The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-13
THE MAYOR-ELECT
A GUEST OF HONOR
Republican CoIored Voters Hold a
Notification Meeting That is Ad-
dressed by Mr.. FIetCher-A
Club May be Formed

The Republican colored voters of Wor-
cester held a jollifcation meeting in their
hall 274 Main Street. to show their pleas
ure in the election of Edward f. Fletcher
as mayor of Worcester.
Mr.. Fletcher was present He spoke
for five minutes, and left to attend an
other meeting The mayor-elect was in
troduced by Daniel G.. Gaines chairman
of the meeting, who said; 1--WE have met
the enemy and we have conquered them.
He paid a graceful compliment to Mayor
O'Connen, and yet a more graceful COM
pliment to Mayor-elect Fletcher.
The mayor-elect said: u am glad to
greet the colored voters Of Worcester,
especially at this time, when it cannot be
thought that any election benefit is to be
gained. | say to you that 1t is my wish
and purpose to be the mayor of all the
people and to fill my office regardless Of
any creed, Of any color or Of any race.
Il look back in meeting you to the first
unity meeting of the colored race, which
was held in Aver Junction In the early
7Os ! was present at that meeting.
There were many colored men IN that
section They were good citizens ana
good men. / remember Emerson Haz-
zard. Peter Hazard and Rufus Hazard,
whom you perhaps have heard OF. Ihey
are all gone now.
Il say to you that I shall never attend
any meeting to make political capital /
don't want anybody to say, What is
that man Fletcher trying to get now. |
shall try to be mayor of the present and
not mayor of the future. The future
can take care of Itself
Mr.. Fletcher then referred TO Mayor
OConnell, saying that he was indeed a
gentleman who knows the right and
knowing dares maintain. He spoke of
the kind letter he had received from
Mayor OConnell and had that letter
read by the secretary Of the meeting, who
was Walter M. Coshburn. Mr.. Coshburn
also read the reply Of the mayor-elect,
The mayor-elect in conclusion, sa!d
that he could never do more in visiting
his colored friends than have pleasant
talk with them. He was not able to
speech making they had erred in electing
him.
The chairman asked all those present
to stand and give three cheers for Mr.
Fletcher. which was done with entha-
siasm. The mayor-elect then withdrew
Those present began a general discus
sion of a project to form colOred men S
club. There was a division OF Onion as
to whether the men would better organize
in wards or in a club of the whole. The
secretary favored the latter method
Alfred A Busby favored a combination
Of both methods. He thought the wards
should organize and the officers of the
ward clubs be an executive committee for
a club of the whole.
Mr. Busby spoke for half an hour on
the general topic Of organization.
He said that while all amented the re-
moval of President Mckinley that there
might be in that sad fact something prov
idential for the colored race. Theodore
Roosevelt was a man Of strong cOnvic-
tons If he thought it right he would
not hesitate to send Federal troops into
Southern states to suppress lynching. 1t
was true the constitution said that Fed
eral troops could not be sent without the
request of the governor of state. But
the constitution also says that it is the
duty of the President to protect an
American citizen wherever ne Is, whether
In Massachusetts or In a foreign country.
If Roosevelt thought IL right he would
take that view Of the constitution.
Raymond Jones' Robert Tolson and
nearly all present expressed themselves
upon the project Of forming club.