Franklin's paper the statesman., 1912-07-20

Neill; organizer. Rev. j. e. Church
man, and sergeant-at-arms, John Clin-
ton, Jr.
The report of the committee on res
olutions as adopted is as follows:
We. the National Independent Political
league. in fifth annual session assembled
in this city. where the Declaration of
American Independence was signed on In
dependence day, the one hundred and thir-
ty-sixth anniversary of its issuance in the
same city where this independent league
was organized four years ago to preserve
liberty and equality for colored Americans
by the enforcement of the constitution,
declare to our native country our fealty
to the tenets of that first great inde-
pendence declaration and our loyalty in
letter and spirit to our own first declara-
ton of Independence from political party
slavery sent out at our birth.
And we reaftirm our position as there
stated against every traitor to our rights
and our intention to continue our policy
of opposing them with our ballots as a
weapon of self defense under the motto
For Men and Measures Rather Than
Party" We continue to insist upon full
manhood, political rights and equal civil
rights and absolute equality of opportuni-
ties in all walks of life for all Americans
regardless OF race or color. We will be
satisfied with no compromise.
We continue to oppose color prejudice.
especially as manifested in color segrega-
ton in places of public assembly, accom-
mediation or residence. We declare un-
American and infamous the jimcrow car.
a stigma upon colored citizens such as no
other civilized country puts upon its own
citizens. We demand that congress pass
law forbidding the exclusion of any in
terstate passenger from any public car
rier for race OF color or to segregate
therein.
We continue to protest against disfran-
chisement for race and color in the south
1t is permitted by the federal government
even under Republican administrations in
violation of the plain intent of the ff-
teenth amendment. Meanwhile the dis
franchising states are given their full
quota of congressman In positive VIOLA
1ion of the fourteenth amendment We
demand that the president and congress
break up this wrong by the enforcement
of the constitution.
We continue to deplore and condemn
the lynching of human beings. This mob
murder is anarchy and barbarisrn, an ex-
hibition and publication of the weakness
of government and of the brutality of the
people. The false excuse of assault upon
white women braZenly asserted in an off,
cial message by ex-President Theodore
Roosevelt has been exploded, especially
by the shameless lynching Of colored wom-
en-. All the boasted humanitarian inter-
ests of the American people seem impo-
tent to Ftop even the burning alive Of hu-
man beings State courts are powerless
to pup'sh lynchcrs, as is notorious in the
Coatesvil'e shame here in Pennsylvania.
Lynching has become a national menace
and scandal. requiring national treatment
We demand that congress make lynch
ing a federal crime under the sole juris-
diction of the federal courts, with right
to a change of venue. Nothing is more
cruel or productive of discomfort and
crime than the denial OF industrial oppor-
tunity because Of color. 80 fiagrantly prev
alent in this land. Especially Inconsistent
IL exclusion for race and color from men,
bership of labor unions. which claim the
right to monopolize employment We de-
nand state and federal laws prohibiting
the same
We continue to demand the same schools