The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-11-06

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carry the news that the Republicans
/ have carried everything.
Throughout Rev Copeland's speech he
was applauded 10 the echo again and
( again. Several times the audience simply
went wild He hit the Democrats hard
and one could tell that he meant every
/ word of it.
II The next speaker was introduced as a
I young colored man, thoroughly in sym
pathy with the Republican party. His
name was Mr.. James Harper. He said
! it was his first public attempt to speak
/ before an audience for those principles
which he deemed right and just He
said that when he read OF the emancipa-
ton Of the colored race and the history
/ of his people since that time he was con-
WINGED that no people had ever made
such progress in the length Of time as the
coIored race. And then he asked under
whose leadership the black race had
made such remarkable progress. The
answer was the Republican party. Then
how can the colored man consistently do
anything else bur support the party that
has done so much for it? There are a
Few fellows Ct cur people that have, how
ever, fallen from grace.
We see them walking in the Democratic
parade. Afterwards the 80 along the
street hanging their heads down. They
are ashamed of what they have done
They have a right to be too. Now the
thing for the co'cre7 folks to do is to
some back to the field. They are prodigals
it is so but if they will come back before
it is everlsstDgly too late they can be
saved There is no question but what
Mckinley VIII be elected, it is only a
question Of how large a majority I
appeal to the young men in the hearing
Of my voice to vote right, beginning with
Mckinley clear al along the ticket"
The chairman next presented W. N.
Miller, the young colored attorney Of the
city and also editor Of the Searchlght.
Mr.. Miller has taken a prominent part
in this campaign among his own people
and the audience was glad 10 have him
appear. part Of what he said follows;
''The Afro-Anrerican has been in some
way connected with every progressive
movement ofthis country. In the battles
of the nation he has had a part from the
time that Washington spent the winter
at Valley Forge In the war of the re-
belHon the black man shouldered the
musket the same as the white man and
by the assistance ofthe colored man the
war was decided in favor of the union.
Then two years ago when the good ship
Maine was sent to the bottom of the
deep the black man was ready to go 70
Cuba and help free another down troOd-
der. people. Now in casSng a vote TO-
morrow the colored man has chance to
decide whether he approves Of the Re-
publican party that has led him on t.
greater accomplishments year by year or
vote for the party that has stood for
his oppression. Tomorrow will decide
whether the American people rant pros
perity and progress or the Coxey armies
and the fear Of financial disasters that
we had under the reign Of Cleveland. The
Republican party has a record that is
honorable and upright but the Demo
cratic party has a record Of national dis
aster, failures hatred OF the negro race
and disfranchisement of the negro vote.
One OF the men that the audience went
especially TO hear was Lieut.. Belts. At
different times during the evening the
crowd g0t rather impatient to hear him
and accordingly called Finally Belts
was announced. When his name was
called he Immediately appeared from be
hind the scenes The audience burst
forth in mighty applause when he was
seen coming to the edge Of the platform.
He is a small man but he proved to be
powerful talker. He opened up. with a
brief history of the founding Of the Re
publican party. He told the principles
for which they stood and went on to say
that today great battle is being fought
by that party and the Democratic party
He said: "On the one side is the Re
publican party that stands for liberty,
Justice and humanity. On the other side
lis the Democratic party that is fighting
the battle on the old lines of hypocracy,
injustice and bad whisky I for one pre-
dict an overwhelming majority for intel
hgence. right and truth
Lieut. Belts went on then to give a
short review Of the history of the Demo-
cratic party. He told that they had met
last Fourth Of July in Kansas City and
had, tn his mind disgraced the birthday
of the nation. Then he ridiculed the
Idea of this country being in danger Of.
Imperialism. He said that he would not
can a man liar that would say NcKin-
ley was trying to be made car Of Amer
lea, but he said that he would shake
hands with the man that would call such
a fellow a liar. Then Lieut. Belts went
on to say that there are some m0nstriGi-
ties in the city of Wichita among his
own people. He said that when negro
votes the Democratic ticket knowing the
history Of that party it at least manifests
that there is something wrong with that
man. The longer that Lieut. Belts
talked the more enthusiasm he got and
the more enthused the audience became. /
A dozen times during the speech the
cheering was deafening.
AT the close of the meeting Otto Eek
stein made a short talk which was re-
ceived very enthusiastically by those
present Mr.. John Davis and NIr. P. A.
Rohrbaugh also made short but rousing
speeches. Tt was q great meeting and
more than one col0red man stopped to
talk with his friends after the close Of
the meeting He had to talk for his en-
thusiasm would not let him go home
without expressing his feelings
AR r. f. Torrington of the santa Fe
division freight office. is confined to his
home by an attack of sickness.
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