The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-05-04

jest and tar TO the negro.
b The association first began with the
Joining of forces of a few disgruntled
Office seekers from widely scattered
states who came to Washington TO
reap a reward for party services. and
were angry when they discovered most
of the good jobs were held by repub-
1tcans under civii service protection. 1t
got it's start at a. privately conducted
indigna ton meeting. As it's purpose
became more generally known hun
dreds focked to its banner. At
meeting held in the National Hotel q
perma nent organization was effected
and delegates dispatched to their re-
spective states to form subordinate
councils of the organization. Forty
states were represented at the meeting
and platform, adopted which bristles
with strenuosity.
The officers of the association have
been busy for several weeks prepar-
ing statistics as to the distribution Of
government positions among the DIFF
ferent states. The first branch of the
government to be looked into was the
diplomatic and consular service under
the state department. In this depart
rnent it was found that 90 per cent of
these positions were held by repub-
leans, and only per cent by demo
Gratis. Further Investigation proved
that the positions held by democrats
were small jobs with meagre compen-
sation, while the republicans hold al,
the high salaried positions. 1t was
found that contrary to the rules
of the civil service commission
which provide for the distribution of
patronage equally between the states
according to their numerical strength
Illinois had far more citizens in -the
consular service than all the southern
states combined.
These facts We're ascertained TO be
true by Secretary of State Bryan be-
fore he had been ION the job" at the
state department two weeks, and he
is understood to have taken the mat
ter up with the president with a view
to correcting it in some way when the
rush Of more important business is
over.
It is expected that when the other
government departments are inquired
into similar conditions will be dis
closed.
Ths> Fair Pay Association is in IA
vor OF some methods to correct these
abuses and declares that If the dem
ocratic party does not devise some
way of putting a lot of democrats in
office in place Of the republican office
holders who were fraudulently placed
under the civil service the prospect Of
the democratic success at the polls at
the next presidential election Will be
considerably curtailed.
A part of the platform in regard to
supplanting republicans with demo-
Gratis reads:
THAT it IS our sincere belief that the
contamination OF the purpose Of this
organization will aid and assist our
national democratic administration,
and that the realization Of the pro-
cesses and principles thereof are vital
to the continued supremacy Of the
democratic party
To the fact that most Of the MEM
hers Of the association are southerners
can be ascribed the plank In the plat
form declaring for the segregation Of
white and negro races in government
departments. There are several IN
stances in the government depart
ments in Washington where negroes
are at the heads of bureaus and have
white men and women working under
them in subordinate positions. The
association aims to put a quick stop
to this evil It does not object to the
negro holding office. and declares IN
It's platform that It is in favor OF the
negro race holding Offices in proportion
to its numerical strength, but Insists
that they be segregated. Where a ne
gro is head Of a bureau II insists that
places in that bureau be he'd only by
negroes.
A platform plank Of the association
has the following to say on that sub
iect: 1--WE find that negroes are
holding federal positions in Washing
ton and elsewhere in the United
States. in the same departments with
white men and white women, and IN a |
great many instances exercising su- |
pervlsion and control over white men |
and white women in said department, |
and
Whereas, we believe that said con- |
diuons are mutually disagreeable and |
Injurious to both the white and negro |
races, and is destructive to the moral |
welfare and amicabIe relationship so |
much desired by both races ETC.
The closing Paragraph Of the plat |
form so-icits membership and CORE |
spondence from every democrat and /
every Patriot in the United States"