New-York tribune., 1908-07-05
ZIP BRYAN AND THE NEGRO.

Taking seriously some pleasantries Of Colonel
Watterson about opening the door to the Coi-
cred Brother at Denver, some negro clergy
men and educators are said TO have paid a
visit TO Lincoln. Neb. to ascertain Mr.. Bryans
views on the subject of door opening. "Ihe
New York World" reports that the prospective
Presidential candidate of the Democratic party
expressed friendly feeling for the negro
race. said that, if elected President, he would
favor restoring the discharged soldiers Of the
Brownsville garrison, if they were not guilty
of shooting up Brownsville, and announced
that he would recognize the negro race in ap-
pointments to office so far as 1t seemed entitled
to recognition support of the Democratic
ticket being taken into account" But q sudden
reticence overcame the candidate when this
crucial question was submitted TO him:
What would be the attitude of the Democratic
party toward affecting public sentiment SO tndt
the negro might enjoy the benefit OF the Ddllol
in Southern states. and we might at least haVe M
a fair and honest administration OF the laws lhdl
disfranchise the negro an 1910!
Mr.. Bryan merely answered that conditions
affecting the ballot he was not free TO dis
"cuss"
1t is clear enough why he Is not tree 10
discuss them. He cannot be nominated ut
Denver without the support of tie South, anu
the South's response TO Mr.. Watterson's open
door" suggestion has been SO emphatic ana
Indignant that Mr. Bryan cannot risk avowlng
any policv looking to the concilat1on and cult
walton of the negro vote. The South does hol
want to have the negro exercise the sullrase
either at the North or at the South, anu Woulu
bitterly oppose any step at Denver to"aru
recognizing the negro either as voter or as
Democrat. Mr. Bryan is not free to oppose
the South's wishes in this respect, and Is there
fore not free TO discuss with the Coloreo
- 4nSr, q
What can the negro expect from Mr.. Bryan
and the Denver convention? A couple OF
months ago. in a speech at Cooper Union IN this
city. Mr.. Bryan said:
The white man in the South puts on that
qualification 1.-THE ancestry requirement. as
matter of self-protection. and there is not a re
publican community in the North tnal Wouio noe
put it on when necessary.
Here is perfectly frank declaration that the
constitutional rights of the negro can be de-
MED and will be denied not alone in the
Southern states but in any Northern commu-
nity which may feel dissatisfied Win tne
negro's record as voter. As conservative anu
representative a Southern newspaper as he
Baltimore SUM- puts tha case concisely and
accurately when it says:
ANY opening of the door by platform declara-
ton at Denver would be grotesquey inconsistent e
not only with the records ana the purposes VI
the Southern states but also with the position
! which Mr. Bryan has taken in regard TO the
/ disfranchisement Of the negro in the South
1t may seem superfiuous to suggest that the
negro voters who lettering about tne
Democratic .open door at Denver WouId pet
ter make their last testaments before tney cross
its threshold. They have the right, OF course,
10 labor for their own disfranchisement. II
they have any discernment they must realize
that Democratic victory in the nation VIII
mean the passage before long Of disfranchlse-
| ment laws in Maryland. Delaware, west VIZ
! sinia. Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma and len
! nessee, and that continued Democratic rule
! NAV bring similar disfranchisement in all the
! Democratic Northern states. The negro voter
! North or South, who supports the Democrauc
na tional ticket will simply be helping TO write
! his own epitaph.