Omaha daily bee., 1908-04-17


national convention much has been said
ard printed rteatdins the alleged oppos-
tlon Of negro voters to the candidacy OF
Mr.. Taft. Effort has teen made to show
that eolored mon IN great numbers are an
tagonlstlo to Nh. Raft, that they are seek
ing TO prevent the choice Of delegates TO
the eoDysntion favsraBle to him. that thsy
will refuse 20 support. him in the copven-
ton and fleht biz election at the potis N
the event Of his uop,ipatioRe q l,f s.
While II may be true that certain agi-
tatofs have made an attempt TO align
negro voters against Secretary TAFT the
effort has not met with success. as certain
facts and the pronounced attitude of the
leaders OF the race show. ~ evidence Of
tbis e may be cited that the First district
Of Illinois, which embraces the bulk OF the
negro vote Of Chicagog went on record
recently as acttally instructing It's dele
gates 60 the national convention to vote
for Secretary Taft. Tie secOAd district,
wherein resldta majority ef the remainder
Of Chicago's Negro populations refused to
instruct its delegates for the states favorits
son and left them free 30 vote,for Secretary
Taft should they see. fit to do So -
In addition 70 this 0there are numerous
indications fz variouF parts OF the country
that Mr. Taft win feesiae, tue enthusiastic,
support Of colored republicans. Intelligent
negro voters are rapidly coming to realize
that designing politicians are seeking TO
nislead them. and they are therefore more
determined to assert their Independence by
standing by the candidate against whom
the effort has been made unfairly to pre-
judice them.
The New York Age, one of the leading
negro journals in the north in recent
editorial under the caption The Negroes
and Secretary Taft" said:
1t is pleasing to note that there is a
very strong sentiment growing up among
colored people In all parts Of the country
IN behalf OF the candidacy of Secretary
raft for the nomination at Chicago in
June Thoughtful men have begun to
study the man and. his splendid career
as they touch the life and place In the
body politic of the dark races recently
brought under the protecting wing OF the
United states government; What he has
done for. the Filipino and the Cuban ne
opportunity comes TO him. William ii.
Taft is the son of Aionzo Taft statesman
and aboiitionist lie is the scion OF the
rights for ali men and he ls the only cabi.
I net officer the country has had who mas
ever held up the order of president for
any period, however brieh for any cause
whatever. ColOrsd men are beginning to
appreciate the fun significance of the
act Of the secretary Of war when he heid ed
dismissal Of the black battalion for twen-
ty-four hours in order to stay the exeeu-
tlon Of II finally II possible
Upon returning home from visit to
Washington the editor of the Topeka
Plain Dealer (colored) wrote; Our meet
ing with the war secretary and his ex-
pressions on the race has convinced us
that he will be friend of the negro and
the laboring man of this country when he
takes the oath OF office March 4, 1909"
The Enterprise (Omaha), a cOlored news
paper of the west, speaking Of Secretary
Tafts visit to that city said: THE col
ored people have never cherished against
him the spirit of ill-cwill voiced by some
OF the members of the race. And they
fully endorse his program Of reform. They
have confidence ia his ability and his
genius Of government and recognize In
him a man Of capacity who. will hold the
relns of power with the grasp Of states
man" '