The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-08-22

laueH1u Win the 1eellnS that some
thing important had happened for the
people and the country
The Attitude of Negro Delegates.
The aCtiCI of the Negro delegat IS
In the convention was paradoxical.
Notwithstanding that the great masses
If the Negroes, North and South, were
or Roosevelt, the Negro delegates,
with few exceptions, voted with the
raft forces to sustain the fraud and
.evengc Of the discredited> aud de-
Ieated Taft political bosses. The sc
Negro delegates from the South were
,nore than the balance of power be-
.ween the parry divisions and could
lave easily giV-n effect in the convCl-
ion to tie wishes of the people in all
':ctions OF the country, and especial
y advanced the interest Of the Ne
no race South, which suffers und-r
the same kind Of political oligarchy
which had dominion at the convention.
1t is said that they were instructed
or President Taft and were bound 10
AIRY out their Instructions. Without
violating their instruct ions be it re-
nemt:red that men, really at heart
for Taft but instructed for Roosevelt,
!oted in the convention for Root for
temporary chairman and to table the
Jencen resolution to purge the roll OF
,raud, but who still intended to vote
or Rooss welt as Instructed. Had the
Negro delegates done likewise and
voted for McGovern instead Of Root
md again:t tabling the Deneen reso-
luton, they would not only have. saved
he Republican party FROM fraud and
perhaps from disruption, but they
would have awaited themselves of the
pest opportunity to serve their race
that mas been presented in more than
/ quarter of q CENTURY.
Numerous mass meetings were held
~ the Negroes Of Chicago where rep
.asentative Negroes spoke from all
sections Of the country, appealing to
Negro delegates to vote for Roosevelt,
Who stood for the best interest Of all
he people and the Negro race. They
apparently turned the deaf ear to all
| appeals, and it is generally believed
hat they were governed by the influ-
! .nce Of patronage and other personal
| Importance than the civil and politi-
| al interests of the Negro people.
Charles Banks, Negro banker dele
| gate from Mississippi in returning
$500 to Director William B. McKin-
| ley with long statement which wa5
| not denied, throws a flood Of light
upon the influence Which were being
| employed to induce Negroes to stand
| out against their race.
1.-THE Negro Delegates and the Party
Crisis.
| The action of the great majority of
| he Negro delegates in voting for the
/ fraud of the Republican National Conn
mittee, for Ale Taft candidate for tenn
| )orary chairman, and for the retcn-
ton at least Of 70 fraudulently seated
| delegates, puts them on record in a
| peculiar and conspicuous sense against
| reform in our political methods,
against tn social and political prog
| ess of the great masses Of the Amer
| lean people in all the states, anu
challenges the Negroes Of the country
/ o,,I Of uJjth 10; q
| leadership, if they would preserve
| heir status as frecmen and American
| ,itizcns, entitled to the rights and
| privileges Of Otler citizens, and free
| the race from the CALLING conditions
of the South and the increasing pref
| ld:ce uld determinations Of the ma
| ton.
+ It is true that the same number OF
| white delegates had the same oppor-
| tunfty. But it is also true that the
! Negro delegates wcre the representa-
| tives of a people and class under spc-
| cial suffering and injustice as were no
| ether delegates in that convention.
| And for the action of tnc Negro dele
| gates, as We believe against the inter
| est Of tho black and white masses, the
| white delegate had clear and decided
| majority for dccClcy and honesty in
| politics and square deal for the
| Negro as for other citizens. And for
| raeir decisive support these delegates
| did not even get in the Republican
| platform the usual Negro pianks o.
| any substitutes in the interest of the
| race What did tAey get for such an
| opportunity to serve the race?
! The Negro delegates in the main,
| therefore, Gho:c not only 10 go against