The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1912-01-19
GEN. POWELL CLAYTON OPPOSES
CHANGE IN APPoRTloN-
MENT.
Sneclal to the Globe.

optcidt 10 the NlODe.
Little Rock, Ark, Jan. S.-The Ne
groes Of the southwest section regard
General Powell Clayton. Arkansas
member of the Republican National
Executive Committee, as perhaps the
strongest friend they have in all mat
ters touching their political rights
For 40 years and more, General Clay
ton and members of his family have
stood for the full manhood rights Of
the Negro. He has worked during all
this time with such leaders of the Ne
gro race as J. e. Bush and others of
that character in this locality. His
voice in behalf of the Negro has rung
out clearly, and there has never been
any equivocation in his position with
reference to these rights.
At a recent meeting of the Republi-
can National Executive Committee,
General Clayton opposed the change
in the rule Of VHrr hment and
based his objection marily upon the
injustice which would be inflicted upon
the Negroes, not only in the South,
but of the entire country by having
the seal of approval placed upon their
Acknowledgement by Democratic leg
islators. He scored the frank injus-
tice of supplementing Democratic dis
reimbursement of American citizens
in the South by corresponding disfran-
chisements in our conventions"
Continuing, General Clayton said:
In this connection, | am able to
show in round numbers, based upon
the census of>1910, the Negro popula-
ton in some of our northern and
doubtful states, namely: Massachu-
sets, $4,000; Connecticut, 10000 New
York, 134,000; New Jersey, 100000;
Pennsylvania, $4,000 Ohio, 111,000;
Indiana, 10000; Illinois, 100000; Mis-
souri,, $4,000; Kansas, $4,000; Mary
land, $4,000; total, about 1,2S5,000.
Thee colored people of these and
other states would be more than hui
man if they did not resent at the polls
such rank injustice, which, together
with what their brothers in the South
are enduring, would seem to justify
them in making terms with the party
into whose keeping their rights seem
already to have been relegated
"The efforts to change the rule Of
apportionment do not appear to have
originated with the Republican mass
/ es, nor even with the local conven-
tons that appoint delegates, but. with
/ the delegates themselves.
Il am glad to see from newspaper
announcements that Senator Bourne
or some of his friends, who may be
delegates, contemplate the revival OF
this question in the next National
Convention, in which case l hope the
question will be thoroughly thrashed
out and not confined to any fiye-min-
ute rule, such prevailed in the last
so that it may be finally settled, and
whatever harm, If any, may have re
suited from the close vote upon the
proposition in the last convention
may be completely removed"
Although General Clayton is him
self heartily sincere, he is at the same
time somewhat handicapped in his eff
forts to secure exact justice by the
support of such men as Cecil Lyon, o
Texas; e. G. Duncan, of North Caro-
lima, and John G. Capers, of Soutl
Carolina, all Of whom are known az
Lilly Whites" absolutely opposed t
according the Negro even the right t
appear in Republican conventions
Many Negroes would like to see Gen
Clayton's politics win, and would a
the same time like to see destroyed
the political power and influence o
these rank Negro haters.