The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-18
RIOT AND BLOOOSHEO
Continued from First Page

plans, and changing Delegates from
Tennessee, the refrain that rang from
every throat was: 1T is Roosevelt
and all over but the shouting"
Al midnight. the enthusiasm waned.
by morning IL was spent, by high
noon the avenues OF political excite
mont began to breaths OF Taft: and
from noon until sunset today the
Taft sentiment, aud the Taft optimism
vas as ringing and as pregnant as
Roosevelt's had been on the night be-
fore.
Ard so from day to day ne Roose
welt hope and prospect will rise and
fall One day, low and receding in
Its ehb, and the next day. rising high
ard triumphant. as the tides of
Fnndy
Negroes Hold Power.
The fate OF the convention and Of
the party is held in rhe balance. either
Of sixty eight negro delegates, or of
any twenty disreputabie and unJaiied
politicians, who may be bought or
bullied by either side.
Now. for the first time, rhe negroes
hold the balance of power clearly in
their hands, under the eye and ex-
recitation of the country. and by united
the Republican nominee, and be cred
tied with the naming of him.
Therefore the best OF them--fhe
leaders who have ideais--have been
inspired by these words and will hold
II great meeting ar the Institutional
church of Chicago tonight. at which
they hope to muster all the sixty eight
negro delegates. and to issue mani
festo denouncing every negro who
sells his vote pledging themselves TO
expose, negroes who shames his race
with brihe, and appealing to every
negro delegate Of the sixty-eight to
count this opportunity and RESPONSE
biiity above all material considera-
tons. and above all party instruc-
tons, AS supreme opportunity to
vindicate the integrity Of the race
and to Justify their citizenship. by
voting without prejudice. and without
money. for the best interests OF the
country as they see it, III the issues
and characters OF the two great can
didares. before the convention.
Upon the Issues OF this stormy and
eVentful day In the national conven-
ton hangs. also, the important bues-
ton as 10 how long We are to stay
here.
II the great revolutionary effort of the
ftb'StNtit i4iFH ldiS. III AHe opening
hour Of the convention. 10 reverse the
verdict OF the national committee. and
To substitute the Roosevelt roll for
the Taft roll of delegates, then the
second effort of thu Roosevelt forces
will be 70 bring the whole Question of
those contested delegations from the
verdict of the national committee
straight 10 the floor OF the conven-
ton, and to try them, one by one, be-
fore the larger and more conclusive
jury OF "A thousand and seventy eight
II this is done. do you know what
II means? IT means ten days OF
wrangling. argument. appeal and sep
arate Nerdicts upon every State. 1t
means that the Republican conven-
ton will continue up TO Saturday of
rhis week. and run over. into Satur-
dsy Of next week, tapping tho Demo
cratic convention ar Baltimore, and
compelling the disciples of Jefferson
either to postpone their convention.
or 10 run parallel with the Republi>
can pandemonium in Chicago.
So thar everything depends upon the
first morning uf ti1r convention
Day unto day, uttereth speech. and
night unto night showeth knowledge,
of the failure and collapse Of a deca-
dent Republicanism, and Of the virile
virtues and OF the vital and enduring
strength of a restored and enduring
plant Democracy.