The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-08-07

sions of the committee, which began
at o'clock last night and continued
until nearly daybreak. The MISSISSIPPI
ri contest was the last to be taken
up and it was begun shortly after mid
night. The national committee had
voted to unseat the negroes and they
appeared primed for oratory. Half
a dozen of them told the committee
that to seat the white delegation
headed by Provisional National Com
mitteeman B. F. Fridge was equivalent
to DISTINGUISHING the negro.
The Fridge delegation was elected
at a convention the call to Which
was addressed to white" citizens OF
Mississippi. The negroes were not al
lowed to take part. Fridge told the
committee that the call was written
for him by John NJ. Parker of Louis
lana, who had urged him to accept
the place as Roosevelt committeeman
for Mississippi.
Several of the negroes in the GUST
ed delegation were among the dele
gates to the republican national con-
yention who stood by Colonel Roose-
welt and deserted the republican con-
vention in Chicago to attend the first
progressive meeting when plans were
made for the third party.
History Of the Case.
They had issued call for pro-
gressive convention in Mississippi be-
fore Fridge was elected as national
committeeman. At the instance OF
Senator Dixon, they said they with
drew this call to allow Fridge to as
sumo charge. But when they discov-
cred that Fridge's call was addressed
only to white" voters they called an
other convention and elected ten white
men and ten negroes to cast Mlssls'
sinpi's vote in the progressive con-
ventiOn.
The negroes bitterly complained
that the limiting of the Fridge conven-
ton to white" citizens invalidated
that gathering.
They declared that the seating OF
the Fridge delegates would mean a
lilly white progressive party in the
south.
After a lengthy debate Committee
man Richard w. Child, of Massa-
chusetts. proposed motion seating
the Fridge delegates, but disavowlns
the Fridge plan of calling white
convention.
At the end of an hour many OF the
committee had quit the room. A vote
was taken. 1t was so close that nall
dozen committeeman scurried OUT
r. round up the absent members. But
thew had departed for bed. The vote
was disregarded and another vote
was taken. This time by vote OF II
to 16 the following resolution was
adopted:
s.Resolved, That we regard the
Fridge delegates as entitled to seats II
the convention, but disavow the par
Of the call containing the wore
white We approve the position tax
en- in the letter written to Julian Har
IRIS of Georgia by Theodore Roose
velt."
Eastern Negroes Lead Fight.
Julius T. Mitchell, of Rhode Island
and DR.. George L. Cannon, OF Ne"
Jersey. both negroes and members Of
the committee, led the fight for the
negroes. and they were in bitter
mood when the fight ended. Mitchell
declared that the deciding vote in the
committee was cast by a, questionable
proxy, given in blank, and hurriedly
secured.
eve are willing to do almost any
thing in the name of harmony, salt
DR.. Cannon, "but will not in the name
of injustice"
| Confronted with this decision thu
credentials committee and the mas:
meeting of indignant negroes hell
here last night to protest agains
Colonel Roosevelt's position in TIN
matter, the negro question today hat
the delegates in an uprOar. Thu
colonel was determined to stand b.
his announced views and his influenc
was seen in the action of the Gre
dentials committee.
The situati N threatened a bite
fight on the floor of the convention
should the negroes adhere to their in
tention of carrying the contests t
that point.
The negroes have found numbe
of warm defenders among the whit
delegates and on the credentials CON
mittee, while the great majority o
the delegates desire to do exactly a
is wanted by Colonel Roosevelt Their