Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-06
NEGRO VOTE BARRED
Credentials Committee Raises
a Storm on Mississippi Case.
ADMITS WHITE DELEGATES
Colored Contestants Threaten to Ap-
peal to Convention.
ROOSEVELT WILL STAND PAT
Says He Wants the Progressive
Party in the South in the Hands
of the Whites.
ADMITS WHITE DELEGATES
ROOSEVELT WILL STAND PAT

CHICAGO. August G-Thc second day
OF the progressive national convention
opened with a well defined fight over the
negro question. vieing for first iterest
with Col Theodore Roosevelt's delivery
OF his cohesion of faith 10 his follow
ers in the progressive 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 paramount issue of
the convention. Eastern negroes Joined
with their brothers from the south in de-
nunciation of certain things that occurred
at an all-nght meeting of the credentials
committee when the last of the southern
negro delegates were barred from the
floor of the convention in close vote by
members OF the committee. The vote
stood IL to 10 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 in the vote had been cast
by a questionable proxy on the commit
tee. Fairly suffering Indignation, the
negroes announced that they would carry
the matter to Col. Roosevelt for a per-
sonal ruling on the point.
The vote on the Mississippi case came
in secret session of the committee at
:, O'Clock this morning, few hours att
or both white and negro delegations from
Florida had been barred from the con-
yention.
This matter isn't settled yet. said
the Mississippi negroes. when they learn
ed of the decision of the credentials COM
mittee I'VE will lay the matter before
col. Roosevelt himself today. and if nee
essary we will carry the fight to the fioor
of the convention.
1t is expected that the report of the
credentials committee will be taken up
late today. prior To the establishment OF
permanent organization and after Col.
Roosevelt has delivered his address to the
delegates.
Negroes Indignant.
The negroes were indignant and ex-
citably voluble throughout the session
of the committee. which began at
O'Clock last night and continued until
nearly daybreak. The Mississippi contest
was the last TO he taken up, and it was
begun shortly after midnight. The ma
tional 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 dele
cation headed by Provisional National
Committeeman b. r. Fridge was equi-
valent TO DISTINGUISHING the negro
The Fridge delegation was elected at
convention. the call to which was ad-
dressed to white citizens of Missis
sippi. The negroes were not allowed to
participate Fridge told the committee
that the call was written for him by John
NJ. Parker of Louisiana. who had urged
him TO accept the place as Roosevelt's
committeeman for Mississippi. Several
of the negroes in the ousted delegation
were among the delegates to the repub
lican national convention who stood by
Col. Roosevelt and deserted the republi-
can convention in Chicago 10 attend the
first progressive meeting when plans
were made for the third party.
Negroes Called Convention First.
They had issued call for a progress
I've convention in Mississippi before
Fridge was selected as national commit
teeman. At the instance of Senator Dix
on. they said they withdrew this call. to
allow Fridge 10 assume charge. But
when they discovered that Fridge's call
was addressed only to white voters
they called another convention and elect
ed ten white men and ten negroes to cast
Mississippis vote in the progressive con-
vention.
The negroes bitterly complained that
the limiting of the Fridge convention to
white citizens invalidated that gather
ing
They declared that the seating of the
Fridge delegates would mean lilly
white progressive party in the south.
Richard ". Childs of Massachusetts pro-
posed a motion seating the Fridge dele
gates. but disavowing the Fridge plan of
calling white" convention. This pre-
cipitated bitter argument in the COM
mittee. whose members. weary with hours
Of deliberations. were in peevish mood
When II became apparent that the strug
gle would be stormy. the committee went
into nffrix
An hour OF wrangling ensued. The
raised voices of the committeeman.
earnestly wrangling and denouncing.
could be heard in the corridors outside
hour many of the committee had quit the
room.
White Delegation Seated.
that half dozen committeeman scurried
out 10 round up the absent members.
But they had departed for bed. The
vote was disregarded and another vote
was taken. This time by vote OF Il
20 Is the following resolution was passed:
Resolved That regard the Fridge
delegates entitled 10 seats in this con-
Tention but disavow that part of the call
containing the word white We approve
he position taken in the letter written
o Julian Harris of Georgia BY Theodore
1OOsSVeU-
Julius z Mitchell of Rhode Island and
DR.. George l.. Cannon of New Jersey.
both negroes and members OF the COM
Rittees. led the fight for the negroes. and
hey were in a bitter mood when the fight
.nded Mitchell declared that the decid
ng vote in the committee was cast by a
questionable proxy. given in blank, and
lurriedly secured.
We are willing 10 do almost anything
the name of harmony" said DIR. Can
ION. but not in the name Of injustice"
Roosevelt Will Stand Pat.
Confronted with this decision of the
credentials committee and the mass
meeting OF indignant negroes held here
last night TO protest against Col Roose-
velt's position in the matter. the negro
question today had the delegates in an
uproar. The colonel was determined TO
stand by his announced views, and his
influence was seen in the action of the
credentials committee.
The situation threatened a bitter fight
on the floor of the convention should the
negroes adhere to their intention of car
rying the contests TO that point.
The negroes have found a number of
warm defenders among the white dele
gates and on the credentials committee
and although the great majority of the