The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-10
Former Senator Declares That Crisis Has Arisen for the
 Negro Race
VOTE EVEN FOR DEMOCRAT
 IN PREFERENCE TO TAFT
Chandler Says Negroes Must Insist Upon Liberties Granted Them
 During the War and Not
 Be Subservient to Party

Washington June 9-(Special )-Former Senator Chandler of New Hampshire n speech before an enthusiastic audi once of negroes. advised them to vote against Taft. While Chandler has been strong opponent of the secretary's can didacy it was not believed that he would go to the length of advising a bolt on the part of the republican party's principal asset. The senator said:
 Now is the time to act. A crisis has arisen. The colored voters of this land should take immediate steps to prote ,t their interests and inherent rights.
 MT. Tafts attitude toward the fifteenth amendment is well known. Voting for him means. in a way, placing ob- stacle in your path of civic advance ment venture to suggest that since much of the bitterness of past years has passed away the democratic party looks kindly toward you.
 Democrats are not all bad There are many among them who look kindly to- ward you. Possibly much of this bitter ness in the past has been because the colored voters in the south have per sistently voted the republican ticket.
 Crisis Has Arisen. Guide yourselves accordingly. Act for your best interests. And every man must act, for l firmly believe a crisis has arisen.
 T insist that they place a plank Tn their platform which will guarantee you your rights, something of substantial form something definite, an assertion pos itive and to be relied upon, in behalf of the colored manhood of this land something which will tell you whether or not they are going to enforce ths fifteenth amendment or any other amend ment. That is what you want.
 '"The colored voters of this country have never asked anything unreasonable from the republican party. There has teen almost no complaint against the treatment accorded them up to this time You have the right now to insist upon the liberties granted you 40 years ago. And why shouldn't you? The negro has made vast and almost unprecedented development in 40 years. He is educated. He owns property. He has become q power in certain sections of the coun- try.
 Privileges of Negroes. "Formedly negroes, especially in the south, enjoyed two privileges, the rig1t to participate in republican caucuses and conventions, and the right to enlist in The United States army. You have been absolutely deprived of the first in many southern states, and an effort is now be- ing made by the heads of the nation and members of the republican party to de- 1 prve you of the latter.
 "I refer to the incident at Browns vile. Does anyone suppose for n1o- ment had these 167 men been white men that they would have still been kept out of the army, or given another chance to get back? Why, no. White men would have been reinstated long ago. It is simply nothing more or less than q blow directed by the heads of the re- publican party at the colored soldier.
 AS an additional proof that the colored man is deprived of the first privilege look at the actions of certain politicians in Chicago now The colored delegates to that convention are men bought-you know that fact as well as l do-men who will look with favor upon the present presidential movement, who will oppose inserting the plank In the platform which the race needs because they have been bought by office and are subservient 70 the present republican rulers w. 5.