The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1908-06-04
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. \, IEa sgsW 4 :.
And Impartial Enforce.
!, ment Of Amer ailments.
Is advocated bySpFesident Of Nation
al Negro-AmeEtfah League, who !.
says indeendehae In voting
. :. is only hope for the 81 ~.
--,.~.. r. Negro paIititally. r.. i.

Wilmington, DeE.t May 29.-Un-
der the auspices sor:the Citadel, Ne,
gro, political Organization of Della
ware, Rev DIR. Milton 'Waldron, OF
Washington, president OF the Nation
al Observation-Disclosures Political League,
delivered a astrong 5and forceful ad-
dress upon, "WhyA.9hp Negro Should
Be Independent insPolitics." y. The
address was deliyefed TO an audience
Of 500 or 800 of&ths most represen-
ttatiye Negroes of the vicinity, who
eheered again and again. every ut
tefance Of the speaker with refer
ence to- Senator Joseph b. Foraker
and his bill for theITeinstatement of
the discharged Negro soldiers and his
strong and manlySpIsal for the rights
of the colored man under the, consti-
tuition. x - - :. ..E-... .; -;
DIR. Waldron defended the right of
the Negro to.boit#the Republican
party, If that party deserted its ba-
sic principles, and In the course of
His remarks said = ::&E4>t5@ E' + : ~. ..@
while the Negro com mplains-and
justly so---of he$treatment he re-
celves in this counfrys he. does not
use all the power Ifis his possession to
remedy the evils against which he
protests. This Is especially true of
the political power5s walich still re-
mains in the hands Sf the race. Had
any considerable mum der of the Ne,
groes in the southern states rs years
ago voted as indeRgadents, OR sided
with the democrats. the cblored peo-
pie would not have8been hisfranchis-
ed by legislative enRctm snts. The
solid black republican kote' in the
south is largely 5rssponsble for the
solid democratic vote off the south.
THE threat by. tiiaSr republican par
ty to reduce the repTsgen tation in the
electoral college ansE in eongress Of
those southern stataa thh have dis
franchised the Negfais Hsating with
and ttfference 3by the 9ls Seh Ga ID ughout
the country, ,rfor It he o0a0redr people
would NOT be benefited In the last by
such reduction. 1.-The race, every
where in America, is insisting upon
a fair and impartial enforcement of
the constitutions and especially, the
4oth amendment: This amendment
guarantees to the Negro the right of
the franchise. and it's abandonment
by theoTepublican party, has done
more than anything else-4except the
discharge of the Negro soldiers of
the 25th 1nfantry-to call the at
tention Of the coIored people OF the
entire country to the Importance of
doing all in their power to have the
republican party make live issue OF
the enforcement of the 18th amend
ment'
- Continuing, the speaker said:
Unless this is done, the right of
the colored people in the northern
and western states to the franchise
would go by default, for 1t is only a
step from the abandonment Of the
I5th amendment to it's repeal
He insisted:
. The; colored people of the coun-
try could easily improve their polit-
1cal situation, If they would, for they
hoid the balance of power in New
York, Indiani, Ohio, Kentucky, Ma
ryland, West~Virginia, and Delaware,
aud no party can hope to win "a pres
'dential election without these states
"a concerted action on the part of
the NegEo voters In those states will
enabla the race to carry the coming
presidential election whichever way
they wish"
He defended the right of the Ne
gro to be Independent in politics In O.
vigorous and logical speech and gave
several strong reasons why he
should not blindly obey the behests
of the republican party.
The Negro ought to be independ-
ent In politics." he said, "for in this,
as In no other way, would the race be
In position to vote for the best men
and measures Of any and all parties,
and could easily ally themselves with
the best white people in every section
OF America. By being independent in
politics, he would be able to secure
from the dominant party ample pro-
lection for his race, and the largest
possible recognition Of his rights un-
der the constitution"
lhIouBn poltlCaJ lnUependenC Ce
the Negro could easily compass the
deteat of the dominant party should
that party prove itself corYuDt~fn
practice and opposed to the constftu-
tton. In "a republic like the United
states, an occasional change in par
Ties Is absolutely necessary, in order
70 insure the rights Of the whole
people and to prevent tn cprevalence
OF corruption and graft. The south
hee9s nothing SO much just now as g
strong, opposing political party, and
II the few colored people VINO are al
lowed to vote In that section would
become Independents, there would
soon be sufficient disaffection in the
democratic party in the south to en-.
able the republicans to build up 9
party In the south sufficient to deSeat