The Washington herald., 1911-06-27

Representative Caleb Powers, OF
Kentucky, said last night, at mass
meeting of colored people in
Ebenezer M. E. Church, to protest
against the hanging of Matte E.
Lomax, that "There'll be many wet
days and dry ones, too, before
they'll hang Matte E. Lomax in
this city," Tumultuous applause
greeted this sentiment.
URGES Equal SUFFRAGE.
Il The Kentucky representative also ad-
vocated equal suffrage for women. He
Informed his audience that II there is a
race question on, the white man is re-
sponsible for It; that the negroes should
stand together and fight for their rights
instead Of being ashamed Of their color.
Rev. S. r. w. Drew, pastor OF Cosmo-
politan Baptist Church and chairman of
the arrangements committee, introduced
Representative Powers, who opened his
remarks by proclaiming himself the
friend of the colored people, saying he
had introduced a bill in Congress which
would do away with the hanging Of
women In the District. He said the bill
had excited considerable adverse COM
ment, by reason Of only women being
benefited by it. and not applying TO men,
who would continue to suffer capital
punishment while women would not
hang.
Men and women have never been on
ar fva
tinued Mr.. Powers, ''but gradually the
women are gaining recognition She has
taxation without representation. Her
property is taxed. and she has no voice
In thet making Of the laws which call for |
taxes"
knows the Dangers.
Representative Powers. with dramatic |
effect, shouted: 'T wouldn't hang the |
yellowest dog In the State Of Kentucky |
on circumstantial evidence. I know |
something about the dangers Of circum- |
stantial evidence. They had sentenced |
me to death on circumstantial evidence, |
and had no more to do with the kill |
ing of William Goebel than the angels |
around the throne of cd. I know no |
fact will ever come to light that will |
ever connect me even in the remotest |
with the killing Of William Goebel I
have a clear conscience, and can look |
every man straight in the face. 1 have |
defied them for the last ten years to |
bring forth evidence which would con- |
meet me with the Grim, with this foulest |
of all murders, but they cannot"
Representative Powers reproached the |
colored race for not standing together. |
He said:
when one Of your people gets into |
trouble and danger, the colored people |
ought to stand together and come to his
assistance White man is responsible |
for the bondage of the colored man. It
is the white man who complains Of a
race problem, and it is the white man
being IN this country. / am not afraid |
of negro domination.
"If can't match my intellect against |
that OF my neighbor, I wish him good
luck and success. So far as lies In my
power, the colored man shall have equal
rights with the white man. The colored
man in the revolutionary war fought for
the freedom of the white man. In the |
civil war many an old colored man down |
South was left in charge Of the women |
and children Of his white master, and |
he always furfIled the trust reposed in
him faithfully"
Good Character Shown.
Representative Powers read letters |
testifying TO the good character and rep
utation Of Matte e. Lomax from John |
T. C. Newman; George w. Billings. clerk |
in the General Land oce: Gran Grad |
dock, clerk OF Halifax County, Va: N. /
Talley Ballou, clerk of the town Of Hous- |
ton, Va; c. A Lacy, postmaster Of |
Houston. Va; william r. Barksdale. |
Judge of the Sixth judicial Circuit Of |
Virginia, and J. Easiey Bouldin. COM