davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22
STAIR IN POLITICS
VERSATILE BUSINESS MAN EN-
TIERS NEW FIELD.
Is Theatrical Magnate, Financier and
Publisher-Likeiy to Be Miehi-
gan Oeiegate-at-Large to
G. o. p. Convention.

New York.-WaRted-The transfor-
nation of a versatile business man
into a Republican leader. Apply to Ed
ward d. Stair OF New York and De
Jroit, newspaper proprietor, theatrical
magnate and financier.
This might well be the form of an
nouncement adopted by Mr.. Stair If he
desired to be entirely frank in the
publication of his aspirations to be the
deIegate-at-large from Michigan to the
Republican national convention. Now
rs years old, Mr.. Stair has been stead
lily progressing in the business world
since he was 13, when he began his
fight for the attainment of his ambi-
tiOns. In finance and business he has
reached the goal at which he aimed.
But it now appears that there is some
thing more which is essential to Mr..
Stairs happiness and to the real
quintessence of bliss.
The indefatigable little political bee
has recently got extremely busy with
the newspaper Theatrical financial
man. The bee has stung him once. to
common knowledge. making Mr. Stair
deslrous OF applying salye in the shape
OF the position of delegate-at-I large. The
bee has also begun 10 sting him, by re-
port a second time If the bee COM
pIetes the last bit of work Mr.. Stair
VIII be seeking additional salve in the
Suise Of even higher political honors.
This, at any rate, is the gossip among
men who announce that they are IA
miliar with the topic they are dis
cussing.
If Nh. Stair succeeds as we'll in poll
tics as he has in business he certainly
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22
AN INTERESTING REPLEvrN /,
CASE.

The case of James II. Coleman. ad-
ministrator, against Kate CollwelI and
Milton Colwell, which has been pend
ing for nearly a month in the court of
Justice OF the Peace r. II. Terrell. was
decided Wednesday last in favor of the
plaintiff Mr.. Coleman.
This proceeding was in repIevin in
which Mr. Coleman, administrator of
the estate of the late Mrs. Louise Cole
man Robain, sought to recover a valua-
bic piano owned by the decedent, and
which the defendant Miss aKte Coll
we'll, held and refused to turn over TO
the administrator, claiming that deceas-
ed gave it to her just before her death
for services rendered, etc.
The plaintiff was represented by At
torney w. c. Martin, and the defend
ants by Messrs H. T. Winfield and EA
L. Stewart, OF the law firm OF Raiston
& Siddons.
At the trial defendants counsel con-
tended first that the deceased gave the
piano to Miss Collwell as compensa-
ton for services rendered as nurse.
Failing in this they contended that she
held it as bailee, and as a last resort
endeavored TO show the piano was
gift to Miss Collwell, donatio mortis
causa." When Miss Collwell was call
ed 10 the stand to testify Attorney
Martin objected on the ground that un-
der the law she was incompetent as
witness. Justice Terrell heard her tes-
timOny conditionally, stating that if the
legal point raised by Attorney Martin
was correct that he would strike out
her testimony
At the special instance of the court
defendants counsel were requested to
file brief in support of their conten-
tions. This was done Friday, the I4th
instant and 4 copy served upon Attor-
ney Martin
At the conclusion of the trial Justice
Terrell observed that the question rails
ed by plaintiffs counsel was a very i'm
portant one in the case, and seldom
raised He took the case under al
visement and Wednesday last entered
judgment for the plaintiff.
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22

