The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-02
THE NEGRO GIVING TROUBLE
The Colored Delegates Raised a Big
Row in the Fourth District Con-
venti0n and Then Bolted. Some
thing May Drop in the Con-
vention Today.

The Republican State convention
will meet today, at noon, in Metro
politan Hall.
The hall has been elaborately and
artistically decorated for the occasion.
A huge picture of Mckinley is sus-
pended in the centre of the stage,
which is draped in flags and bunting
Stripes of the bunting is also ex-
tended around the walls and galleries,
while here and there small pictures
of Mckinley or patriotic shield APP
pear.
Evidently there is an attempt to
make up in decoration what will be
lost in enthusiasm and members by
the absence of the negro. The color
ed brother will not be entirely absent,
butrhe will be in a mighty small Mi
nority.
The convention will do three things.
certain. They are:
/. Endorse McKinley's adniinistra-
tion and declare their belief in his
ability to manage the colony ques-
ton
2. Declare against the Amendment
and then put the party organization
of the State entirely in the hands of
white men.
~. Nominate full State ticket with
several dummy candidates on it who
are willing to step down wren the
time comes to combine the Populist
and Republican ticket.
Just who will compose this ticket
could no1 be learned last night defii-
niiely. though it was decided about
midnight by caucus in Pritchard' $
room. The opinion prevailed among
1.-The fa:t!fuf' who could not get into
this caucus. though. that the nominee
for Governor would be w. y. Bynum,
.Jr.. of Greensboro. Other names men
toned in this connection were Romu-
lus Linney. Richmond Pearson, Jeter
Pritchard and Spencer Adams.
Pritchard it is known will not ac-
cept the nomination. Adams wants
to run for Congress in the Fifth dis
trict and Linney has failed to get the
promise of that judgeship for which
Ewart has been fighting. Unless
this is promised he does not want to
run. it is stated Richmond Pearson
couldn't get the nomination.
And this leaves Bynum as the only
pie in the pantry.
Walser will be renominated for At
torney General and more than likely
Dan w. Patrick for Commissioner of
Agriculture.
.'As to the other places" one prom
nent Republican told me last night,
I'VE are absolutely at sea. The
trouble is to find men that we can
take down when the time comes. OF
course every sensible man knows we
are going to combine with the Pop
ulist later, and we are not footing
ANYBODY when we say we are not.
Neither are they foollng anybody.
It's a question of arithmetic.
well when the time comes to com
bine we don't want any stubborn men
on the ticket that we have to prize
off. And that is why we have to fix
the matter tonight in caucus. You see
we have had some experience with
this business Of putting up and talk
ing down.
I'VE are trying to profit by that
experience"
Whatever may have been the OBJ
iects and intention of the caucus
and there is no sort of doubt that it
was to cut out tbe work of the con-
vention and name the candidates-it
caused much dissatisfaction.
''Why my dear sir one man COM
planned to me. 1--WE ordinary white
men don't count for much more here
than the negro. The only difference
can see is that we are to be tolerat-
ed in the convention and the negro is
not. But as for having any voice or
influence in the direction or shaping
of its aifairs-well. we are on an
equality. The caucus is fixing every
thing and only few of the select are
in the caucus.
'And the select are ,Jeter Pritchard.
Carl Duncan. Wash Hyams. Spencer
Adams. Hiram Grant and a few others
of that crowd of upper-ten Federal
office-holders. We ordinary devils are
not in it little bit. except to stamp
and yell and sweat and say amen to-
morrow when they tell us what we
.-s<h expected to do
Still another one. a man of convic-
MS and sterling worth among them
is. too. took the News and Obser-
reporter aside and said:
Be in that convention tomorrow
you will hear something DROP
his convention is being manipu-
by A. II. Andrews" said one
sd observer among them. Hes