The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1912-09-20
Political independence


ence The country has never seen the
day when so many men think and
act upon their own decisions. There
was a time when democrats we're dem
ocrats for the name, and wings were
wings for the same reason; republi-
cans were republicans because some
one else was. And the time is not far
distant when all Negroes were repub-
licans because Lincoln was. But the
day has passed when men identify
themselves with this or that party be-
cause of its name; but it is the prin-
ciple involved now that the voters of
this nation are considering. The name
does not mean or amount to any
thing. They care not how long such
and such a party has been in exist
ence, or what it used to stand for.
The question now is, what does it
stand for to-day? Negroes used to
be republicans because Lincoln was a
republican and because he was pres
ident when the shackles of slavery
were broken. But that day Is past,
and the Negro as well as other men,
is confronted with the great problems
of this day. AS a mass they are con-
cerned particularly as to the cost of
living. They are beginning to study
high tariff and low tariff. 1t does
not make much difference to the
masses whether we have initiative,
referendum or recall; but it is a mat
ter of whether or not it is right and
just for the large corporations and
controllers of big business to compel
the laborers of this country to pay
double price for the stuff they make
here as is charged for the same ma
terial in foreign countries.
Another thing that is engaging the
attention of the thinking men is why
this nation is unwilling to admit into
this country without duty such com.
modities as are not manufactured in
this country sufficiently to supply the
demands. Negro voters, as a rule
have not heretofore studied these
questions. They have gone alonl
blindly following the party of LincolI
and forgetting the fact that Lincoln
and most of his ancestors are dead
and that the iniquitous Pullman ca
custom was inaugurated by n of tn
sons of Abraham Lincoln. We re
fer to the custom of some states o
telling the Negroes that all of tn
berths are taken. 1t will be remen
bered that the Hon. ]. B. Frazier, q
Tennessee, made a trip all the wa
. to Illinois to explain to Mr.. Lincol
Just how he could keep the Negroe
out of the sleepers, and Mr.. Lincol
jumped at the idea as a cat would
a mouse; and from that day on it ha
been a hard thing for a Negro to g,
accommodations in a sleeping ca
= 1t makes no difference who that n
gro is or what distance he has to ira
ell, he is forced to take the fare in Il
JON crow car; sleep if he can, but pa
full fare he must. That is the conc
ton that one of the sons Of Linco
=, has put upon the Negroes of the sout
So, to serve a party because
was Lincoln's party is the most foI
= ish thing the peple could do. VIII
this age is demanding is that men vo
their own convictions, and that tho
convictions be based upon a sober CO
s~ideration Of what is really best {
80 all the people. In this campaign ma.
questions will be discussed. T
army of spelbinders are in traini
now, and within a few days the col
try will be flooded with them. Y
he will have the situation from a star
o. pat republican viewpoint; we will ha
lie it from a democratic standpoint;
70, will have it from a national progre
wv i've standpoint; we will have it fro
be a prohibitionist standpoint, and ina
as we will have it from a socialist stal
a point.
it The man who is to be a real benz
er to his community and to his matt
m must take all of these views and E
lp- them down for himself and betwe
at all decide on the lesser evil. All !