Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-04
Council Endorses the
Administration.
THE Observation-Disclosures
Register Lyons Describes Futile
Efforts of Democrats.
THE PRESS ASSOCIATION

tendance upon the sessions of the Afro
American council He gave today to
Star reporter some of his observations on
that meeting, and also some inside facts
regarding the resolution indorsing Presi-
dent Mckinley, which was currently report
ed to have been turned down at the meet
ing of the National Afro-American Press
Association, held last Monday evening.
According to Mr.. Lyons, there were but
six bona fide newspaper men, members OF
the association, present at that meeting,
although the number was swelled to seven
by another alleged member who represent
ed himself being eligible. When the reso-
luton indorsing the President was offered
some opposition developed and the resolu-
ton was withdrawn. In speaking of this
to Mr. Lyons after the meeting, Cyrus
Field Adams of Chicago, president of the
association, said that the resolution was
withdrawn simply for the sake of shielding
the weakness of the association in the
meeting Mr.. Adams is authority for the
statement that had the six bona fde MEM
bers alone voted the result would have been
tie.
Attitude of the Press Association.
He expressed himself to Mr.. Lyons as be-
ing much surprised that such prominence
should have been given to the incident, and
said that as soon as he found out the con-
dition of affairs he caused the following adj
dress to be issued Immediately:
1.-The undersigned members of the Ma
tional Afro-Amercan Press Association
very much regret that the impression has
gone abroad, from the action of the asso-
citation last night that the association Is
unfriendly to the administration of Presi-
dent Mckinley. This is not true. 1t has
been the uniform policy of the association
not to commit itself to any partisan in
dorsement as an organization.
1.-The undersigned members Of the asso-
citation, who constitute more than five
sxths of the membership present. unre-
servedly indorse the foreign and domestic
policy of the national republican admins
tration, and believe that the best interests
of the country at large, and the Afro
American people in particular will be
served by consistent support of Mckinley
and Roosevelt in the coming election"
Cyrus Field Adams, the Appeal Chicago.
York city; w. H. Steward, American Bap-
fist. Louisville, Ky; George L. Knox, the
Dancy, A. NJ E. T. Review. Charlotte, N
c.; D. r. Wilkins, the Conservation, Chca-
go, Ill; J. w. Wheeler, the Palladium, St.
Louis, Mo-; I. B. Scott, S. w. Christian Adj
Age, Atlanta. Ga; j. III. Deveaux Tribune,
Savannah. Georgia; ]. Chavis, Express,
Dallas. Texas; c. H; Handy. the Afro
american St; Louis Mo-; T. r. Allen the
Preacher Safeguard. Kosciusko, Miss; J.
r. Marshall the Bee. Paducah. Ky; r. r.
Wright, College Journal. Savannah, Ga;
Recorder, Indianapolis, Ind; Christian Re
corder Philadelphia, Pa; H. T. Healing.
A. M. E. Church Review, Philadelphia, Pa;
James Lewis. Republican Courier. New
Orleans, La; j. @. Adams, the Appeal st.
Paul, Mimi; ]. P. Green. the Bee, Wash
ington, D. c.; w. " Penn, the Appeal,
Louisville. Ky; I. H. White, True Reform,
Littleton, n c."
Mr. Lyons is not a newspaper man, and
hence could not have taken part in the
meeting of the Press Association
voter. AS a matter of fact he was not in
attendance upon the meeting Monday night,
although 1t was reported in some quarters
that he was present and had offered the
resolution indorsing President Mckinley
which was withdrawn. He did not know
anything of the occurrence until Tuesday
morning.
In speaking Of the meeting of the Afro
American Council Mr.. Lyons said:
Council Strongly for Mckinley.
There were ninety-eight members of the
council present. This organization, as you
are well aware, is strictly non-partisan and
yet when a poll was made of the members
1t was developed that seventy-five of those
| in attendance were heart and soul in favor
of the present administration and against
Mr.. Bryan and all that his party stands
| for at the present time Under the leader
ship OF F. l.. MCGEE of Minnesota, Mr..
Scott of Illinois and Mr.. ]. Milton Turner
| of Missouri, three Of the ablest colored
made strenuous efforts to get the demo-
cratic members of the council out and had
succeeded in marshaling about twenty-five
to oppose anything that should be said or
| done in the council in the way of indorsing
| the present administration This was clear
| ly brought out when an address thanking
| President Mckinley for the words used in
| his previous annual message relative to
the lynching of negroes, and thanking the
| governors of all states who had also made
efforts to put stop to the horrible prac-
| tice The democrats in the council made
strenuous efforts to have the measure with
drawn or defeated, but they did not sue
| ceed, as 1t was passed by fully a seven
| eigfths vote.
Another significant feature was the in
| cooperating OF paragraph of the principal
address of the meeting in which the words
| we warn the cOlored men north and south
| against supporting any man or party north
| as guaranteed by the 14th and 18th amend
| ments' were used. This was also bitterly
| opposed by the democratic members pres
| emit, but their efforts were unavailing'
Democratic Efforts Unavailing.
Mr.. Lyons said that all the democratic
| members Of the council who made the Jour-
ney to Indianapolis were all old men in the
work, and that he did not see one single re-
cruit to the party Of Organism, although
he made special inquiry in that direction.
''One rather funny incident of the meet
|
| j. Milton Turner to Senator Pritchard' s
| speech on the Acknowledgement of negroes
| In the south. Senator Pritchard made an
| argument that was simply unanswerable
and out Of fairness the managers of the
meeting concluded to give some democra:
present an opportunity to reply to him.
| AS no one seemed anxious to take up the
| cudgel in the red shirts behalf Mr. Turner
was nominated for that duty, and the spec
| tacle displayed Of colored man standing
up before nearly hundred members Of the
race in a serious meeting and trying to
point out that the Acknowledgement of his
| brothers In the south was all right in
answer to the arguments Of q white
| man who contended that disfranchisement
| was entirely wrong was somewhat ludi-
| crous. Mr.. Turner's friends, or at least a
great many Of them, ventured the opinion
| later that Mr. Turner had not greatly inn
proved his opportunity.
Not q Republican Deserter.
II have also heard that Bishop Turner. -
| continued Mr.. Lyons, has gone over to the
democrats. I should like to observe that
the bishop did not have far to go, as he has
not, to my certain knowledge, voted the re-
publican ticket for twenty years.
TO PREVENT LOOTING.