Evening star., 1905-10-02
Chairman Bonaparte Com
ments on Partisan Appeals.
THE RACE QUESTION
POINTS TO RECORD OF MARYLAND
REPUBLICANS.
Declares That Allegations of Attempt
to Force Social Equality and Negro
Domination Are False.

In response to a request for informa .on
as to the action of the republican conven-
ton at Baltimore, of which he was chair
man, Secretary Bonaparte has written the
following letter, the publication of which
he has authorized as a means of dissent
mating information as to the actual situa-
ton in Maryland:
In the campaign now in progress in
Maryland the democratic ring relies for
success, as 1t has relied for success in
many campaigns during the past thirty-five
years, upon appeals to race prejudice To
infiame this prejudice it has frequently cir
cu.ated and it circulates now many utterly
false and indeed ridiculous stories as to
what the republican party would or might
do If intrusted with power by the voters.
While these falsehoods are not only absurd
in themselves, but conclusively refuted by
experience during the four years Of repub-
lican supremacy in the state while the late
Lloyd Lowndes was governor from 1896 to
1900, they have undoubted weight with a.
certain class of voters, of whom some are
very ignorant and others SO intensely preju-
diced on this question as to be almost be-
yond the influence of reason.
The Charges.
Some of these preposterous tales are to
the effect that republican legislature would
compel by law certain forms of social inter-
course between the two races, as. for ex-
ample, by establishing compulsory attend
ance at mixed public schools or. obliging
white children to be taught by colored
teachers. Others hold out the alarming
prospect that republican governor or
MAJOR would appoint a vast multitude of
eolered officials, with no regard to fitness or
expsdlency, e,s to all sorts of public positions.
oI course when we had republican legis-
iature ana republican governor nothing Of
the kind was done, and the present repub-
lican mayor of Baltimore has made no such
selections for public office; nevertheless
some people actually believe these warns
and others try to persuade themselves there
MAY be some truth in them, so as to vote
against their own reason and conscience.
and. while such dupes are found, the manu-
1acture OF such falsehoods continues.
Action of the Convention.
Stories of the first class form part Of
an outcry against social equality stories
of the second class give such color as they
may to an outcry against negro domina-
tion; the resolution of the republican con-
vention disclaiming any desire or purpose
10 promote either of these chimerical evils
must be understood in the light of, the sur
rounding circumstances, as above set
forth. In Maryland 1t has been so un-
derstood and has attracted little or no
comment; outside the state IL seems to
have been widely misunderstood by rea-
son of widespread ignorance of the pe-
culiar conditions which prevail with us,
Il ought perhaps to add that, although I
am the presiding otIcer of the convention, 1
did not appoint the committee on resol,I-
tions, was not member of that commits
tee and did not suggest or advise the adop-
tion of the resolution in question do not
therefore, speak for the convention; but
in speaking for myself on the subject
feel perfectly confident that 1 voice the
sentiments of all sincere and earnest re-
publicans in Maryland"