leave school, they would then be
doing a service to God and the
community. VIII someone point
out to The Bee what the colored
people in this city are doing for
humanity? VIII someone suggest
a remedy for such idleness among
our boys and girls
The educated young girl or the
young girl just ont OF school IS
compelled to seek employment in
some toilet or kitchen in a depart
ment store. 1t has come to the at
tention Of The Bee that a certain
department store in this city has
in its employment a woman known
as a procurist. Young girls have
been approached and asked to meet
white men at her house. Many OF
them have refused, and when they
DO some kind of excuse is framed
and they are dismissed.
The Bee has the name OF another
Young colored girl who was en-
ployed at a certain candy manu-
facurer's and because she refused
to tolerate the advances of the boss
she was dismissed.
1t is the duty of every colored
American to see that their boys
and girls are protected from in
suits. 1t is the duty Of everyone
to throw a protecting shield around
those who are weak.
In this city there is a colored
population of ninety thousand col
orcd people, and not one establish
ment is in operation in which our
own boys and girls can be employ
ed. All we think about III this city
is, Who can appear the whitest in
society, or can give the best dance
in which the brightest complexion
cd individuals, men and women,
may appear.
The social fever has taken a re-
markable hold on many OF the col
orcd people. This white complex
ion craze Is degenerating the social
circle of Washington to such an
extent that society IS becoming
amalgamated.
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22
BOLT OF BLACKS IN NORTHERN
STATES PROMISED.
Stand Taken BY the Bishops.


Resolution at Their Conference Up
braiding the Administration and the
War Secretary in Equal Terms Say
the Solid Negro Vote of the North
Will Be Against Either Of Them.
Resolution of Bishops.
"We, the colored ministers of the A.
NJ. f, the \. NJ E. Zion, and the c.
NJ. f. Churches OF the United States,
in conference assembled in the city Of
Washington, do hereby raise our voices
in stern and solemn warning TO the
coming Republican National Conven-
ton not to put in nomination for the
presidency either President Roosevelt or
Seci etary Taft, on pain of having ar
rayed against either of those gentlemen
at the polls next November the almost
solid colored vote of the North"
The bishops of the African Method
ist Episcopal Church Tuesday passed a
resolution vigorously opposing Secretary
of War Taft, and asserting that the
Negroes Of the entire country would
be instructed to vote against any candi-
date named by the President.
1t was decided to make an effort in
! every State in the Union to control the
Negro vote. In the States OF New
York. New Jersey, Indiana, Ohio, Del
aware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ida
no. Illinois, Massachusetts, Kansas, and
Missouri there are more than five hun
dred thousand votes These FIVE hun
dred thousand voters are to be asked to
cast their votes against Secretary Of
War Taft, or any candidate that the
President may name.
lAdvice 10 Southern Negroes.
In all these States an effort will be
made to organize State leagues. In the
States of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,
Georgia, aKnsas, Louisiana, Mississlp-
pi North Carolina, Oklahoma, South
Carolina, Tennessee. Texas, and Vir-
ginia where there are 70 be two hun
dred and eighty delegates elected to the
National Convention, the Negroes have
been advised to go into every county
and State convention and demand rec
ognition, and where not accorded their
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22
THE BLACK MAN IN THE CAN
VASS.

From the s.. Louis Globe Democrat
Some Of the Negroes are opposing
the nomination of anybody who Is sup
posed to be inimical to their race They
do this because of the discharge of the
Negro battalion from the army on ac-
count OF the disturbance charge against
it at Brownsville, but OF which it was
not proved to be guilty. Some of the
members of the battalion had been in
the army for several terms A few of
them could, for length of service, soon
be retired on part pay. All Of them,
however - the innocent as we'll as the
guilty, even if there were any guilty
were turned out with the stamp of
dishonor fastened upon them by the
War Department.
In 1000 there were little over two
million Negroes of voting age in the
United States. Most of them who are
in the States of the North and West
probably go TO the polls in every cleo
ton A large majority of them, it is
safe TO say, vote the Republican ticket.
In some of the close States which the
Republicans usually carry the black vot
ers hold the balance. In 1900 there
were 4sz6 Negro males of voting in
Connecticut, 1874 in Delaware, 20762
IN Illinois I8,I86 III Indiana, 1865 in
Kansas, 2I,474 in New eJrsey, 3I,425 in
New York, 3r,235 in Ohio and 1875
in West Virginia.
1t will be noticed that in a majority
of the States here named the black man
is decidedly important factor in all
the elections. In most Of the Presi-
dental compaigns the transfer of rwo-
thirds or three-fourths Of those votes
from the Republican to the Democratic
side would turn the scale A Republi-
can candidate who would encounter the
antagonism of any considerable portion
Of the black voters would need to be ex-
ceedingly popular with the rest Of the
country in order to be assured of VIC
tory. Under no possible conditions can
there be such a tidal wave for the Re-
publicans in 1908 as there was in 1901
The big majorities Of 1890, 1900 and
1904 in such important States as New
York, New eJrsey Ohio Indiana and
Illinois can not be repeated III those
States this year under any circumstanc-
es. In some OF those States the ma
jority is likely TO be down to the small
figures of twenty years ago and earlier.
In nominating a candidate who would
need any large number of voters, white
or black, in 1903 the Republicans would
be incurring a rather dangerous risk.
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22

