Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-08-06
.COLORED MEN
DENIED SEATS
IN CONVENTION
Florida Delegates Refused
Tickets to Bull Moose
Gathering When Denied
the Right to Vote.
WHITE MANS PARTY,
COMMITTEE SAYS

Delegates From South Not
Pacitied When They are
Told They are Sacrificed
to Gain White Vote.
Chicago, Aug. 81 The provisional
national progressive committee met to-
day to dispose of the contested dele
gate cases. Two of the cases involved
the troublesome negro question and II
was said some of the committeeman
were anxious to place the matter
briefly before Col Roosevelt prior to
vote.
In the Florida cases sort OF COM
promise was reached. The so-called
slily white" delegates headed by G. l..
Anderson, provisional national com.
mitteeman from the state, were seated
in the convention as regularly chosen
representatives. The contesting dele
gates, headed by c. H. Alston, negro,
were invited to sit in the convention
as Supplemental delegates" but with
out a vote.
Alston and the other contesting
negroes from Florida, five in all, de-
clared that under no circumstances
would they abide by the compromise
decision of the committee.
IF we are to attend the convention
merely as spectators said Alston,
1--WE prefer to buy our own tickets.
The negroes when they heard the
decision, stripped the Roosevelt
badges from their lapels and held an
Indignation meeting. They said they
would lay their case before the ere
dentials committee Of the convention.
The committee then took up the Mis-
sissippi contests, also made by
negroes, and the Ohio cases, involving
a local fight in Cincinnati.
Roosevelt Refuses to Interfere.
After the national committee had
disposed of the negro contestants the
storm center was transferred to
Colonel Roosevelt's quarters. The
colonel refused. however, to take q
hand in the dispute, although large
number Of excited followers appealed
to him. He referred them all to his re-
cent letter to Jnlian Harris of Atlanta
on the negro question.
"Read my letter." he said. 1T con-
tains full statement of my views"
He declined to comment on the action
OF the national committee and said he
had never talked with any Of the
negro contestants.
"Give them my letter as a tract" he
said.
Negroes See Steam Roller.
Southern negro delegates were in
Formed bv the national provisional
committee that the organization
is to be white mans" party-at
least as far as Dixieland Is concerned.
To emphasize 1t, the colored breth-
rem were steam rollered" In a manner
which left them crushed and speech.
less. They were bluntly told they were
being offered up as a sacrifice to ap-
pease the southern democratic white"
vote. II they want to ride on the rear
seats OF the bandwagon they can do 80
II they wish-but they must keep quiet
and not attempt to obtain leadership.
They were told there wouldn't be any
objection If they formed a little auxil-
iary of their own-a sort of ladies'
sewing circle to the main institution.
Negroes Awe-StrIcken.
Negroes from Alabama, Mississippi
and Florida who aspired to sit in the
progressive party convention stood
awe-stricken in the provisional COM
mittee room, where they had appeared
to argue contests, and had the question
put squarely to them: Don't you think
under white leadership more southern
democrats can be induced to support
the progressive party?' The question
was put time and again by United
States Senator Joseph M. Dixon and
half a dozen committeeman. These
delegates had excellent cases. No one
denied that The sole question was
barter and trade.
Senator Dixon offered an explana-
ton once-the same one offered by
Colonel Roosevelt for his anlmosity
toward southern colored delegates.
"We believe that the southern negro
delegate, reared in political debauch-
cry under federal espionage, hasn't
reformed since the republican national
convention" he said. THE situation
is one which takes time to clear. We
believe that if the colored man stays
in the ranks and white leadership Is
obtained, formidable party to oppose
democracy in the south may be
formed
For White Mans Party.
"I've been Mississippi democrat
seventeen years and If this isn't to be
a white mans party I'm not with it,
was the plain way Committeeman
Fridge put it to the committee after
three negro iawyer-delegates had re-
cited their woes. II told every one it
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