The colored American., 1900-05-26
EDITOR FORTUNE RoAsTs TILLMAN.

Close of the Zion Conference Mr.. Dancy
on ths State of the Country Negro and
the Ballet-No Sympathy Fer The
Beers. &c
The closing session of the general
conference Of the African Methodist
Episcopal Zion Church Monday, was
full Of interest. The report of the com
mittee on the state of the country was
Pre- 'snted, and the comments made by
I. Thomas Fortune, the editor OF the
New York Age, were Sensational. The
report dealt at some length with the
question of the suffrage for the Negro,
and Editor Fortune, in speaking on
shis point vigorously denounced Ben
Tillmap, of South Carolina, and ia the
most unstiHted terms pitched into the
one. eyed seoundrei who daily digraces
she United States Senate by his pres
ence, and who oulrages every instinct
Of deoeney by his brutal and cowardly
attacks upon helpless black people
It had cost tons of blood and tons of
neney, he said, to place the fifteenth
amendment In the Uonstitu ton of the
United States, and it will cost tons Of
blood and tons of money to get 1T out.
The speaker was appiauded to the echo
when he sat down. after urging the
Negroes to organize. The address scin
ttllated with bright points and was de-
Nvered ia Mr.. Fortunes earnest and
inimitable style. 1t was said. to be the
New Workers. best oritoTical effort in
recent years Editor Manly. Prof.
Lswson and Mr.. Whitfield NeKinly
alss spoke.
The report OF the committee on the
state Of the country was q lengthy one
II was submitted by John q. Dancy,
the chairman of the committee, and
dealt principally with the work of the
Negroes during the PERIOD that has
elapsed since the civil war. The re-
port extolled the bravery Of the eolored
Fesinents in Cuba and the P oilippines
and went On to say that. while biunders
might have been made, it was the
duty Of the people of the church to &C
eept the situation and carry on mis-.
siensry work in the countries that have
recently been acquired by the United
States. 1t pointed to the strides tha,
had been made by the people of the
eolored race, along industrial and pro,
fessionsl lines, and deplored the faet
shat the national government had mo-
provided system of national educa
tion fer the celosed people.
The report further commended tn,
proposition to take away the trsnohis'
Of illlterate Negroes and allow Hitter
ate whites to vote, and said while op.
portunity for education vas denied t.
the Negro he ought aot to be COZ
demnsd for not having sufficisnt learn
Ing to properly cast his ballot. Th,
Grimes against women and wrop gdoint
of every kind was denounced, and tn,
members ef the Conference were urget
to begin q crusade to prevent this staiz
upon their race.
The war in South Africa was dis
missed with the expression that hat
the Beers observed the "golden rule
In the past, they would new be en-
titled bo the sym patby Of the people O
this country, but that the conference
hoped under the circumstances that tb
national government would not be mis-
led into an expression of sympathy TO
the side Of that people against Eng
land
The desire for fair chance to com
pete Ia the labor world and an expres
sion Of support for the national eoun
ell closed the report.
AoAAaaAANaSAAa