The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-19
THE NEGROES ARE
IN AN UGLY MOOD
Will Organize a New RepubIi
can Party.
PRlTCHARO Is CRITICIZED
For Turning His Back Upon the Ne
groes in 1902.
HE PUT THEM IN OFFICE 1895 TIL 1899
Negroes win Hold Convention to Denounce
Republican Leaders Who Kick
Them All 01t Of
Office.
PRlTCHARO IS CRITICIZED
For Turning His Back Upon the Ne
groes in 1902.
He PUT THEM IN OFFICE 1895 TIL 1899

Office.
A new Republican party is to be o..
ganized in North Carolina.
The date fixed is April 18th, at mass
meeting to be held in Raleigh at Metro
politan Hail.
This course was determined upon last
night by a conference of prominent col
ored leaders, held at the home of the
widow Of the late James H. Harris. long
the Republican leader of the Fourth
Congressional district.
Prof. II. e. Hogans, of Goldsboro, IS
president, and Rev r. II. W. Leak IS
secretary of the new organization. The
address to the colored voters of the
State, setting forth the reasons why the
negroes should make this new depart
ure, Is being prepared by ex-senator
Newsom of Northampton county. edi
tor of the Neuse River Herald. The
call will soon be published.
1t is said that Ed Johnson Assistant
District Attorney, DR.. James E. Shep-
herd, who holds a position in the Inter-
nal Revenue department, and other
negro Federal office holders, are behind
the new movement but are afraid they
will lose their scalp if they say any
thing in public.
I was talking with prominent negro
politician last night about the new
movement, and he said:
THE negroes are up in arms against
Senator Pritchard and the other Repub-
lican leaders. They feel that they have
nothing to gain and nothing to lose, and
that they can assert themselves. One
by one the negro office holders have
been removed. Cheatham was made TO
walk the plank so that Dancy's Will
lnington job could be given to renegade
member of the so-called Silver party.
Four years ago Keith was hollering
himself hoarse for Bryan and abusing
the Republican party. Now he gets a
fat office at the expense of 10000 ne
groes who put Pritchard in the Senate.
Cy Thompson, who has been loud
mcutned Populist, gets a good paying
job in the Revenue Department. place
that plenty of negroes could fill. And
now Col Harry Skinner, who was the
boss anti-negro Populist in the east,
gets $4,000 job, and the old line Re-
publicans get it in the neck.
In 1858 there were nearly 1000 ne
groes in office in North Carolina. With
few exceptions-(not more rascally ge-
gro office holders than white Fusion Of
fice-h olders)-they were honest and
capable. Senator Pritchard, Mr.. Hoton
and the other Republican leaders put
every one of these negroes in office.
Why? Because they every one owed
their offices to the negro vote and they
dared not refuse honor to the repre-
sentatives of the 10000 voters. That
was it, as later events have proved.
The negro thought these men were their
friends in truth, but it turns out that
the only use they had for the negro was
TO vote them in office. AS long as the
negro could do this they We're glad to
give the negro some of the smaller Of
fees but now that they think the negro
vote will not keep them in office, they
turn upon the negro and drive him out
of every little place he fills. Isn't that
: base ingratitude. If not, what is it?
Now the NEGROES may not be able to
stop this bad treatment by men who
Mustered and konored them in 1894 and
1896, but they at least will speak out
and expose the ingratitude and ind,-
Pritchard had the cordial support of
all the negroes. He owes his election
in 1854 and 1895 to them alone. They
thought his professions sincere, but now
he is kicking out the negroes he him.
self appointed to make favor with Pom
ulists, Silver Republicans and Gold
Democrats. He may think it pays to
thus turn on his best friends in the
rF eli
taken. The worm will turn
.The convention to be held here on
the 18th of April will protest against
the disfrSnchisement of the negro in the
house of his friends. We expected
nothing better from the Democrats. But
we were promised fair treatment by
Pritchard and the Republican leaders
They are now pursuing us with more
relentless heartlessness than anybody
else. The negro is kicked out of his bal
lot by the Democrats and kicked out o.
his right to hold Federal office by the
Republicans. Whittier shall he go?
"One thing we can do: one thing we
will do: We will put on record in
mass convention our position and our
treatment. All the world shall know
that we are being bounded down by Re
publieans in North Carolina, and treated
as bad as possible. We will not kiss
the hand that smites us. We will show
that we have some manhood left. ana
Senator Pritchard will live to rue the
day he prefers Populists and Democrats
to fire-tried Republicans.
What will the meeting amount to?
asked a Democrat that question last
night. Here is what he said:
1T may be we'll attended, for the ne
groes arc indignant at the treatment
they are now receiving. But it will not
amount 10 anything A few months be-
fore the election a few Of the leaders
viii be given places others will be