The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-03-10


ager, to the effect that Alabama
would later line up FOR Harmon.
The editorial then demanded infor-
nation as to whether a deal had been
made privately to make a Harmon
stalking horse Of Underwood.
The skies did not exactly fall after
the publication of this editorial, but
Alabama rocked with the storm for
three days. Senator Bankhead and
Underwood used the telephone, the
telegraph and the mails to deny
from Washington that they had had,
or ever would. dicker with the Har-
mon forces. Senator Bankhead's in
dignation was remarkable.
The net result of the whole affair
seems to be that Editor Glass has
manner that the Alabama delega-
ton cannot very well be thrown to
Harmon at the convention. Mr.. Glass
ought to be pleased.
Before taking up the Republican
situation in the state 1t should be ex-
planned that fewer than 5000 negroes
are permitted to vote, and half of
them are Democrats. After the war
the negroes practically dominated the
state for a time, as they outnumber-
ed the whites, and were keen to make
use Of the right of suffrage granted
them by the fifteenth amendment
In 1870, the chairman of the Mont
gomery county Republican committee
was a tall, 1anky negro minister,
named Holland Thompson. He was
Napoleon in politics, and in hold
ing conventions he drew the color
line against white Republicans.
Capt. Robert Barber. who COM
manded a company of New York cav
airy in the war, was one of the white
Republicans excluded from party
councils by the dusky chairman.
Barber was a wag and a mischief
maker. and Thompson was afraid of
him.
NEGRO CHAIRMAN MEETS
POLITICAL WATERLOO.
The county convention in 1870 was
held in the court house. After the
chairman had caused Capt. Barber
to be elected, he appointed a reso-
buttons committee, which retired to
perspire over its labors.
Capt Barber slipped into the COM
mlttee room, and volunteered his SER
vices as clerk to the committeeman,
none OF whom could write. He was
received with glad acclaim. The res
clutions which he drew up, as you
may already have guessed, were en-
tertafning, if not exactly dignifed.
Inc COMMITTEES turned in the reso-
lutions, and the secretary of the con-
Vention started reading them. A look
OF horror overspread the vfsage of
the chairman, who reached down from
his seat in the judges bench. snatch
ed the paper, and after reading a few
lines, tore the document to bits
My God, he has torn I'D the flf-
teenth amendment tragically shout
Ell CAPT. Barber Ieaping to a table
A riot followed this supposed as
sault upon the black mans most
sacred privilege. While the sheriff
and his deputies held back the crowd
with guns, the Reverend Thomson
leaped through a window and scram-
| bled frantically across back lots. Cant
Barber had killed him dead. politically
speaking.
Colored politicians are otherwise
employed under the existing regime
We have to put little onion in
the SOUP" explain the federal mani
pulators, as they name negroes for
places on the county and state COM
nittees, and delegations to the ma
tional conventions.
LOOK TO NEGROES TO
KEEP OTHERS OUT.
Onion is offensive to some folks Won
know. If the practice OF playing up
the colored brother tencs to keep new
blood out of the Republican party in
the state, so much the better There
will be fewer candidates for the Jobs
held by the present clique. A healthy
growth in party numbers would e
regarded as calamity by these pa
triotS.
Pope Long, marshal for the north
ern district Of Alabama. is state chair
man. Prelate D. Barker, postmaster
at Mobile, is nationai committeeman
The state committee of rorty-seven in
cludes thirty nine office holders. three
applicants. and five pain citizens
Four negroes supply the onion and
one Of the four viii go 20 Chicago.
A convention to select two delegates
to go. to Chicago was held in the
Third congressional distr/t a few
days ago. Nine counties sent a total
OF four delegates to This convention,
and all four were postmasters They
picked two Of their number to go to
Chicago.
The Lowndes county Republican
convention a short time ago was at