The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-03-05
Negroes RaIlying
Io Taft's Support
sEse lzE3 II Al co on M sD N q ! N
FUENcE in 400 vELIss
Brown sxILlE DECISION.
HOLD MEN SHOULD BE JUDGED
aY LIFE RECORD or FRIEND h.
SHIP TO DARK RACES.

StttA . ~, A@SNkAtN3 ltes
Prominent coIored Republicans in
all sections of the United States are
raIlylng TO the STANDARD of Secretary
,of war william II. TAFT in increasing
numbers. They hold that an injus.
tice is done to Secretary Taft and
President Roosevelt, by condemning
them for one administrative act in
which 1t is admitted that color was
not a consideration
They believe, justly, that the Presi-
dent and Secretary Taft in their re-
lattons to the negro race should be
judged by their every action as OH
cials and citizens, when question Of
race was involved. aad not by one
single Instance which might, for sell
fish motives, and by misrepresenta-
ton. be construed against them.
They are recalling that but few
months ago colored men generally
were pralsing the President and the
Secretary of War as among the best
friends the race>ever had in such high
executive positions. They remember
wildly appointments which have been
made by the President against the
opposition of those now pretending
friendship for the negro. They also
bear in mind the great work for hui
manity which secretary Taft has done
in his treatment OF the millions of
the dark races in the Philippines and
Cuba.
Bishop Evans Tyree, one of the
most prominent clergymen in the
African NJ. E. Church. while in
Columbus recently. branded as ina
liclously false" the reports sent out
from Washington that the bishops OF
the three branches OF the colored
Methodists, when concerning in the
national capital for the purpose OF
forming a confederation OF the three
churches, had by resolution declared
themselves opposed to William H.
Taft as the Republican presidential
candidate.
"When we went to Washington 1t
was with the mutual understanding
that 1t was simply to attend to the
business that took US there, namely
that of forming confederation of the
three branches Of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church of our race. and nothing
else," said Bishop Tyree. 1--WE agreed
that we would not mix up in the pc.
litical situation now before the coun-
try, nor did we. Not word was
said by any one in the conference
that could be construed as for or
against any political candidate. Any
story that the conference took any
action against Mr.. Taft, or for or
against any one, is maliciously false,
and I think all OF the "a bishops who
were there will bear me out in that.
1--WE convened on the morning OF
Wednesday, February 18th. I dis.
covered there was a meeting of per.
haps 50 or more being held in the
basement simultaneously of our ses-
sion. suspected there was trickery
and an attempt to drag politics into
our meeting. so said to Bishop
Gained, That meeting down there
ought to be investigated and ex-
planned to him what | suspected it
was for. He at once started down to
rout them out, but they heard him
coming and fled. most of them pass
ing him on the stairs. He found
nothing, but the next day the papers
were full of the report that we had
denounced the candidacy of Judge
Taft. can not help but believe that
it was done to embarrass us, seeing
that we had steadfastly refused to
permit political issues to be made
part OF our meeting"
Rev. ]. G. Robinson, of Dayton,
Ohio, pastor of the Eaker st. Church,
one of the largest colored Methodist
churches in Ohio, and a delegate to
the Republican State convention, in
communication to the Cincinnati
Times-star. says the colored voters
will remain true to their party, and
holds that the records of the past
and prospects in the future all forbid
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