Franklin's paper the statesman., 1911-10-28
The Black Republican
Needs Attention

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Taft is devoting himself to tour of
the country in which he is seeking
by speecnes and personal contact to
unity the Republican party and set 1t
and his administration favorably be-
fore the people, The Statesman feels
that it will be a grave mistake for
him to overlook the colored vote.
When the high cost of living and 9th
er problems make it necessary for a
Republican president to go into Iowa
and Michigan and make peace, it is
time for him and for the party to con-
slider what is the attitude of the faith
full black man. We commend the
astuteness of the president in taking
his cause to the people. They have
commended him for his courageous
presentation of his position. But only
the election can tell how far they are
persuaded. The few may be led by
considerations of the future, by alb
stract justice and the like, but the full
dinner pail has won the most votes
and decided the most elections.
Taft has travelled thousands of
miles and addressed hundreds of aud
fences, explaining how his policies on
conservation, tariff, recall and the
like are really the shortest road to
better conditions.
But for colored citizens, who have
all these and more perplexing prob
lens, he has said not word, not even
though we are Republicans of ap-
proved standing. 1t is worse than
stupid for the leaders of the Repub-
lican party to assume that they may
treat with colored voters any differ
emily than they do with white. The
party has a right to our support and
in return it owes us the obligation OF
properly representing our interests.
If it is ashamed to represent us, If 1t
is afraid, If it is unwilling, we can
understand neglect. But II we are to
do our share in holding the old ship
in it's course next year, it is most un-
fortunate that PresidenG Taft is silent
and takes for granted that we are al
ready lined up for the grand old
party.
When states always Republican are
made doubtful by the increased diff
ficulty in getting bread, why would
not the Negro be changed also, when
his very life is the sport of mobs? Is
bread more than life? The national
administration cannot control crops,
neither has it taken from the states
their sovereignty over the lives and
property of citizens. But many time
in the past hard times has been the
rock that defeated otherwise good ad
ministrauons, and lynch law spells
the desertion of the Negro from the
Republican party unless action is
taken.
Democracy is the actual perpetrator
of more injustice against Negroes
than our own party, but when white
people with their superior knowledge
of government are led into changing
control by bad conditions, Negroes
will do no different. Republicans had
just as well wake up now and once
for all begin to consider Negroes as
men, foolish sometimes perhaps, de-
spised generally, but human-so hui
man that they can be led but cannot
be driven. The next few months will
be the opportunity for the Republican
party. If it neglects to show its bet
ter side to our people, it will make
doubly hard the rallylng of its sup
porters in the election, and will make
comparatively easy the loss of large
per cent. of our voting strength when
Democracy learns to quit fighting the
war over at each election.