The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-15
TRouBLE FOR THE LILY WHITES

TROUBLE FOR THE LILY WHITES
 The meeting of colored citizens in this city Monday and the action taken by that meeting, Is one of the evidences of dissatisfaction which is felt by them re- garding the action of white Republicans In some comments yesterday on recent editorial in The New Yorh Age we ex- pressed the belief that if the time shall come when the negroes can vote in num- bers sufficient to have any appreciabie effect on elections, then the white Re publicans will take them to their bosoms as they used to do.
 While this prediction may be erroneous we do not believe 1t is. The Mobile Press is one of the colored organs of the State, and in a recent editorial the editor declares that he has received private letter from a prominent white Re- publican, who advised that all the negroes should support the Birmingham ticket on the quiet, and added: "If the ticket wins, the colored people will get back the fran chise. and our policy is. first to capture the State, repeal the new Constitution and your people will get your rights"
 The Press does rot give the name of the writer, but says he is man with whom the editor has affiliated in con- ventions for years. thus leaving the inn pression that he is a man of prominence in the party. Of course his intimatioa that his white party can capture tEe Gtata apd ..ranoal the navy (son stitutiou' is absurd, and was intended only to play on the supposed credulity of the col ored voters, but the language reveals the secret object of one of the leaders 1T they can obtain white recruits by an outward devotion to white supremacy. and can get the negro votes by such SC cret promises as were made to The Press, they hope to get control of the State eventually. It is a species of politics specially suited to some of the Repu5- licaa leaders in Alan hama. but The Press. at least, does not seem to take kindly to it, and says:
 Well ,the negroes of Alabama have been led by these same men,, the identlcal same men, Smith, Bingham and their stripe. ever since emancipation to our injury, against men who were giving us a living and protection when we need ed it. We voted against our warmest friends, actuated by fanaucism and not reIson. because we wanted to show oIr- ssl yes grateful Now they, after insult ing the race. are writing around among ticket t "on the auiet.S We are not go- ing 10 do anything of the sort.
 But there is a still more significant ut- terance in these words
 We have never voted a Democratic vote in our life, but if we do vote in this election it will be for Jelks and his ticket all down the line. His party did give the right to vote to some of us. His party said some of us were worthy. His party does not owe the negro any thing, for the negro has done every thing he could to defeat Jelks's party, and when we contemplate what Winston Smiths party has done, we simply say that the negro who votes his ticket is blatant fool, an ingrate and knave. You cant expect to crowd the negro out at Birmingham. and expect those the Jelks party have given life certificates to come up and vote for you.
 The Advertiser has more than once ex- pressed it's satisfaction over the prospect of a real white Republican Party in Alabama. We hold that two respectable white political parties, dinering only in principles, and each devoted to the well fare of the State, would be best for the State and the people. If the leaders of this new movement are really in earnest In their professions we shall be glad to welcome their party as a reputable an- | ta gonist with whom we can try conclu- l sions on terms of racial equality, and we have no fear of the consequences. l If, on the contrary, this leader who writes to The Press reveals the spirit and intent of those who control this movement then the last state of the Re publican Party in Alabama will be worse than the first.
 If the negroes who in the future be- come suffragists will divest themselves of the idea that they belong to the Re publican Party, or that they owe 1t any. | thing. or that they are under bonds to vote for It's candidates because they are Republicans and the voters are negroes if, in short, the negroes who qualify themselves to vote will show their inde- pendence and support the nominees of either party as they think proper. it will be the best thing they have ever done Let us have two white parties and let the colored voters vote as they think right and proper.