The Jersey City news., 1901-04-04
Black for the G. O. p.


Dark clouds are gathering about the de-
voted head of the Hon. Forster NJ. voor-
hees. The Afro-American population of
the, State are saying that the Governor
has gone out of his way to snub his col
ored brethren They claim he has once
more demonstrated that the Republican
ter his vote has been cast and counted.
There was a bill before the last Legis-
lature in which the colored people of the
State were deeply interested. 1t provid-
ed for the purchase of "Ironsides,' the
old Stewart-Parnell homestead at Borden
town for the Manual and Industrial Train
ing School for Colored Youths. The school
has been in active operation for several
years in a modest way. and all accounts
agree that it has done an excellent work
1t has outgrown it's present quarters, and
the bill was introduced for the purpose of
providing the increased facilities which it
now needs.
One day when the measure was under
consideration, the pupils of the school
were taken TO Trenton and exhibited to
the Legislature from the galleries. They
made such a favorable impression that
the bill went through both Houses with
out any opposition to speak Of The coll
ored people were elated and they talked
of lynching the croaker who declared
that the Republican party was not the
friend of the colored man.
Their elation has suddenly been chang
ed 70 detection by the knowledge that
their much cherished school bill was
among the measures which failed to be-
come a law for want of the Governors
signature. OF course the vials of their
wrath were poured out upon the Chief
Magistrates head, and he has only made
matters worse by attempts to take refuge
behind the Appropriation Committee
He declares that tho bill called for the
expenditure of $4,000, provided it was SET
aside by the Appropriation Committee. In
its wild chase after capital for the party,
that body failed to make any appropria-
ton for the school, and so the Governor
the provisions of the bill.
This explanation fails to convince the
colored brother He sees in it the same
Kind of subterfuge by which the Repup-
licans were able to overcome the law
providing for colored regiments of militia
and several other measures which the
Legislature passed as a sop to the Afro
American. They say if the Governor
wished, ne could have signed the bill and
permitted 1t to become a law and the
school would have taken its chances of
getting the money. No amount of yooe-
heesian reasoning can convince them that
the Governor and the committees did not
between them put an intentional slight
upon them, and they are talking of show
ing their appreciation of his and their
services at the polls next fall.
Another grievance which the coiored
people have against the Governor is the
manner in which he treated the Rev w.
Il. Roundtree. The Rev. Roundtree is the
colored divine of the Methodist persuasion
who wanted to be a member of the State
Board OF Arbitration. He had the en-
dorsement Of all the leaders of his race in
the State. and was considered by them
their personal representative. Any honor
bestowed upon him would be considered
: an honor bestowed upon his people. Mr..
Roundtree as is now we'll known, was
most uficeremoniously thrown down, and
not much attempt was made to conceal
the fact that his color was the chief
cause Of his rejection The colored peo-
pic consider this another direct insult and
they VIII not listen to any reason on the
subject II the Afro-Americans would,
only do to the Republican party one-h1lf
ef what they threat4n they would Re-