The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01
Republicans Are Working to
 Overcome Sentiment
BIB SUM OFfONEY OFFERED
J. Milton Waldron, the Negro Preacher of Washington, Says 6ribes Were Offered to Negroes to Work
 for Republicans.

Washington, October 3f.-(Special )-- Realizing that they are losing the negro vote, according to the Rev. l. Milton Wal dron of Washington, president of the Ma tional Negro Political league which is supporting Bryan, the republican man. agers are using desperate means, includ- ing bribery, so he declares, to regain their ascendency over colored men. pr. Wal dron says that on two occasions a repre- sentative of National Committeeman Will liam Ward of New York and Gen. James S. Clarkson, customs-surveyor for the port of New York, who are directing the re- publican campaign among tA negroes, approached him with offers of money if he would stop working for Bryan. W. T. Ferguson, formerly assistant secretary of the league, saw Waldron here today and told him that Clarl1son had promised to have Waldron appointed allnoner of large sum of money to be contributed by a prominent New York philanthropist for the benefit of the negro race. The donor of the fund, Ferguson and Waldron inti- mated, is to be Andrew Carnegie
 This meant permanent position with good salary for Waldron, but he says he spurned the offer indignantly. Waldron had a telephone talk withyi Joe" Johnson of Clarkson's office tods He was of- fered money, he says, to sv to New York for a conference with Clarkson, and was asked to see Clarkson here, but declined to do either The other attempt to infiu- ence Waldron was made at the Hoffman house, New York last Friday, Ferguson was the go-between then, too, it Is al- legged.
 Waldron says Ferguson told him that he had been asked by w. l.. Ward to offer $15O0 to Waldron if he would go a vacation until after election day. That proposition was also declined Waldron says. Both Ward and Clarkson are re- garded as friends of the negro and that fact was urged together with the fact that the democratic national committee was unable to contribute to the negro campaign fund as reasons why Waldron and his league should stop working for Bryan, even if they did not openly sup port Taft.
 'I hated to disoblige Clarkson and Ward" said Waldron tonight but cannot do wrong for them, even for $100, 900. l resent their offer, and l am fight ing for a principle. I believe that the interests or lile negro race cdu Desl Do advanced by their taking an independent position in politics, instead of continuing as the tail of the republican kite
 Waldron admits that some of his form CT co-workers have yielded to republican blandishments and had mounted the Taft band wagon.
 Removed from a government position some time ago, because he supported Senator Foraker, Ferguson, so Waldron says, became his confidential man. Armed with a letter of authority from Waldron, he attended the Denver convention and conferred with MT. Bryan, National Chairman Mack, Lewis Dixon and other democratic leaders about campaign finan- ces and other political matters, Recently Waldron says Ferguson was promised re- instatement in the government service by the republicans and since then has been using his letter of authority from Waldron to misrepresent the league in deals with the republican management. Waldron declares he wants to repudiate Ferguson publicly. w. $.