The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-09-15
LILLY WHITE PLANK.
DEMOCRATIC COMMENT ON
THE REPUBLICAN DEC
TAXATION AGAINST
THE NEGRO.
Chairman Rusk's Analysis-A
Promise to Side Track the
Blacks After They Have
Voted the Republican Ticket

uDOn them to make any reply
to the persistent war cry and
senSeleSS sham and ShibbO-
leth of negro domination
The Republican party of the
State of Marylrnd favOrs no
social equality among the
races; faVOrS no negro dOmi-
nation over the white peO-
pie here or elsewhere, and
can be depended upon to
guard against the establish
ment of either of these con-
ditiOns here in Maryland
with equal safety and with
greater sincerity than
partisan organization that
wears the mantle and usurpS
the name of Democracy, as
understood in its best and
broadcast sense in this land"
This declaration constitutes one
of the planks in the Republican
State platform. AT first blush
it apparently amounts to little,
but when carefully read and di-
gested it means, in the McClOs-
key vernacular, that the Repub-
licans are paving the way to
"trun down the COON"
Democrats generally refer to it
as a "Lily White" plank because
it practically favors white suprem,
acy at all stages of the game
when the black vote is not need
ed. No Republican convention
has ever gone quite so far as to
declare that the negro has no
political rights which a white
man is bound to respect, except
those of voting the Republican
ticket, and it remains to be seen
just how the blacks themselves
will take it. The convention de
clined to accept Mr.. Walter B.
Miller's plank because it was al
together too blunt and readily
understood, but the average ne
gro is not expected to grasp the
velled reference to himself. 1t
is intended to be only read by
the Chilly Whites"
Chairman Harry Welles Rusk.
of the Democratic City Commit
tee. said that if the Republicans
were sincere in this declaration
they practically adopted the Dem
ocratic idea and for what the
Democrats have been for years
contending. They were getting
at it by indirection. whereas the
Democrats used language that
could r, adily be understood, even
by the voters affected.
KEEPING NEGROES IN BACK
GROUND.
ever since the campaige open
ed" said Mr.. Rusk, 1.-the Lily
Whites have been trying to keep
the negro out of the lime Zig ht,
so as not to arouse antagonism.
They have been keeping him
away from their county conven-
tiOns, cajoled him into believing
there were better things in store
for him if he remained away from
the State Convention, and now
in language that he cannot under
stand they promise to side track
him so that he never can gain a
foothold. Are they sincere? Not
much. What they have put out
is simply a bait to catch white
votes; but at the proper time our
people will compel their speakers
to explain their promises. These
explanations must be made-not
here whore they are under,
stood, but in the clouded sections
of the State, where the black
votes count In these counties
the negro believes that he is as
good as any white man, and it
will take something more than a
resolution to convince him other.
wise.
"If it is really the purpose of
the Republican party in Mary
land to turn down the negro and
hit him whenever he shows his
head, as this plank III the plat
form would have us believe, the
blacks had better emigrate, for
they will not be accorded either
political or social recognition,
and Booker Washingtou's teach
ings have been for naught. l be-
lieve there are a number of Re
publicans who agree with the
policy outlined and whose votes
are needed whom this resolution
is expected to keep in line; at the
same time those who depend upon
the darkey for Their political lives
will endeavor to convince him it
will not be enforced. There is no
doubt the Republican party
wants to get rid of the negro, vet
retain his vote. 1t remains to be
seen whether they can retain his
help without giving him political
recognition. L think not.D
SAME OLD LILLY WHITE PLANK.
MIR. Rasin, the Democratic
leader, was much amused over
this plank. sit is the same old
Lilly White idea presented in
another shape. But the negroes
here are more intelligent than