will let the country know that another
live one" has come to the front. The
business versatility and success of the
New Yorker-Detroiter, whose business
headquarters are in New York and res
idence in Detroit, are shown by the
fact that he is:
A newspaper man, being a large
owner of the Detroit Free Press and of
the Detroit Journal.
A theatrical man, the firm of Stair
& Haylin controlling 1873 theaters in
the United States and Canada.
A financial man, being director of
several banks and trust companies and
heavy dealer in real estate.
And now he wants to shine with
equal brilliancy in a fourth armament
and become a political star Of the first
magnitude.
He is a comparatively newcomer in
the New York business world, having
moved his headquarters here from De-
troit only in 1900. II is in Michigan
that he has spent most of his life, and
it was in Michigan that he laid the
basis OF his fortune.
Mr.. Stair started his life struggle
with newspaper ambitions only
Through all his success in the the
atical field he has been true to his first
love and has always been connected
with newspapers in one capacity or
another He is, moreover, more prom
inent as a theaEical magnate than as
newspaper proprietor. His firm
owns all or part of every popular
priced theater in the United States.
Every theater Mr.. Stair has bought.
according to his admirers. has paid
from the moment he took control of il.
as though there were magic in his
touch. In the theatrical world he is
considered a marvel for another rea-
son-that is, because, with all manner
Of temptations to take a prominent
part in the gayeties of great white
way" he leads most abstemious life.
The sparkle of champagne is not for
him. Not even does he smoke. Meth
er does he chew. Whether he swears
or not his biographers do not state.
Morenci, Mich, was Mr.. Stairs birth
place, and it was here. at the age of
II. that he first became a newspaper
proprietor, having established The
Morenci Review. Later he published
the Midland Review and the Maple
Rapids Dispatch Then. at 2I, he
turned westward. He edited the Dayen-
port Dispatch and then the Coopers-
town Courier Then he turned back
again TO Michigan. There he bought
the Livingston Republican and made
il a power in state politics. Afterward
he went into the theatrical game, at
which he has thus far held a winning
hand
The present announcement Of the
Stair candidacy for the post Of dele
gate-atlarge follows the withdrawal
from tie race Of Assistant Secretary .
Of the Navy Truman r. Newberry.
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22

full rights they are advised to hold
separate State conventions and to elect
delegates
The gist Of the resolution was this {:
That we enter now and here our
solemn protest against the monstrous
injustice done the black battalion by
President Roosevelt when he discharged
its one hundred and sixty-seven brave
men without honor or trial of any kind
and merely on a suspicion Of their guilt
in the Brownsville afray, and against
the hardly less wrong done these same
men by the plant and cowardly en-
dorsement given by Mr. Secretary Taft
to the huge injustice of the President
Threat Of Defeat at Polls
That in consequence OF the many
sins OF commission and omission Of the
Republican party against its faithful
black contingent in the South, of its
Lily White movement, and the counten-
ance and support given that movement
by the present Administration, of the
unmerited and illegal punishment of the
black battalion by the President and
the approval of the same by his Secre-
tary of War, we, the colored ministers
Of the A NJ F, the A. NJ. f. Zion,
and the c. NJ E Churches of the Unit
cd States, in conference assembled in the
city OF Washington, do hereby raise our
voice in stern and solemn warning to
the coming Republican National Con-
vention not to put in nomination for
the presidency either President Roose-
welt or Secretary Taft. or pain of hav-
ing arrayed against either of those gem
tlemen at the polls next November the
almost solid colored vote OF the North"
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22
THE VAGRANCY LAW.

