The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-12
HOW DOES PRITCHARD STAND
WITH ROOSEVELT?


1t is an open secret at Washington that
Senator Pritchard, upon the expiration of
his term in the Senate, expects to be
made Judge of the Circuit Court. At
one time it was supposed that Judge ST.
monitor would retire and Mr.. Pritchard
would succeed him, but this was incor-
rect There is now pending before the
Judiciary Committee of the Senate bill
rearranging the Southern Circuit Courts.
One of the purposes of the bill is to
create a new circuit which will call for
the appointment by the President of a
new Circuit Judge from North Carolina,
to which new position Senator Pritchard
expects the President to appoint him.
What effect if any, will the election
and the part Senator Pritchard took in
kicking the negro delegates out of the
State Convention in Greensboro have
upon his judicial ambition? That is
a question that is giving trouble to the
Senator's particular friends and is CIV
ing Pritchard some anxious hours. In
fact he has been more or less troubled
about it since Postmaster General Clark
son widely advertised, in his talk with
the negro bishops, that the President did
not approve the turning down of negro
delegates in the Alabama and North Car
DINA State Conventions. But until Mon
day of this week Pritchard's North Caro-
lima friends have supposed that the talk
was for publication only and was not
a guarantee of good faith. They have
said that Mr.. Clarkson promulgated it
TO keep the negroes in line for the Re-
publican party in New York, New Jersey,
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Delaware. But
on Monday there came blow that has
stunned the whole office holding brigade
in North Carolina in the refusal to re-
appoint a Republican offce-holder In
Alabama, chiefly if not solely, because he
is held responsible for the exclusion of
negroes from participation in the Ala
bama State Republican Convention.
If a Federal office holder in Alabama
is kicked out of an office he has been
warming FOR four years because he OPP
posed negro participation in Republican
conventions, where does Senator Pritch-
ards ambition for a Federal Judgeship
stand? Just before the Republican State
Convention met at Greensboro, sometime
after Booker Washington dined with the
President Senator Pritchard went to
Oyster Bay, took dinner with him, and,
according to the news printed at that
time, discussed the North Carolina politi-
cal situation with Mr.. Roosevelt. He
came at once to Greensboro and by his
direction, it is said, every negro elected
to that convention, including two ex-
congressman and an ex-State Senator
were denied a seat in the convention ex-
cept Dave Lane. And Dave was per
suadcd to go to Danville and remain
until the convention adjourned.
Immediately after the Greensboro con-
Vention, where the regularly elected ne
gro delegates were first insulted by the
temporary chairman and then kicked out
of the convention without rhyme or rea-
son except that the leaders wished
lily-white party Senator Pritchard at
tended the Alabama convention. He was
the guest of honor and made practically
the same speech on national issues that
he made at Greensboro. 1t was generally
supposed when the Alabama Republicans
followed the example of North Carolina
in kicking out the negroes from the State
an ambassador from the President ana
was carrying out instructions. Except the
indirect talk TO the bishops no repudia-
tion of the action of organizing a Lily
White party in North Carolina and Ala
bama was heard until after the election,
Then it was found that the Lily White
advertisement had not been answered by
white voters and that the Republican
party had "swunk" like Vance's catfish.
Within six days after the utter collapse
of the Lily White party is made known,
a statement comes from the White House
that Mr.. Bingham, the Lily White leader
in Alabama has been removed from the
office of Collector of Internal Revenue,
because he was lin a measure held re-
sponsible for that action" (the exclusion
of the negro from the Ala bama State Con-
vention), and Postmaster General Clark
son says neither the administration nor