Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-02-14
\ WORD TO CoLoRED VOTERS.

| rial appearing in his newspaper, the
Daily Capital, a few days ago, laic
down the proposition that the col
ored voters owed their support tc
Congressman Hull, because Of the lat
ter's service as a soldier in the Civil
war.
| Editor Young has devoted sur
| prlsing amount of space to appeals
! for return of Captain Hull to con
gress, and many of the claims ad-
vanced by him will not bear close
and honest investigation. The debt
that it is claimed is owing to Cap
tain Hull by the colored men of the
Seventh district is n shining exam
pie. In the first place, it must be
understood that the colored people
are grateful to every man, woman
OF child who in any manner contrib
uted to the betterment of the race.
They remember the services of the
Union soldier with feelings which
can not be described, and the man
who wears the bronze button always
has their profound respect to which
he is entitled. But let us see if Edi-
tor Young, in his unusual zeal, is not
attempting to play the part of the
willy politician by resorting to ap-
peals which the self respecting SOL
dier would scorn to have used in his
behalf.
Admitting that Captain Hull
served his country well during the
Civil war, and that his efforts con-
tributed to the freeing of the col
ored race, thereby earning for him
the gratitude that is so freely ac-
knowledged by every colored voter,
let us see what the colored man has
done to repay the debt, and whether
Captain Hull has any just cause for
complaint.
The writer of this article has vot-
eel for Captain Hull every time he
has been before the. people for pub
lie office. He has seen generation
grow up and watched time. sprinkle
their locks with grey, and though
all these years he has been regularly
casting a ballot which would assist
Captain Huh to good public posi-
tion with n fat salary attached. The
colored men of Polk county and the
Seventh district have been doing
the same, year in and year out in
stallments have been made upon the
war debt to which the editor of the
Capital refers, until the question
rises in the mind of the colored voter,
when, oh Lord, will the obligation
be discharged?
Are the colored voters never to
get even with Captain Hull?
For "a years Hull has held public
office, with the help of practically
the entire colored voting population.
The colored voters have voted for
Captain Hull while he was using the
powers of his office to place his two
sons in life positions under the gov
ernment, at salaries many times
greater than either could earn if
left to his own resources.
The colored voters have continued
to cast their ballots for Captain Hull
as he proceeded with the work of
securing appointments for "his cou-
sins and his sisters and his aunts,"
until the Hull list of Office holders
makes small volume in itself.
The colored voters murmured not,
but voted on while the captain traded
off the vote of the Polk county con-
vention so that his favorite relation,
Joe McGarraugh, might be given a
four years position as custodian OF
the state house.
The colored voters have lived to see
all the Hull family, even to the most
distant relation, placed where they
can draw regularly from public
treasury of one kind or another;
have voted the Hull ticket on and on
while the captain was placing the
public teat in the mouths of his own
from the least to the biggest, and
as a double assurance against the
time when the connection with pub
lie funds might be severed, has Sc
cured to himself valuable lumber
concessions in the Philippines, and
still the Capital editor cries out:
"More! More for Captain Hull!''
When, may I ask, is this awful
political nav of Captain Hull to be
filed?
Did the colored man secure his
personal freedom only to become
the lifelong political slave of Cap
tain Hull? And if the thousands OF
other Iowans who served in the re-
ben1on are to have any political con-
sideration at the hands Of the col
ored voters of this district, is 1T not
time that Captain Hull ceases to lay
claim to their votes?
Does the editor Of the Capita
! know that when he talks about mar
llet master he is treading upon dan
gerous ground? If he does not know
he at least ought to know, that the
/ colored candidate for market master
did not receive the support of a sin
gle delegate in the precincts DOM
mated by the Hull men.
But let us put the Capital and Cap
tain Hull to the test. A colored maj
now aspires to the position Of mar
ket master. He is the SON OF maj
who has supported Captain Hull TO
office for a life time, is honest, hon
orable. competent, and in every wa:
worthy of support. Will this col
ored man have the warm, loyal sup
port of those precincts controlled b b
Captain Hull? Will Captain Hull.
own precinct cast it's vote for the co
ored man? If the colored man WI
seeks an humble office in the clt