Congress intends to pass a va
grancy law, This law will put
all tramps to work, especially po-
itical vagrants. and eX-members
of the police and detective depart
ments to work. This law will now
make able-bodied men so to work
and it is so framed that no guilty
man will be able to escape.
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22

The new bill prepared for the old
clerks in the Government service will
bring anxiety, and in many cases pow
erty, TO thouands of the inhabitants Of
the National Capital.
For the first time under Republican
administration there are free soup hous-
es in every industrial center
f. w. Scott, private secretary to DR..
Booker T. Washington, delivered an
address at the session of the National
Negro Business League at the A, Nj.
E. Church. Philadelphia, Tuesday eve-I
ming recently.
At the annual banquet of the Amer
ican Bakers Association, given in New
York, aJnuary 20, when the toast was
given out for the President, the four
hundred arose and drank the toast in
profound silence The POSTMASTER then
thanked them for their magnificent ex-
preston OF loyalty When the name
of J. P. Morgan was called their were
cheerse and waving Of napkins.
Mrs. Lucy A. eJfferson, of Richmond,
Va, mother Of Dr. Z. r. and Thomas
Jefferson, was buried last week.
The great feud OF Hargis vs. Mccoy
of Kentucky started over a three-dollar
shoat.
In an address delivered TO a big audi
ence at the Bethel A. NJ. f. Church of
Philadelphia, Booker r., in part synop-
SIS OF ms address, cites Joe Cans as an
example because he has faith in himself.
also that We should stop the old tale
VIZ we belong to a downtrodden race
and say Il belong 10 an uplifted race"
and that we have done well in forty
years. In Italy thirty percent of the
people can neither read nor write: in
Russia seveny-fve percent in the South
American countries, eighty-six percent.
and after forty years Of freedom fftv-
seven percent Of American Negroes can
read and write
Secretaries Cortelyou and Garfield
have forwarded to Congress 2 letter
requesting an addition Of $2,87o per an
mum for salaries of the professors At
Howard University.
The organized militia Of the United
Sattes numbers 1922 men. New York
heads the list with 1880; Pennsylva-
ma second, with 9,79I; New MexicoI
the smallest, with 272. The amounts
appropriated last year for the maiuten-
ance was $4on,88o.
The fortieth annual encampment Of
tie Department Of the Potomac, G. A. I
r., was held last Wednesday at the
G. a. K. Hall.
The Independent Suffrage League of
the District of Columbia are fixing I'D
plans to Try TO have suffrage for the
District Of Columbia
If the question Of the Negro prob
lem was taken out Of politics the whole
country would be idle.
The whites of the United States with
exceptions) take up their time in max
ing laws to keep the Negro straight
while they do the deyilment. For Illus
tration, read the various papers publish
ed in the United States Rstribution is
bound to follow
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22
OUR BOYS AND GIRLS.

The questions that should touch
every parents heart are, What
shall we do with our boys and
girls? The Bee means colored
boys and girls, because the white
people look out for their boys and
girls in good fashion.
If so many of our ministers did
not walk the streets on a dress
parade, seeing which can erect the
largest church, but turn their at
1ention to their boys and girls who
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22
COLOR LINE IN THE TREASURY.

1 e
Some few days ago Mr.. Lewis H.
Douglass, son of the late Frederick
Douglass( went to the lunch room in
theTreasuryDepartment and seated him
self at one of the tables and waited
some time to be served
He called to one Of the corolerd wait
ers and asked to be served. He was
told by some person that he would have
to go to another table prepared for
colored people. Mr. Douglass inform
ed the man that he was satisfied to re-
main where he was and demanded that
he be served He was refused, how
ever, and Immediately arose and called
upon Secretary COrtelyou, but that gen.
tleman was not in. 1t Is the intention
of Mr. Douglass, however, to lay the
matter before the Secretary.
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22
Mr.. TAFT AND THE NEGROES.
From the Boston HeIaIG.

