Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-08-06
NEGRO QUESTION
IN CONVENTION
Southern sambo Persona
Non Grata Among Roose-
velt's Followers.
A CLASH is FEARED
Credentials Committee Reaffirms Doc
trine of National Committee-Not
to Face Negro Problem.

Chicago, Aug. 6-The negro ques-
ton was very present problem
: when the Progressive National Con-
vention re-assembled today. AL
though the long expected speech of
Col. Roosevelt, outlining his views of
what the party stood for, which was
delivered at noon, over-shadowed all
else, the delegates themselves admit
ted they feared clash would come
from the action of the credentials
committee in the southern contests.
That body reaffirmed the doctrine of
the national committee that it did not
propose having negro problem
forced upon it, insisting there could
not be any such question, and simply
threw out of the convention entirely
both the negro and white delegates
from Florida, on the grond that they
had been illegally elected and reaffirm-
ed the declaration that the party in
each state should be law unto itself
in deciding what method was to be
pursued in electing delegates.
This action was taken on motion of
the negro member of the committee
from New Jersey, seconded by a
Rhode Island negro and was carried
in the face of the opposition of all of
the committee members from the
states south of the Mason and Dixon
line, who desired the party on record
at it's inception as being a white mans
organization.
q 1t was generally hoped that the
platform would be short, although it
was also realized that as it was to be
modelled on the declaration of Col.
Roosevelt, made today, it would be
impossible to make it the 1000 word
document that many of the leaders
would like to have. 1t was certain,
however, that it would declare for
scientific revision Of the tariff, tn
Roosevelt plan of trust regulation,
an honest enforceable plan of en-
ployer's liability and workingmen's
compensation, radical conservation Of
natural resources the settlement by
the adult men and women of each
state of the suffragette questions,
strong army and navy, reform of the
courts, and laws everywhere which
would make more easy the rule of the
people. The minimum wage, child
labor, workmen's insurance and old
age pensions were also to have atten-
tion. 1t was expected that the COM
mittee would confer with Col. Roose-
velt tonight regarding the platform
and at that conference the final
touches would be placed on the docu-
ment.
The following is Roosevelt's posi-
tion where women are involved:
There should be at once established
minimum standards for the wages of
women.
Tenement manufacture, being a Sc
rious menace to health, education
and childhood, should be entirely pro-
hibited.
Women must not be permitted to
work in occupations which require
continual standing.
Women should not be employed in
any trade for a period of at least
eight weeks at time of childbirth.
Working women must combine for
protection.
The ballot is as necessary for one
sex as FOR the other; we do not be-
lieve that with the two sexes there is
identity of function, but we do be-
lieye there should be equality OF
right and therefore we favor woman
suffrage:
Working women demand the pure
food law must be strengthened ana
enforced.
The employment of women over
forty-eight hours per week is abnor-
NAL and should be prohibited.
Night labor for women or children
should be prohibited.
Surely if the women could vote
they would strengthen the hands OF
those dealing with the white slave
traffic and other evils which can be
dealt with best nationality.