The broad ax., 1908-06-06
GOVERNOR JOHNSON AND THE
NEGRO.

I
ing the attitude of the candidates for
President upon the Negro question.
1t win mean a great deal to them to
have man in the White House who
wiz be friendly to them, conservative
and sensible to say the least, and not
a rabid Negro-lover, like Fire-Alarm
Foraker is proving himself to be. We
do not know that Governor Johnson is
in the same boat; but this remarkable,
story is printed in the Selma Times:
Before the people of the South cast
their votes for Governor Johnson for
the Democratic nomination for Presi-
dent" said pominent physician Of
Dallas couknty, Alabama, 1T would be
well for them to learn something of
his views, perhaps, on the Negro ques-
ton. / was in ST. Paul in August,
1906, and with my wife visited the
magnificent State capitol. which had
just been completed. The building
cost S5.OOO,OOO and is a handsome
structure. Like most visitors. l thought
l would like to meet the Governor. We
went into the Governors Office, and
there were several others sitting
around waiting. We sat down, ex-
pecting a secretary OF somebody to
introduce us to the Governor, fho
was John Johnson. There was a Ne
gro, well dressed and oficacioas, who
seemed to be the major domo of the
ONCE. Some other ladies came in to
see the Governor and the Negro chief
clerk or secretary or whatever he
was. went into the Governors once
and came back telling them the Gov
enor was engaged. The Negro laugh
ed and chatted with another Negro,
and my wife and myself decided to
leave, as we did not care to be intro
duced to the Governor by a Negro. l
only relate the incident as a word of
caution that our people had better
make an investigation, for we Of the
South have had trouble enough with
a President who did not understand
the Negro question and particularly
when such affairs as the Cosmopolitan
Club dinner is being countenanced in
the North"
This is a striking contrast to the
attitude of Mr.. Bryan. In New YORK
City, recently. Mr.. Bryan delivered a
splendid speech on the subject Of the
brotherhood Of man, and at the con-
clusion Of the address some one In
the audience asked him:
'1s the Democratic policy of dis
franchising Negroes in the South in
accord with the spirit Of brotherhood
OF which you have been speaking?"
And this answer came like fash Of
lightning: ''The white man of the
South puts a qualification on Negro
suffrage in self defense. There is not a
community in the North that would
not put on similar qualification un-
der the same circumstances. The
white man in neither the north nor
the south VIII permit few men to
take the solid black vote and use It
for the making Of money regardless
of the interests Of the community. as
was done by the earpet-baggers Of the
South"
Perhaps, If Governor Johnson is
elected President, he win make the
Negro his secretary. and the same sort
Of thing win have to be confronted in
the Waite House. The gentlemen in
Alabama who placed their names on
the ticket as Johnson delegates for
the stateatLarge would feel very
small to find that their candidate had
such Negro views IS these. There
are a great many people in the South
who VII hesitate to vote for man
, in the face OF such an incident as
this.
The Dallas County physician is IN
dorsed By the Times as reputable and
, Trustworthy. ana fiom his remarks he
has In his veins the true Southern
blood and does not care to see the
, Negro pushed forward n public
places. or placed nnywhere that he
can be onaeacious IN the presence Of
white people. This incident yfl be