Abilene weekly reflector., 1912-08-08
NEGRO DE[EGATES
ARE TURNED DOWN
prOgressives Adopted Report Of Com
mlttee Without Debate.
GREAT CROWD HEARD ROOSEVELT
Greeted by Demonstration Lasting 81
Mlnutes-convention Adjourned
Till Morning without Com
pletIno Organization.

CnicdSO, aus. .. ~ oS
the Progressive national convention
opened with q we'll defined hight over
the negro question vising for nrst
interest with Col. Theodore Roose-
velts delivery Of his confession OF
faith" to his followers in the progress
sive cause.
Some of the delegates declared that
the elimination Of the Southern negro
from participation in the formation OF
the new party had become the para
mount issue of the convention. East
ern negroes Joined with their brotners
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
excitably voluble throughout the ses-
sion of the committee, which began
1t n. m. and continued until nearly
daybreak. The Mississippi contest
was the last to be taken up and 1t was
begun shortly after midnight.
The vote in the committee stood IL
to is against the negroes, those from
Mississippi, and Immediately Julius T..
Mitchell of Rhode Island and other
Eastern negroes joined in crying that
the deciding ballot had been cast by
questionable proxy on the committee
Fairly sputtering indignation, the ne
eroes announced they would carry the
matter to Col. Roosevelt for a personal
ruling on the point.
The vote on the Mississippi! case
came in a secret session of the COM
mittee at in the morning, few
hours after both white and negro dele
cations from Florida had been barred.
Roosevelt Holds Reception.
I 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
t spectators that greeted him lasted %
, minutes.
The colonel had an improptu re-
4 ception during the enthusiastic noise
( making and was still broadly smiling
his appreciation when Senator Beve-
: ridge introduced him. He began his
. sneech at 1:4S o'clock.
Col Roosevelt continually departed
from his prepared speech, interpolat-
:. ing many side remarks and skipping
over portions of the printed speech.
a He spoke somewhat slowly, with great
t emphasis and was constantly inter
< rupted by applause and cheers.
s There was no question of Roose-
t yelt's happiness. His face radiated 1t
: and as he nodded to the blue uni
, sormed G. A. r. drum corps as 1t came
. across the stage and ranged itself In
semi-circle about the speakers
9 stand.
!. creets Confederate General.
Roosevelt grasped each of the veter
ans by the hand, shook it warmly and
: then, at his suggestion, they struck ur
wild marching tune. The blare Of
the fifes and the boom Of the drums
aided the enthusiasm and as the music
died down Gen. Mcdowell of Tennes
see, veteran of the Confederacy
passed forward and Roosevelt SHOOK
him warmly by the hand and patteo
him on the back.
Roos~volt II. swung. irtc tbs
|. 20 rit ~ me e@~ .sm' fims..- cani
\ waved his arms and cheered.
The demonstration was the most re
e markable yet rendered to Roosevelt
E during the present campaign. Not 9
: person was in his seat, even tht
women and the galleries standing OF
their chairs to contribute to the un
: dulating sea of color made by the wav
ng bandanas. From the rear OF thu
!, stage many pressed forward to shake
hands with the colonel.
Shook Hands With Negro Delegates
Two negroes, wearing delegates
badges, climbed to the stage. Th'
/. critical negro QuesIlOn was III III
: minds of the crowd and as the colone
a reached out a hand to each Of the ne
groes, those around them fell back.
For a minute the three stood in
little knot. The colonel gesticulate'
and talked, the negroes listening, thei
. faces serious. AS the colonel con
: cluded one of the negroes reached Owe
and pounded him on the shoulder. Th'
: three stood hand in hand and tn
: crowd yelled. The negroes were dele
' gates from West Virginia.
= When Col. Roosevelt had left tn
Coliseum the business Of the conven
ton was resumed. The report Of tn
credentials committee unseating tn
& negro delegates from the South wa
: considered.