The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1908-11-19
The Bolt in West Virginia.

Inc ltOIt III west Virginia.
AS usual, In discussing any event
which happens five or more miles ue
yond the corporate limits of the Hut
Of the Universe, the Guardian gues
Off half cooked when it attempts tC
throw light upon the action of tho
West Virginia Negro at the polls, No,
vember 3rd. 1
Says the Guardian:
THAT the Democratic party In
West Virginia committed an act OF
stunendous political folly when it in
serted planks for a revised constitu-
ton and for Jim-Crow cars in its
State platform, should now be appar-
enl to even the most stupidity color
prejudiced of them. The Republicans
plurality. In this State the Colored
voters hold the balance Of power. II
they desert the Republicans to any
great extent the Republicans are
bound to lose. that the Democrats
could have secured a great many col
ored votes for Bryan and even for the
candidate for Governor is indicated
by the following observations in a
special dispatch TO the Washington
Herald. dated from Parkersburg, w.
Vo., Nov. End. Many Negroes, in
spite of the Democratic poSition-in
the State, are not going 10 vote for
Taft Referring to an appeal by
West Virginia Colored voters to Ohio
Colored voters to support the Repub-
licans, which is put down as a move
engineered by the Republicans of
Ohio in their alright over the Color
ed revolt, the dispatch adds: Even in
West Virginia thousands of Repub-
lican Negroes, it is said by those who
know, will balk. at voting for Taft. ,
Remember Brownsville is the slogan
of these men,
Now If there was this much balk-
ing when the Democrats declared for
State Acknowledgement and Jim-Crow
cars, the chances certainly were
good for carrying the State for Bry-
an and winning Colored Democratic
votes had the Democrats noc ueo~ared
against the race.
We do not blame West Virginia
Colored men for refusing to bolt I'M
der the circumstances. Those who
did showed fine sense of self-re-
Spect and an adequate conception of
the contemplate betrayal of the Col
ored people by the Republican party.
All honor TO-. their courage and ,abir-
it," ::
That the Democrats committed a
grtevous error in inserting the anti
Negro pianks in their platform, even
they are willing to admit now, but
beyond this we can not travel with
the Guardian. '.....
The dispatch from Parkersburg
had absolutely no foundation in fact.
What opposition there was to Mr..
Taft died and was buried at least
three weeks before election day, the
obituary and funeral notice appear
ing in the Pioneer Press, the only
one of our five Negro papers oppos-
ing the Chicago nominee
AS TO the appeal of the West Vir-
glnla Negro voters to Ohio Negro vo-
ters TO support the Republicans, that,
too, was the result of the vivid imag-
1natlOn OF the Washington Herald's
correspondent. 1t might be mention
ed IN passing that the Herald is a
Democratic paper. If such an appeal
was sent out from Parkersburg
which we doubt it was signed only
by Parkersburgers. Those of us who
reside in this neck Of the woods had
no knowledge of it.
The Negroes of West VIRGINIA GRO
proud OF the fact that ti1cy supported
the Republican ticket from President
TO constable; that they were not
among those who advocated the
cause OF Bryan, who refused to com
NIT himself on the question of the
Negroes manhood rights, as against
Taft who spoke out in no doubtful
terms FOR an equality Of citizens be
fore the law. There was no bolt in
west Virginia and none was contem-
plated even before the Demo- do
claTed for a white mans party.