Evening star., 1903-12-16
COLOREO men DIVIDE
Exciting Contest at National
Suffrage Convention.
SEVERAL FACTIONS
PREsIDENTRoosEvELTs FRIENDS
FORM SEPARATE LEAGUE.
Statement by Leader Corrothers of the
Roosevelt Faction-Stor1ny Ses-
sions Yesterday.
SEVERAL FACTIONS

The first attempt of the negro race in TINS
country to get together on one platform
and throw the entire weight Of it's influence
for it's own interest failed last night
While, as stated in The Evening Star yes
terday, the attempt to organize the suHraSe
convention at the Metropolitan Baptist
Church. r street between 18th and 18th
northwest, was ultimately successful the
object of the convention, to form ma
tional negro suffrage league of the United
States.'' was ultimately not carried out.
The split came after the nrst move toward
organization had been taken and officers
had been elected, and after committees
had reported on a constitution and plat
form.
In the platform Rev. s. L. Corrothers.
president of the local suffrage league,
wished to insert an Endorsement OF ROose-
velt and after hours of wrangling and up
roar. which was loud that one woman
downstairs started cry of fire. the meas
ure was lost by vote of 80 to 30.
Corrothers Faction Bolts.
Thereupon Corrothers and his faction
bolted, formed another organization with
Corrothers as president, and unanimously
adopted the resolution.
The Roosevelt resolution was follows:
Resolved That we indorSe the able and
upright administration of President Roose-
welt, and ask for his nomina ton for lie
presidency"
Another resolution was then adopted
unanimously by the remaining thirty-eight
delegates, who were under the leadership
on the floor of w. Calvin Chase of this
city and James III. Hayes of Virginia, pre-
viously nominated for president of the ma
tionai league when it was but partially
formed.
The resolution adopted by this faction
is as follows:
BE it resolved. Tha, we appeal to the
President of the United States to supple
ment his commendable acts in the inter-
est of justice and fair play for our race
by recommending to Congress the pass
ing of legislation for the enforcement of
the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments, thereby making effective
his stand for equal rights.
Thus the convention of representative
negroes from twenty-five states and ter
ritories and the District Of Columbia in
stead of taking steps toward a union of
interest and effort, only managed to di-
vide itself almost equally, carrying with
1t. doubtless, somewhat similar division
among the colored men throughout the
country.
The world is looking at u.s." was the
oft-repeated cry of the prominent lead
ers yesterday and the day before, when
they were trying To secure harmony
The world is looking at us; we must
show that we are one and they have
utterly failed to do this thus far.
Roosevelt and Anti-Roosevelt Factions.
There were Roosevelt men, anti-Roosevelt
men, Washington-R Roosevelt men and
anti-anybody men at the convention which
was in continuous session at the Metropol-
1tan Bap tist Church from 10 o'clock yester-
day morning until 2:30 O. clock this morning
Until 80 o'clock this morning the conven-
ton was an ATTRACTION assembly. The
burning question under discussion nearly
the whole time was: Shall President
Roosevelt receive the votes of the negro
population at the next election, and his
present adminiStra ton be indorsed?'
The numerous factions, almost as numer-
Gus as the delegates. all arranged them
selves on one side or the other of this uues-
ton, each for its own particular reasons
Some were simply for the President, believ-
ing him to have the interest of the colored
man at heart and to be capable of better
ing the colored mans condition; others
were as sure that the President was not
this sort of man: others rebelled against the
so called leadership of Booker T. Washing
ton, between whom and President Roose-
Welt, they said, there was mutual confidence
for political and other reasons; and still
others We're opposed to indorsing any man
Tor the presidency, claiming that the negro
race should support for Congress the indi-
Nldual who sided with the negro-be he
democrat, republican, populist "abolition-
list or independent
The committee in whose hands were the
much-mooted resolutions was to have re-
ported at O'Clock yesterday evening but
at that time it had reached no decision
Contest Renewed at Evening Meeting.
At the evening meeting the fight was re-
newed. s. G. Coleman Of Pennsylyania
made passionate appeal for Roosevelt.
He was interrupted repeatedly, but his
strong ministerial voice pulled him through.
ana ne was able to complete his speech.
CorrotherS sprang to the platform at its
conclusion and called for three cheers for
Roosevelt but he was met with as MANY
JeerS as cheers. Some one tried at the
same time to introduce a measure of in
dorsement but President Nelson ruled the
mover off the floor.
Still no committee. Rev P. O'ConneII of
Delaware excited the delegates to a TRADE
against Hampton and Tuskegee.
Il would not sell my manhood for all
Hampton and Tuskegee" he shouted
Others spoke loudly and earnestly on
both sides of the question.
Address to the Public
At length the committee sent in an adj
dress to the public, which was read by
Dr. Walters. 1t declared different methods
| must be used In different sections to &C.
| cure the salvation of the race, and that
the negro could not be eliminated politi-
cally. Party preservation must be changed
to race preservation 1t declared Lynch
ing was denounced as cancer that might
spread over the entire body The penal
institutions of the south were also de-
nounced, and the distribution of the race
| in all the states advised. 1t was recon-
mended that the Secretary of the Interior
apportion the school funds of the south.
The address was adopted by the conven-
ton unanimously.
A second executive session was entered
into at 1890 o'clock last night Here the
greatest confusion prevailed for hours ava