The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1903-10-17


! American people are a race of rapiStS.
That members of the race commit as
saults on women cannot be denied, but
the percentage of crimes against wo-
men is greater for the Caucasian than
for the Afro-American. 1t must be re-
membered that many black, men who
are charged with assault with intent
to commit rape are really guilty OF
nothing more than simple assault, and
in certain sections of the country lin
solent" Negroes have been accused of
rape and then lynched. In many cases
white men have blackened their faces,
assaulted women and then poor black
men have been murdered by mObs
The Chicago InterOcean has shown
by the court records that white men
, in Chicago, last year, committed twice
as many rapes as were charged to the
entire Afro-American race. There are
1888 convicts in Sing-Sing prison.
New York. OF these sixty-one whites
| and two Afro-Americans were sen
fenced for rape; that is per cent. of
the whites and but 1 per cent. of the
Afro-Americans were guilty of assaults
on women.
g. Dispute the contention that South
ern Caucasians pay the taxes neces-'
sary to educate the Southern Afro
American. This is an economic alb
surdity which would only be advanced
as an argument by persons who seek
to befog the public intelligence. Each
man standing in his place in every
community pays as much taxes as any
other man. This is an economic tru-
ism which no reputable master of So
cial conditions, from Adam Smith to-
the present, has disputed.
9. Direct attention to the effect pro-
duced by the license of the mob spirit
Mob license is more dangerous to the
we'll being and perpetuity of society
than the isolated attractions of law by
individuals.
10. We should reaffirm our unalter-
able determination to continue the bat
tie for every right to which we are
justly entitled to- as good citizens, loyal
to the flag of our country, and we
should state plainly that, come what
may, we will never give up the con-
tention for absolute justice and abso-
lutte equality under the law.
Respectfully submitting the above
suggestions, and trusting that the
meeting may be harmonious and pro-
ductive to great good for the race,
am, Yours faithfully,
Cyrus Field Adams.
When the committee on an address
to the country reported their work
storm of disapproval came up from the
delegates, and several were at once on
their feet to speak against it's adop-
ton The trouble was all caused by
clause in the address rejecting on
Booker T. Washington and his meth
DDS. R. A. Byrd, of Quincy, member
of the committee, got the floor, and,
after handing in minority report, In
a vigorous speech defended Mr.. Wash
ington, and earnestly opposed the
adoption of the majority report.
w. w. Johnson, chairman Of the
committee, defended the action of the
committee, scored Mr. Washington,
and demanded action to preserve the"
civil ard political rights of the Afro
American. Hon. E. H. Morris got the
floor and delivered forcible and ar
gumentative speech in support OF the
majority report. He gave reasons why
he opposed Mr.. Washington and his:
methods He stated in his speech
that he was not in any sense opposed
to industrial education for all those
who wanted it.; but he said no man
could be just to himself and fair with
the race who took the stand that be-
cause a mans skin was black ne
should pillow in the field, or because
wOman's skin was black she should
only be educated to be a drawer of
water and newer of wood. Those sen
timents he charged Booker T. Wash
ington with entertaining. Mr.. Morris
claim was that the greatest race man
| was he who taught the cultivation or a.
| free and independent spirit, but re-
served to himself the right to decide
what avocations in life he or his
should follow, regardless of the color
of the skin. After considerable dis
cussion, that portion of the address
referring to Mr.. Washington was re-
committed. and afterward the address
was adopted by vote of AZ to %.
Resolutions endorsing the admins
trations of President Roosevelt and
Gov. Yates were adopted. A vote OF
| thanks was rendered Gov. Yates for
| the manly sentiments expressed in an
address to the League, delivered at the
beginning of the afternoon session.
Resolutions commencing the course OF
Gov. Durbin of Indiana, and Sheriff
Witlock of Vermillion county, were
also passed. !
The officers elected for the ensuing
year are:
President-John G. Jones. Chicago.
First vice president-H. H. Dewitt,
Jacksonville. Ir r~A
Second vice president-T. c. Fleni-
! ing, Braidwood. 'E s- H.
Secretary-Louis B. Anderson, CarI--
cago. ".s---. ..
Assistant secretary-Otis 3. Dun
can, Springfield. t.,
State organizer-R. A. Byrd, Quincy.
An executive committee OF nine
members was chosen, of which Repre-
sentative E. H. Morris of Chicago IS
chairman. 1862
The League then adjourned subject
to the call Of the president.
This years cotton will amount to-.
about 100000 bales, worth half
billion dollars. At least 80 per cent OF
Int was produced by the Drawn OF
Southern Afro-Americans. Read be.
tween re l'nes'