
when there is any political filth around,
can dive into it deeper, stay under long
er and come up looking cleaner than
any other man living-Ben Tillman, of
South Carolina. Can you imagine
Abraham Lincoln running for the Pres
idency under the auspices OF such
man? Can you imagine him speaking
throughout the country for four years
for revenue only, dividing his spoils
with the men who are preventing the
colored men of the South from eXer-
lucll 1lShIS VI
""The Republicans have lied to us
about our freedom and citizenship
continues the bishop. Our freedom
was a war necessity, and was dearly
bought with colored arms 100000
strong, and our citizenship is a replica
of serfdom.'
eyes, 100000 colored men did fight
against the COnfederates in the Civil
War. We fought them because they
were rebels-and there wasn't single |
Republican among them. We fought
the Democrats with bullets then, and
I've come here to ask you to fight them
with ballots now. Bishop Turner has
been going up and down this country |
for ten years telling the people that
the United States is not the place for |
colored men-that we should be trans |
ported back to Africa. But l want to |
tell you that as one of those who mad |
father and a brother among those 2OO,-
600 men, don't propose to leave the
country for which they bled and died.
This is my country and your country
and it is not the Republican party
which is preventing us from being citi-
zens in reality as well as in name.
"Tincoln never believed in govern
ing without the consent of the gov
erned' says Bishop Turner. Why IS ne
so solicitous about our governing few
f1eet-footed Polynesians on the other
side of the globe without their consent,
while he is not at all solicitous about
some millions of colored peo-
ole right here at home without their /:
consent? Why, bless you, Bishop