The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1909-03-19
SENATOR FORAKER, THE NEGRO
AND HARMONY


gan of the Republican party. That is
one of the reasons 1t is in power to-
day in both National and State poll
tics. While the Democrats are hold
ing turbulent State conventions and
forming boiling parties, the Repub-
licans are figuring on a harmony pro-
gram at the Chicago convention in
June.
The most significant indication that
there will be harmony at Chicago was
the recent motion mace in the Senate
by Senator Foraker to defer voting
on the Foraker bill for reinstatement
of the Negro soldiers discharged on
account of the Brownsville affair until
| December 16 Senator Foraker intro
duced the motion himseIf-he did not
delegate another Senator to do 1t for
him. He wanted to show the Repub-
lican party that he was Republican
and was for party success first, last
and all the time.
Of course the Democrats saw what
was coming, and Senator Culberson
moved that a vote be taken on the
Foraker bill within a few days He
ard the other Democrats were looking
for campaign Materials they wanted
to raise another issue among the Ne
gro voters and put the Republican
party on. record. But harmony and
party discipline are two valuable as
sets of the G.. O. p. Before Senator
Foraker had introduced the motion
there had been a a cloak room con-
! ference of the Republicans; so the
suggestion of the Democrats that
vote be taken at a near date on the
bill was of no avail and the motion
tu defer action on it until December
! was passed.
Within a short time, The Age
predicts many other indications that
there will be harmony at the Chicago
convention. 1t would not be surprising
to hear Withdrawals of Presidential
candidates any day Rumor already
has it that an agreement has been
reached in Ohio WHEREBY Senator For.
aker is to join the Taft forces and be
returned to the Senate. The factions
III Ohio are beginning to get together
! and the fiery Senator from that State,
who has been such a strong champion
in behalf of the Negro soldiers, will
regard the reinstatement of the sol
diers as secondary consideration UNI
till after election He is now out for
Republican success.
SO much for Senator Foraker. But
what about the Negroes who have
been sounding the Senator's praises
near and far? Who have been urging
that he be nominated for the Presi-
dency? Who have been proclaiming
him champion Of the race? Will
they continue to follow him. or will
they become angered because of his
exhibition of loyalty to his party and
now call him an enemy and turn-coat
1t must be remembered that four
years ago these same Negroes were
equally, if not more SO. enthusiastic
over Theodore Roosevelt. who did
more in the interest of the Negro
than the Senator. They have seen
fit TO forget all he did for them. Such
might be the case with Senator For
aker. For many o. these men have
either fallen out for good with Graf
itude," or else the two have been
strangers all along.
AS to what nine-tenths of the Negro
voters will do, we have no doubts
They will do Just as Senator Foraker
has done. get together and work fol
party harmony In the first place
they know that Secretary Taft will be
nominated at Chicago. In the second
. place. they know that by showing
hostility to the Republican party they
. would not be beneftting themselves
nor promoting the cause of the dis
= charged soldiers.
We believe that Senator Foraker
has been sincere in his fight for the
= reinstatement of the Negro soldiers
we further believe that after election
he will fight as hard for their rein
listment as he has been doing. Blu
with election day in sight he deems i
opportune to let Brownsville slumbe
until after November Again will th'
Negro voters coincide in their view'
: with the Senator? They will not for
get the soldiers, but they will not bt
unusually active on the subject un
til after election, when they will joil
hands with Senator Forakers ant
others and try to have the Senator
> bill asking FOR the reinstatement o
the soldiers passed
> What will be the attitude of the few
! who have been urging the Negro t.
= vote for Bryan if Taft is nominated
is difficult even to contemplate. A
p matter Of fact. it will not matte
much what they thin, for only fey
of them have been residents lon
enough in their respective States t