The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-05
FEW NEGROES
 T0CHICAG0 Influence of Blacks iS
 Doubtful. THEY ARE FOR F0RAKER Republican Convention May Be
 '1iy White" Lenders gre Disguised witA the Ten- dency of the Black and Tan DeIe-
 gates To Sell Their
BY ALFRED J. sToFER.

BY ALFRED J. sToFER. Washington. Jan. 4--(Special. )-Much speculation lis being indulged in here as to how many negro delegates are | likely to be sent to the National Re- publican Convention at Chicago in Iuna.S
 l. So far as can be ascertained in Washington, the negroes all over the | South are credited with being violent | ly opposed to the nomination of Sec retary Taft on account of his official connection with the Brownsville mat l ter.
 It has been assumed by most of the best posted politicians in the Repub- lican Party, that Secretary Taft is by | long odds the choice of the Southern Republicans for the Presidency by req son of the fact that so many of the bosses in that section belong to the Federal ofiice-holding brigade, and it is a pretty well known fact that if | they do not stand loyally by him and use their influence in the selection of delegates. he will have a hard row to | hoe when it comes to meeting the com binations that are being formed against him to prevent him from con- | trolling the Chicago convention The plan of attack by the anti-Taft forces is to capture and split as many of the Southern delegations as possi- 
 nearly a month ago in Virginia. There are two bitter factions in that State. One is dominated by the office holders and the others is made up chiefly of white Republicans who used to hold the offices, and this latter class has as allies those who were never able to connect with the government pay roll.
 Not for six years have the Virginia negroes had voice in the councils of the Republican Party. They were plainly told to take back seats and that their room was better than their company. No Virginia negro has been sent as a delegate to a National Re- publican Convention since 1888, when the late Benjamin Harrison was the nominee for President. Just now the knowing ones declare that unless the administration forces get down to the hardest sort of work. Speaker Cannon will be the choice of the Virginia Re- publicans.
 Texas Negro Sold Opt. The older Republican politicians in reviewing events of past national con- ventions, often speak of the lively con- test that was made at the Chicago con- vention in 1888 for the negro delegates from the South. Before the negroes arrived in Chicago, the majority were | reported as favoFing the nomination of the lAIe JOnn sherman, or On1O. Ono fellow, who was delegate from Texas. was a native of Ohio, and had been educated at a college in that State which admits negro students. He was something of an orator and political organizer.
 Mir. sherman not only engaged this man to look out for his interests in the Lone Star State, but advanced him money to do missionary work among negroes in other Southern States. The delegates had no sooner gotten fairly settled in their Chicago quarters than 1t was whispered around that this Ohio negro was shouting for the nomination of the late General Russell B. Alger. of Michigan. One of Sherman's managers hunted him up and confronted him with the things reported of him. He sham ed him for having pledged his vote and influence to Senator sherman, ana reminded him also of the fact that he had exacted considerable money for the work he claimed to have been do- ing because his heart was in the cause.
 ssBut I have seen new light since my arrival here" the Texas delegate sald- '"The best interests of the Republican party demand the nomination or General Alger."
 "You have seen Alger money" was the angry reply of the sherman man. ager as he walked away in disgust.
 It Is a well known fact that the Alger managers purchased the votes or the Southern negroes at that conven- ton in large numbers, and the defec- ton from Sherman was so great that he lost the nomination though having a clear lead on the first ballot
 There has been some talk here that in order to soothe the feeling of the Ohio negroes the men behind the Foraker candidacy will probably allow one or two negroes to be sent as deie-
 hot tafa Tn a they are able to prevent Secretary Taft from walking away with the situation in Buckeyedom.
 The Taft boomers continue to assert confidently that he is simply invincible in Ohio and that no matter how hard | the Foraker forces struggle the ad- ministration candidate is already as- | sured of practically a solid delega- tion. The friends of Senator Foraker | dispute this claim, of course, and they | insist that the fight will be closer | one that the other side count upon.
 Working Against Taft.
 The rank and file of the Ohio | negroes are understood to be rapidly | against Secretary Taft because of his connection with the BrownsvilleI at- fair They are said to be just as earnestly for Senator Foraker and | some .Ohioans who are posting them selves on the situation assert that word | is being passed to the Southern | negroes that if they can possibly get | in any votes when the delegates to | the Chicago convention are selected | they owe 1t to themselves and their | race to do everything in their power to help along the cause of Senator Foraker and to stick pin in the Taft | boom wherever they have a chance.
 Predictions are now being freely | made that there will not be twenty | negro delegates in the Chicago con ventiop-J Some people do not believe there will be ten, and not a few would | not be surprised if the next Repupi- l can convention so far as delegates are | concerned would turn out to be lily white" gathering si
 New Englanders howl great deal about giving the negroes show, but they do not hop into the ring with loud acclaim when 1t comes to sending them as delegates. although the negro vote is considerable in Massachusetts. At the St Louis convention of 1896 Massachusetts sent two negro educa- tors as alternates That was the near est the Bay State Republicans came to giving the negro political recogni- tion.
 The white delegates snorted for political effect out there because the hotel keepers would not permit their negro alternates to take their meals in the dining room.
 
 The Salvation Army has secured the
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