The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-10
THE NEGRO DE-cITIzENIzEO.
BISHOP TURNER'S CHARGE AGAINST
TnE SUPREME COURT.

ana 1tNti highs ana H@ fFeda"t~
Continuance OF This PoIiry-tie
Desires "A Change IA the Hope THAT
Bryan May Prove More Honest and
More Courageous Than Mckinley.
lie Has no Intentions of stumpinE
the Country, Bowever-Industriat
Education a Good ThiBG, but the
Remedy l. Inadequate.
Bishop u. 81 Turner spent Sunday with
tn New Street Church. formerly the old
81 Philips A. 81 4. Church. The Bish-
% has a great affection for this old
church and % h due 20 him that 70 re-
mains a church to-day instead % hav-
lag been been sold for other purposes.
The New street Church" said Bishop
Turner yesterday. was the first piece Of
property purchased for church purposes
F by our denomination after the war. ard
Z g has many dear associations for Us u
should always remain a church"
A few years ago when the 81 Philips
4 congregation purchased the building then
occupied by the Seventh Street Methodist
f Church on West Broad street IL was pro-
posed to abandon the New Street Church.
ana sell It Tor other uses When the mat
Ter Was brought 20 the attention o. Bish-
90 Turner he put his foot down on the
move very emphaticauy ana cav 70 ~
T that Il was maintained as church and
another pastor installed there. There was
considerable stir about the matter among
I the colored Methodists. but the confer
4 ouce upheld the Bishop almost unani-
mously
Bishop Turner's talks % the congrega-
T ton were confined 20 religious subjects.
{ He has not hesn able 70 preach since the
stroke q paralysis. which occurred &c
him in Savannah more than a year ago,
bur his uowers a. a fluent talker still re-
main with him. Notwithstanding a slight
impediment in speech
You have my position on national pol
tics correctly stated IN to-day's Morn
ing News" said the Bishop when asked
Z about political matters. - am not Dem
ocrat. never have been one and never ex-
& pect 70 be- and have no intention OF
stumplng the country for Mr.. Bryan. ENen
I II had the cesire I am not physically
Z able 10 do 20. J dislike Mr.. Mckinley. and
the attitude which he has assumed to-
waVd the negro. and I intend 20 vote for
+ Mr. Bryan IN the belief that any change
/ i better than none. I have stated my
I views freely H. discussing this matter
/ with my friends. but ] am not RESPONSE
/ bic for the many newspaper statements
/ and reported interviews with me which
have been sent broadcast throughout tho
4 country Now that my Views have been
/ given publicity ! do not mind repeating
what have said.
This g. 10 new change Of heart with
/ me" said the Bishop. For sixteen
years have been cooling towards the Re-
/ publican party. ever since the decision OF
/ the Supreme Court which practically held
/ chat a negro had no civil rights. From
/ that date 90 this the decisions Of the SUI
/ preme Court have been against me negro
I where a question OF his political or civil
/ rights was involved. have heard Of one
Instance where the Supreme Court held IN
1 the case o. a negro from Texas that ne
was entitled 20 trial by q jury Of his peers.
that IA one composed an least partly OF ne
/ rroes bus I have not verified this. The
I Supreme Court has practically de-cluzen-
( ICED the negro and has nullihed the
amendments 20 the constitution DO noe
know VIVA, Mr.. Bryan's views are on
these questions which AFFECT the negro
race. but I believe that he is "a man of
/ suaaclent honesty 20 use his influence IN
behnif Of the right and justice.
MIR. Mckinley has done nothing for the
/ negro" said the Bishop. except 10 ap-
/ point a few Of them 10 office. peveauN
/ and Rucker and the rest Of them may on
he very good men and ] don't blame them
| for taking Office. hut what good does that
do the ress Of the race, Mr. Mckinney
/ has never lifted his voice in hehnf of the
/ negro. though ne has been appealed 40
time aud again. m he had shown courage
and holiness IN condemning these out
/ RACES against the negro which have DIS
rraced our country many OF the later
crimes OF violence would never have oc-
CURED. The negroes have followed the
Republican party hlindly IN che past EX-
perience has shown us that we have n0f h.
ing to expect from that party In fact.
we have little 20 expect politically any
way from any party. but our condition
will not be made worse by having honest.
courageous men iu office Past experience
has shown ~ that we have nothing 10 eX-
pect from the supreme Court. The out
right disfranchissme Of the negro in
Louisiana. Mississippi. South Carolina
and North Carolina viii each IN turn b.
upheld By that court. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
that they are IN direct violation OF the
constitutional amendments That court has
never failed to turn the back OF IT'S hand
where the rights % the negro are con-
cerned and yet a IL saturated with Re
hers are appointees OF Republican presi-
dentp
Under the decisions Of the Supreme
Court" said the Bishop. although
am a citizen Of Georgia and may claim
my rights as such. / am not a citizen OF
the United States My citizenship may
be recognized IN Florida. or Massachu.
sets or New York. or Texas. but Il will
not BE- in North Carolina. or SOUTH Caro-.
lima, or Louisiana. or Mississippi. The
action OF the Georgia legislature placed
the stamp OF its disapproval upon dis
franchisement almost unanimously and II
makes me proud TO feel that / am still 4
citizen Of this state"
Asked about the future Of the negro
generally tn this country. Bishop Turner
replied that the outlook IS dark The
negro has no future Ia this country" ~
said "and therefore have advocated
emiRration. few individuals may sue
coed here and there. but there Is no en-.
couFagement to the great mass of the TO-.
00oee negroes"
is not the industrial education move
ment among the negroes doing good
work." he was asked.
industrial education Is doing a great
work for the negro" he replied. "bui
what are few schools and colleges
among 80 many millions? II r. good
work but as n remedy for presenN con-
diiions Il is Inadequate"
III Is a remarkable commentary on The
| condition OF our race" said the Bishop