The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1907-04-05

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though. where the vote of the city is
almost equally divided between the
white ana black, we thought we had
seen a ray of hope, for it was due to
the votes Of the blacks that the anti
saloon element won.
This vote of the colored citizens of
GAINESVILLE was gratifying to those of
the race who are acquainted with the
baleful effects of whiskey upon the
workingmen. But it now appears
from the antics Of the representative
of Montgomery County in the lower
house Of the legislature, Speaker Gun
bingham, of GAINESVILLE, that the col
ored citizen was handed a lemon when
he voted to abolish the charter of the
city.
AS we have stated above, the D
lation of GAINESVILLE is almost evenly
divided between the two races, but the
very best relations exist. One of the
wards has constantly returned a man
of u race to the city council. This
seemed to satisfy both races. So it
appears that when the campaign for
the abolition of the charter Of the city
was on, and Speaker Cunningham had
refused to be bound by any election in
which all the qualified voters were not
given a chance to register their opin-
ions, the anti-saloon forces, to secure
the Negro vote, promised that in the
event they were successful at the polls,
the Negroes need have no fear that
any change would be made in the city
charter that would prevent them from
being represented in the city govern
ment. But To- that the Negro vote
has made it possible for GAINESVILLE
to have a new charter in accordance
with the provisions Of the Pendleton
Bill, Speaker Cunningham has asked
that the charter be so amended as to
have the coIncilmen elected from the
city at large The avowed purpose Of
his amendment is to prevent the cleo
ton of a colored man as alderman.
Speaker Cunningham, as has been
pointed out by the element of Clarks-
vile of which the Mayor and the lead
ing paper Of the city are representa-
tives has shown bad faith in dealing
with the question. At the outset he
demanded a vote on the saloon uues-
ton by all the legal voters of the
place, apparently with the hope that
the Negro vote would defeat the de-
mand for the expulsion of the sa-
loon, but now, 1t seems, having failed
in his desires, he wishes to drag in the
race question and cut off the repre-
sentation In the city council of Clarks-
Vile, to which the Negroes are Justly
entitled.
1t is the action of such men as Mr..
that forces the Negro to
align himself with elements which in
no way tend toward the betterment of
race. A majority of the race, we
is opposed to the open and un-
restricted saloon for these "hullaba-
ZOOS" or dives" usually located in Sec
ions of the city occupied exclusively
colored people and run by white
men are a standing menace to the NOR
OF the youth of our race. But
whenever an effort is made to rid a
place of these Joints" there imme-
1iately appears a jack-out-the-box to
raise the issue Of white supremacy and
the Negro Of what little political
power he has
we congratulate the Anti-Saloon
League of GAINESVILLE, on the fight it
IS making to see that Justice is done
he colored citizens nf the place. If
hey are victorious, the fight they
nave made will do much to establish
he confidence of tha Neoroac of +ho