The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-10
DON'T WANT NEGRO DELEGATES
TEDDY INSISTS THEY SHALL NOT
ATTEND HIS CONVENTION.
Leader of New National Progressive
Party Has Stormy Two Hours
with His Hcnchmcn when Question
of Delegates Comes Up - Colored
Delegates from Mississippi and
Florida Completely Thrown Out,
Latter Now Attending Convention
as spectators

Chicago. Aug. 5.-When Col. Roose-
Welt reached Chicago this morning he
put in stormy two hours before he
succeeded In Strengthening out the
tangle over the contesting negro del
egates from the South. After he had
been welcomed by crowd of sew
eral thousand persons and had made
speech In the street in front of his
hotel. he went to his headquarters
and took the helm.
The Florida and Mississippi cases.
which had not been ruled upon by the
provisional national committee. were
placed before him in detail and a
sharp difference of opinion developed
I'm the Roosevelt camp. A number
OF his Northern supporters told him
frankly that they disapproved of the
policy OF barring all negro delegates
from the South. Ii was urged that
such position would cost the Nat
ional Progressive ticket the support
OF large number of negroes in
Northern States. in which their
strength was greatly needed. Others
OF Col Roosevelts supporters felt in
fairness to the negroes they should
have some representation from the
South. In answer to every objection,
Col. Roosevelt said he would cling to
the position he had taken. and that.
although IL might cost him votes in
the Northern States. ne believed 1t
was To the best interest Of the party
to proceed under white leadership in
the South. He reiterated the state
ment made In his letter to Julian
Harris. of Atlanta. that IL was TO the
white man I'm the Sonth that the ne
gro must look. and declared his po-
sition was for the best interests of
the negro. Ii was said tonight that
all OF his associates finally were won
over fully to his point of view.
IL Is understood that Col. Roosevelt
suggested the action in the Florida
and Mississippi cases subsequently
taken by the national committee.
The Mississippi negroes were
thrown out completely. on the ground
that the white delegates were regular
" elected. Col. Roosevelt Is said to
have protested against the use Of
the word white deltga in the
cali FOR the VI ississippl state Conven-
tion.
In the FLORIDA cases ,he contest
ing negro delegation was thrown out
The negroes protested loudly. They
were invited to attend the Convention
as supplemental delegates" without
votes. but declined to do this, event
ually going as spectators"
Then the national committee decid-
ed TO bar also the white delegates
from Florida. there havinb been
some question OF irregularity in call
ing a white and negro Convention
separately.
Col Roosevelt insisted there should
W. "NNaV t'itSol'a liOil tlt Soutn,
and the national committee acquiesc-
ed In his view. The cases were TAX
en- before the committee on creden-
tials tonight. but II was generally be-
lieved that committee would follow
the action of the national committee
In adopting the Coloners views Of
the matter.
In this connection some of the Pro-
gressive leaders tonight only charged
that some OF the Taft leaders i'm the
Republican party were behind the
contests brought by the Southern ne
gro delegates and had betrayed
the expenses of the negroes in coming
To Chicago. This the negroes stout
~ denied.