The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-06
Caucus Was Held at Dor
 Sett'S Hall.
Referees in Name of President Invite Thuse Who are Registered to ' Come Into Fold-Hundley to
 Preside Over Conference.

The qualified negro voters of Alabama were yesterday onicially Invited to re- turn to the Republican Party from which they were busted last September by the Republican State Convention.
 I ne invitation was extended by two or the Alabama referees, W. r. AIdrich and Charles H. Scott. and a number or other Republican leaders who intimated that they spoke for President Roosevelt in urging the return of the negro to ms old place in the party councils.
 The invitation was extended at a eau GUS held yesterday afternoon at o'clock at Dorsette's Hal, on Dexter Avenue, between the qualified negro voters and leading wnlte Republicans, The caucus was held for the purpose of securing the pledge of the negro voters to assist the referees in reorganizing the Republican Party in Alabama.
 The negroes were told by the referees that the referees had letters from close personal and political friends of the Pres ident urging them to support the referees in the work they had undertaken. The negroes were invited to endorse in advance the reorganization plans of the referees. but the details Of the. plans were not developed to the negroes.
 Neither of the referees promised or pledged the negroes anything. Ihey were present but the talking was done by their friends.
 Negroes Did Not Accept.
 
 negroes voted down the proposition to en- dorse in advance the plans of the referees and the work of the Republican confer ence today. By their actions the negroes assumed the position that they would hold aIOuf until the Conference had acted, If it's policies were agreeable to the negroes they announced that they would line up and assist in the reorganization schemes.
 The Conference had been arranged be- forehand. The quaUhed negro voters who were in attendance upon the sessions of the Negro Suffrage Association had been invited to meet number or the leading white Republicans in a caucus for the purpose of securing united action in reorganlzing the party In Alabama. Dor setts Hall was named as the meeting place for the caucus.
 Men Who Saw Negroes.
 Immediately after the meeting of the State Executive Committee. w. F.. Aldrich Charles H. Scott and number of white Republicans went to Dorsette's Han. The party numbered about thirty | i've. It included such well known Re- pubIicans as Lee J. Bryan of Montgom- l erv: P, D. Barker of Mobile: M. D. | Wickersham of Mobile; w. F. Standifer of Gadsden: w. F. Tebbetts of Mobile; | D. B. Booth of Prattvil.e, J. A. Byrd of Greene County, F. F. Fowler of Perry | County and a number or other promi- nent Republicans.
 They were net at Dorsette's Hall by about forty registered negro voters among whom were A N. Johnson of Mo bile, A. N. McEwen of Mobile, Charles Chiids of Marion, Ad Wimbs of Hale | s. H. H. Washington of Montgomery H. V. Cashin of Madison.
 l A number of short speeches were made both by the White Republicans and by | the negroes. The referees, however, were not among the speakers.
 Information -Sley Bore. | The negroes Were informed that the ref erces had letters from close persona | and political friends of the President. re commenting that they assist the referees | In recognizing the party along tho olt 1 party lines They were told that the ref l erees had back of them more than a ma