The colored American., 1902-08-02

save that of politics. In the business of
setting up governments and knocking
them down there is always something
doing" If it happens that one portion
Of Inc country IS compa -atively at rest
the popular attention is called to another
section of the national vineyard where
the wine-press needs some energetic
treading. Eyes are now turned toward
the fall campaign with view of determ-
ining the paramount issue" upon which
the next House is to be won or lost, and
the attitude of the many classes of
voters who are needed TO insure success.
With continued prosperity as an argu-
advantage would seem to be with the
Republicans The Negro is more indif-
fcrtnt politically than he once was, and
here and there it is likely that some de
fections from the grand old party will
be felt, but as between the existing par
ties the Negro masses will prefer to cast
their lot with the promoters of national
Unity and emancipation. Our voters are
studying economic questions closely
nowadays, and before the colOred
"spt binders :Ttemp. TO hold anybody
cDrl,bOund by their elOquenCe are tracing
out the POSSIBLE effect Cuban reciprocity
would have upon the Negro cane-grow-
cy: also cur relation to tariffs and trusts.
l.. 1 r. ,,-I,
die commodities used by us every day,
but the trust that menaCes most and
Lrings nome 10 us all of the evils Of
hog combines" that corner tie ne
Ccssities Of life, is the beef and other
food trusts. President Roosevelt :
strong stand for Cuba and his OutSpOke1
Pronunciation OF unlawful mergers" IS
robbIEg the Democrats OF their best
tnuhder Likewise his severity in deal
ing with violatOrs of decency in the
American army in the Philippines, mas
thrown cold water into the magazine OF
tn anti-imperialistS. While rivalry
abOunds in many districts there is no
deep-seated bitterness anywhere, and un-
der the generalship of Messrs. Babcock
and Oversreet the Republicans stand to
win by very safe margin.
Apropos of the Congressional fight,
the Negro student of political economy
Is quietly investigating phase of pOlit-
zeal science on lines somewhat new TO
this generation. The Negroes are not
happy because the present Congress
shows no disposition to reduce Southern
representation, to move against dlSfran-
cEisement at the South, refusal to enact
q law against Jim crow cars, failure to
suppress lynching and the general air of
hstlessness toward any and all measures
looking to the bettermcnt of the colored
people The latter resent the plain dis
against them by Census Di-
rector Merriam, and they are not any
the more satisfied when he tells them
that the members of Congress are to
blame for the cutting OUT of nearly
every COlored employee in the bureau.
In any event the director cannot shove
upon the poor Congressman the burden
Of unfair record ratings nor the practice
of keeping efficient eolored clerks at
81 900 per year when white clerks in the
same section and doing the same work
are getting $1,000. These things may be
aired on the stump" unless Mr.. Bah
cock can find way to relieve the tension
by distributing a few chunks of rec
ignition and promising more consider
alton IN Congress next winter.
These are a few of the grievances and
the new departure referred to means
that many who have lost faith in prom
lscS, believe that the Negro should turn
away from Congress as sunnlicants for
"a hat thav ara told - the ir1OOS Sible and