The Washington bee., 1908-07-25
ATTORNEY SCOTT TO Mr..
TAFT.
Open Letter to Secretary WiliGm H
Taft.
Hon. William H. Taft,

Hon. William H. Taft,
Dear Sir:
Being a Republican and one in
terested in the success of the Repub-
lican ticket headed by yourself, to be
elected this fall, I desire and beg per
mission OF you to make few sug-
gestions as to the colored voters,
which, if needed, l hope may prove
profitable.
AS | am quite sure you are aware,
there was almost uniform opposition
to your nomination on the part of
the colored people of this country on
account of the injustice done the
colored soldiers at Brownsville. This
feeling of resentment was felt and
manifested by nearly all of the self
respecting Negroes throughout these
United States. | mean that large
majority OF the race who were alb
solutely free to think and act as they
were moved by their consciences, and
who were not restrained because of
holding Office or by being afraid to
speak because Of fear of losing the
sa e, and those are the epople to
whom you must look in order to rally
the colored voters to the support of
the ticket 1t came to my attention
a few days ago that a few colored
men have constituted themselves a
committee for the purpose of attempt
ing to influence the National Com
mittee to establish Jim Crow An
mex to the Republican National
Campaign Headquarters for the COM
ing campaign. The rank and file
of the colored people certainly do
not join in this attempt to embarrass
you so early, by asking the Republi-
can National Committee to put it
self on record in drawing the color
line in the establishment of Jim
Crow Headquarters" for the colored
people. We simply want to be treat
ed like any other American Citizen
and we can be reached and appealed
to as citizens and Republicans thru
the regular National Headquarters.
There IS no more reason or neces-
sity for establishing a separate head
quarters for the Irish, the Jews, the
Italians, the Germans, and every 9th
er race of people which may be
found in this country. The only pos
sible benefit to be derived would be
to give a few Negroes a few tenn
porary jobs at this Jim Crow An
mex" during the campaign. Certain
y there would be no separate booths
when the voting time comes, and II |
here were we would raise a howl, |
hen why ask for a separate heao-
quarters. We are always complain |
ng about being Disseminated against |
and justly so - and yet here are
Negroes who are asking to be Jim
Crowed."
Now l want to frankly admit to
you that am one of those who was
rery much opposed to your nOmina-
ion; but now that you are nominal
ID, I have made up my mind as a
oval Republican to help in my fee
lie way to work to bring success to
he ticket. And while l believe and
lope that the rank and file of the
.olored people will ultimately rally
0 the support of the ticket; yet there
S need of much missionary work to
,e done. You cannot, therefore, hope
o accomplish a very little, if you at
empt to reach the people through the
Dficeholders. By way OF citing you
c a very striking demonstration of
his proposition, l need only to re-
mind you of the experience of the
at Cooper Union, New
York city; the Methodist General
Conference at Norfolk, the Method
st General Conference at Philadel-
hia, and last, but in no way least,
he very warm reception which they
eceived at Quin Chapel during the
week of the meeting of the National
Convention recently as
embed there. I was in Chicago
uring that time, and observed per-
onally the intense feeling manifested
gainst them by the thousands OF
representatives. Of the race gathered
mere from all parts of the country.
lany of Us who are now anxious
Or your success hope that you wills
Sc your good Offices in having these
Needed, and, therefore,