The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-10-14
To the CoIored Race 1t Is the
Greatest Issue Confronting
The People Says MSi. +. A.
DeniSOn.
COLORED SPEAKER
lAUDS REPUBLICANS.
No One Can ReCite History of
Human Rights Without Re-
citing History of Republican
Party, He Says.

An enthusiastic Republican rally was
held last evening at the coliseum where
largo crowd of white and colored
voters was addressed by Major f. A.
Denison, of Chicago, one of the most
distinguished colored leaders in the
central west, and the Hon. Thomas e.
Boyd, of indianapolis, formerly senator
from Hamilton county.
Major Denison spoke directly to the
members of his race and in eloquent
language told them that as far as they
were concerned there was only one is
sue in this campaign-the rights of the
negro-and that the Republican party
was the only party which advocated
such an issue This statement was re-
ceived with rousing cheers.
Major Denison stated that the para
mount question in every campaign was
according to the viewpoint of each pub
lie speaker. ITO my mind the para
mount question of this campaign is The
rights of humanity" He stated that
the corporation question, the guarantee
of bank deposits question, the tariff
question, the financial question and
many others were figuring prominently
| in this campaign, but to the colored
voter, he said, each of these questions
] were completely overshadowed by the
question of human rights.
! Since the time of the Douglas-Lin
coin debate, Major Denison stated, the
rock on which the Republican party
has stood has been human liberty. He
dent who called the men of the north
| to arms to wipe out the curse of slav.
cry, and since that time, he said, every
/ legislation which had been of benefit
to the race had been enacted by the
Republican party. mo one can recite
the history of human rights in Amer
lea without reciting the history of the
Republican party" stated EIajor Deni
son, and his remark was received with
great applause. 1t was shown tha
prior to the civil war the percentage
of illiteracy among the negroes was ex
actly 100. Thanks to the Republican
| party, said Major Denison, this percen
tage had been reduced to 45 per cent.
He stated that William Jenning!
Bryan had advocated numerous re
forms and issues but not once during
this campaign had ho heard him stat
how he stood on the negro question.
Mr.. Boyd in his address stated tn,
Republican party mad by enacting tn
county local option law conferred :
benefit to every man, woman and chill,
in the state. He told how he hat
learned to drink whisky in the army
and how seven years ago he had signe'
the pledge at the request of his youn;
son. He stated that the Republican
party. frankly speaking, intended t
drive every saloon out of the state an
rid old Indiana of it's darnning curse. g
every saloon is driven out of Indian
apolis.''
TIE denounced Mr.. Marshall for advC
eating the spoils system. He pointe
to the fact that the Republican part
had always held a good man in Office
notwithstanding his politics. IF | ar
not mistaken. Dr. S. z. Smith. of tn
Easthaven insane hospital is a Demo
crat Have you ever heard that tn
Republican party was trying to fore
him out of Officer Mr.. Boyd then re
cited the history of the Knightstow
Soldiers and Sailors Home scandal. til
outgrovth Of Democratic spoils systeH
As an old soldier, he appealed t
local veterans to support the Republ
can party, reminding thcrl that ever
one of TIE pension laws, with the g
: ception of the Mexican war pensio
: law. had been passed By Republica
congresses and that in nearly ever
5 case these laws had been bitterly oI
posed by the Democrats.