The Washington herald., 1906-11-23
TAFT is DOOMED
BY NEGRO LEADERS
CONTINUED FROM FlRsT PAGE.

NNNttiAtS tdthSu ABOUT the uldANNl VI tiA~
negro troops. Mr. Hull said that there
was no doubt about the legal authority
OF the President to discharge the men
without honor
The President, or any Of his successors
IN Office, might, however. remove this
disability. although he expressed the opin-
ION that such removal Of disability would
not entitle a man dismissed 10 his con-
tinuous service record Mr.. Hull said It
was not improbable that the subject
might be discussed by Congress. and per-
haps some investigation ordered. but he
was unable 10 see what else Congress
could do. Mr. Hull did not criticise the
action Of the President
Democrats Are skepticaI.
Prominent negro politicians, and. in fact
Republican leaders, assert that "a division
Of the negro vote between the two parties
Is impending owing 10 the action of the
President in dismissing the negro troops
Democrats are skeptical over the outlook
Many Of them believe that the negro will
continue 10 vote regularly" regardless
Of the Presidents action. At the same
time, Republicans are fearful that the
time has arrived when considerable
number Of negroes cannot be placed safe
ly in the Republican column. Should This
turn out 10 be true. the political effect
would be far-reaching IT would mean
that the Democratic party would almost
certainly elect its Presidential candidate
and a House Of Representatives. and
eventually = Senate.
Since the negro has been given the bal
lot in tie doubtful States, there have been
very few elections where he has not been
practically the controlling factor. With
the possible exception of the Roosevelt
landslide of two years ago. there are
many instances where the negro vote,
subtracted from the Republican column,
and added 10 that OF the Democrats,
would have carried States for the latter
In 1886 Mr.. Bryan would have been very
close 10 election had it not been for the
negro vote, and in 1900 the race also would
have been uncomfortably close for the
Republicans.
Figures Are Interesting.
A few figures in this connection are in
teresting
For instance. take the so-caHed doubt
ful States Of Indiana. Illinois. Ohio, West
Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and New
York According 10 the Census Bureau
there are IN Indiana 1876 negro voters.
In 1886 Bryan lost Indiana by only 1900
majority, and in 1900 by but $500. In both
elections the negro vote. it IS fair Go as
sumo. held the State in the Republican
column. West Virginia gave Mckinley a
majority Of about II 000 in 1886, and 2 600
In 1860. The State of West Virginia has
4.1s6 negro votes, enough 70 have placed
the State IN the Democratic column. In
Ohio there are g, ,235 negro voters. In 1886
Mckinley carried the State by little more
than 510C0. and in 1900 he increased this to
$500 The negro vote in Ohio, taken
from the Republicans IN 1895. and given to
the Democrats would have carried the
State for Bryan. Illinois has 2. 762 negro
voters. IN 1850. the State gave Mckinley
5000 majority. Maryland and Kentucky,
which were carried by the Republicans IN
1896, owed il 10 the negro vote. Maryland
has over 5000 negro voters. Kentucky
has nearly B.060
In New York State there were. in 1900.
nearly 5000 negroes. Had they, with the
natural prOpOrtionate increase. voted for
Hearst instead of Hughes. the latter and
not the former would now be making a
trip 10 Mexico
Similar comparisons might be made with
other States, but the above are sufficient
to show why the New ork Ohio. and
other political organizations are so worked
up over the muster out Of the negro
troops. That their sentiments will be re-
flected upon the Republican membership
in Congress to an extent which may call
for a Congressional investigation is at
least among the possibilities.
one Company Mustered out.
Guthrie. Okla. Nov. 22.-The discharge
and payment Of negro troops in the bat
talon at Fort Reno. was resumed this
morning, and one-half Of a company was
dismissed. making a total of one fun
company mustered out Of service. The
War Department Is discharging haIf a
company a day. There are two more com
panies and their dismissal will require
four DAYS time. The discharge OF the
troops to-day was merely a routine mat
ter. Only The nfIl-ers and man know