The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-08-09
PROGRESS|VEs SETTLE NEGRO QUESTION
Johnson to Get Sanction
of Convention.
Californian, As Vice Presidential Nom-
inee, Agreeable to Roosevelt
Who Wanted South
erner.

Chicago, Ill. The troublesome
Southern negro question, which for a
time threatened dissention in the first
convention of the national Progressive
party, finally was disposed of when
the convention itself, without dis
senting voice and without discussion,
adopted the report of the credentials
committee, unseating both the white
and negro delegations from Florida
and throwing out the negro delegates
from Mississippi.
HeckIed by Spectator.
Colonel Roosevelt during his CON
fession of faith" at the convention
was heckled by spectator who inter
rupted with the demand:
What about the negro question:"
Instantly the convention was in an
uproar, but Colonel Roosevelt silenced
those of his friends who objected to
the question and with the statement
that no one could ask him a question
he was afraid of, the colonel then pro-
ceeded at some length to tsate his
views on the negro question.
He declared he hoped conditions
might improve in the South that at
Southern Progressive conventions
those states might send as delegates
pegroes who would have the character
AID standing of the negro delegates
from West Virginia, who he asserted,
were in those respects the equal of
their white associates.
In taking the stand he did to bar
the negroes sent from the South as
contesting delegates to the present
convention, Colonel Roosevelt assert
ed he was sitting in advance a con-
dition which had led to 1.-THE crushing
disaster and death of the great Re-
publican party ITSELF"
The report of the credentials COM
mittee, unanimously adopted, contain
ed resolution recognizing the con-
stitutional and inherent right of each
and every state to determine the quail
ifications and manner of election of
its delegates to national conventions
This resolution was regarded as CIV
choose delegates as they pleased. 1t
also was interpreted as not imposing
the direct primary system upon any of
the states participating in the conven-
tons of the new party. In replying
to the interruption as to the negro
question, Colonel Roosevelt said:
ANY respectful request for infor-
nation will always have an answer
for. During my administration | new
er did anything / was afraid to be
questioned about and ! shall not begin
to in the Progressive party.
There has been distributed here a
letter which / wrote to Julian Harris
three or four days ago. In that letter
set forth my views in detail, and
think with clearness that will pre-
vent any misapprehension, but 1 can
give you by example just what / mean
by the policy | am advocating.
Il think the American people is a
mighty good people to lead and
mighty poor people to drive. l think
we can get the best results from our
fellow Americans in other sections of
the country by treating them as we
expect them to treat us and by our
selves living up, in our own homes, to
the principles that We profess.
'In Republican national conventions,
hitherto, there has been a large rep
resentation of colored men, all from
states, the virtue of
the Republicans of the Republican
states taking only the form of trying
to make the Democratic states be
good. Do you see what mean? The
colored delegates all came from the
states that have cast a Republican
electoral vote that never elected col
ored man to office, where, largely ow-
ing to the action participated in for
40 years by the Republican party, the
colored man has, as a matter of fact,
So that the old policy of attempting
to impose on the Southern states from
without a certain rule of conduct to-
ward the negro has in fact broken
down, and, friends, regret to say that
every man who ever has been to a
national convention that the character
of the great majority of the colored
delegates from the South, from those
old rotten borough states, was such
as to reflect discredit upon the Re
publican party and upon the race it.
self
Now, as sooE as the Progressive
party was formed, at once set about,
as many other men in different states
did, securing from the Northern states
themselves an ample recognition of
the colored men in the state, so that as
a matter of fact there is in this con-
vention a representation from the Re