The Butler weekly times., 1912-08-08
NEGRO DELEGATES
ARE TURNED DOWN
Progressives Adopted Report Of Com
mittee Without Debate.
GREAT CROWD HEARD ROOSEVELT
Greeted by Demonstration Lasting 81
Minutes-Convention Adjourned
Till Morning Without Com
pleting Organization.

II
opened with we'll defined fight owe
the negro question vieing for frs
interest with Col. Theodore Roose
velt's delivery of his confession O
faith" to his followers in the progres
sive cause.
Some OF the delegates declared tina
the elimination of the Southern negr'
from participation in the formation o
the new party had become the para
mount issue of the convention. East
ern negroes joined with their brother,
from the South in denunciation of Ger
tain things that occurred at an all
night meeting of the credentials com
mittee, when the last Of the Southern
negro delegates was barred from the
floor of the convention in close vote
Blacks Indignant.
The negroes were indignant, and
exctably vouble throughout the ses
sion of the committee, which began
at p. m. and continued until nearl,
daybreak. The Mississippi contest
was the last to be taken up and it was
begun shortly after midnight.
The vote in the committee stood II
to Is against the negroes, those from
mississippi, and Immediately julius T.
Mitchell Of Rhode Island and other
Eastern negroes Joined in crying that
me deciding ballot had been cast by a
questionable proxy on the committee.
y a ir1, nj IN Il ipp
Groes announced they would carry the
matter to Col. Roosevelt for a PERSONA
ruling on the point.
The vote on the Mississippi case
came in a secret session of the CON-
mittee at in the morning, few
hours after both white and negro dele
cations from Florida had been barred.
Roosevelt Holds Reception.
When Col. Theodore, Roosevelt ap-
peared on the stage of the convention
in the afternoon to make his "confes.
sion of faith address, he faced one of
the greatest audiences ever gathered
in the big Coliseum building.
The demonstration of delegates and
spectators that greeted him lasted 81
minutes.
The colonel had an improptu re.
ception during the enthusiastic noise
making and was still broadly smiling
his appreciation when Senator Beve.
ridge introduced him. He began his
speech at LAS o'clock.
Col. Roosevelt continually departed
from his prepared speech, interpolat-
ing many side remarks and skipping
over portions of the printed speech
He spoke somewhat slowly, with great
emphasis and was constantly inter-
rupted by applause and cheers.
There was no question of Roose-
velt's happiness. His face radiated it
and as he nodded to the blue uni
formed G. A. R. drum corps as it came
across the stage and ranged itself in
semi-circle about the speakers
stand.
Greets Confederate General.
Roosevelt grasped each of the veter-
ans by the hand, shook it warmly ana
then, at his suggestion, they struck up
wild marching tune. The blare OF
the flies and the boom of the drums
aided the enthusiasm and as the music
died down Gen. Mcdowell of Fenres-
see, veteran of the Confederacy,
passed forward and Roosevelt shook
him warmly by the hand and patted
him on the back.
RI
Roosevelt finally swung into the
spirit of the enthusiasm himself and
waved his arms and cheered.
The demonstration was the most re-
harkable yet rendered to Roosevelt
during the present campaign. Not
person was in his seat, even the
women and the galleries standing on
their chairs to contribute to the un.
dulating sea of color made by the wav
ing bandanas. From the rear of the
stage many pressed forward to shake /.
hands with the colonel.
Shook Hands With Negro Delegates. /
Two negroes, wearing delegates
badges, climbed to the stage. The
critical negro question was in the
minds of the crowd and as the colonel {
out hand to each of the ne 1
groes, those around them fell back.
For minute the three stood in =
little knot. The colonel gesticulated y
and talked. the negroes listening, their
[aces serious. As. the colonel con-
cluded one of the negroes reached over
and pounded him on the shoulder. The
three stood hand in hand and the I
crowd yelled. The negroes were dele.
gates from West Virginia.
When Col. Roosevelt had left the y
Coliseum the business of the conven. :
ION was resumed. The report of the
credentials committee unseating the
,egro delegates from the South was !.
=
The report of the committee on Gre
was adopted without debate !.
md without dissenting voice. . ..
Without affecting permanent organi. !.
alton the conyentio at 3:55 o'clock !.
adjourned until II o'clock In the 4
morning. Il