MIR. IAF1 AND ! HE NEGkOES.
From the Boston HeJalG.
Bishop Walters OF thc African Meth
odist Episcopal Church. and other lead
ers of Negroes (Rev w. II, Scott and
w. NJ Trotter) have issued a call for
a conference to be held in Philadelphia
next April. 1t is worded in strong
terms. \ crisis for one-eigh.h of the
citizens of the country impendS. There
is said to he open alliance between the
President and the nulliiers of the con-
stitution in the South" The treatment
ment Of Negro soldiers following the
Brownsville incident j, described os a
denial OF justice and constitutional
rights visited upon colored citizens I'M
preccdcn,ed in our country There
fore in view OF the effort of the pres
ent Czarocratic regime TO perpetuate it.
self in power in imperial fashion" the
conference IS called take counsel as TO
the wisest political course to be pursued
by colored citizens. While this state
ment is directly aimed at the President,
it also intimately affects Mr.. Taft who,
as Secretary OF War, enforced the pol
icy against the Negro troops, which has
done more than anything since the Civ
il War TO ALLEVIATE the Negro from the
Republican party.
1t is claimed by editors of represent
ative journals edited by Negroes for
Negroes that in the coming presidential
election the balance Of power will be
held by this group Of voters, and that
they intend to assert themselves. If
the movement which Bishop Walten
heads represents any considerable num-
Der Of voters in the North, it IS one that
will not be ignored by those who shape
the plans of the Republican party. There
Is a limit to the dOcility and obedience
of every man and of every race, and
perhaps the Republicans cannot bank
On the perpetual loyalty of the Negro.
North OF South. The margin of votes
which the Republicans and Democrats
have in a number Of States is so small
that it is deemed possible for the Negro
vote to determine the result if it can
be massed for or against a candidate.
and Ohio and Illinois each with thirty
one thousand Negro voters, are in a po-
sition to seriously affect the result of
a presidential election, if the opinions
of the Negro leaders are supported at
the polls. But there are many ifs and
lands" e.
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22
THE COLOR LINE.

The refusal of the cafe in the
Treasury Department to serve Mr..
Lewis H. Douglass a few days
ago is only one of the many dis
examinations made against colored
Americans in the Government de-
partments. The Bee is quite pos
tive that Secretary Cortelyou will
not tolerate any color prejudice in
his department.
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22
PARACPAPHIC NEWS.
CONTINUED from page I.)

100000 in bonds from Mr. Carnegie
William Sell the last of the renown-
ed circus family, died suddenly last
Monday in New York city, of gastritis
The joint convention of bishops which
was in session in this city adjourned the
early part of this week, to meet in Lou
isyille, Ky, after the sessions Of the
general conference.
The military reception to Secretary
The Washington bee., 1908-02-22
CAMPAIGN EXPENSES.

One would Judge by the last rule IS
sued by the Election Board that the
Republicans in this city were going to
elect governor, a legislature, and
members of Congress. There is no need
Of finance committee for the purpose
OF electing two delegates from this city
to the National Republican Convention.
Is it necessary to have three men to
collect funds? Pray, how much mon
ey does the Election Board believe that
it Will take? The candidates will not
tolerate any large assessment. 1t Is not
necessary.
The people, that IS the voters, will
pay the necessary expens~s. Let the
Board request that all qualified voters
be requested to pay to the Supervisors
or Judges of election FIVE 50 or ten
(Io) cents at the time they register their
names The money thus collected will
defray all the necessary expenses. The
Board will then know Just how much
money is collected and the Republican
voters will be satisfied This will not
only stop graft but an unnecessary tax
upon delegates that they don't intend
to pay.
The Bee Is confident that the Repub-
licans Of this city would prefer this
method, and then again it viii bring
forth the best element Of voters in the
city. The Committee will then get rid
OF the grafters and many of these po-
licical sharks and vampires who float
around the city claiming to have so
many districts and voters in their vest
pockets
The five or ten-cent tax rate will be
a kind OF poll tax levied upon all quail
fed voters. This method will elevate
the election methods in this city, and
insure fair election that Mr.. Sidney
Bieber claims he is going to give. The
Republicans intend to see that a fair
election is held, and if Senator Gallen-
gers bill becomes a law The Bee is
quite certain that the Commissioners will
give to the Republicans a fair election