The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1913-10-24
EQUALITY Of rights IS
THE FIRST Of RIGHTS"
Memorial to he President Of the
United States By the Csssti-
tstis.al League.

tuttooa1 beoxue.
Hon. WooDRow Wilson,
President oi the United Stat--.
Washington, u. q.
Honored sir:.--ln the nsm- of the
Constitution League Of the United Stats.
tIncorporated). composd III Citizen.
: without rrxsrd a. Rare. S~x. or Party.
hsx respectfully IN make representations
20 Jon In regard ~ the unfair. humilist
ing. degrading. and. think. unlswfn,
sr~stusent which your rolor~si fellow OH
acne are receiving nn.i-r your Admins
| frstion.
Colored mon were members ni the U"n
vention which nominst<d YOU. Colonel
Citixens were generously admitted to th~
Convention Hell and som~ sat on the
platform. You were cl~cted o. yonr hivh
Office through she nnitsi ~fforts and votes
Of both your white ami colored fellow
Citiz~ns. The distinguished ssntl~msn
having charns ot your campaign. made
special appeals n color~d voters, snd in
order 10 sncomplish results. they est~b-
Ii.hed special Hssdqnart~r. in Bostnn.
New York. Wellington. Chicago snd
DENVER Every asurance ws- given IL
fair, just. and equal consideration fer
color~j Citiz~os in event OF your sl~rtion
The condnct of Jour campaign Wa VOID
of every sign as token of Discrimination
on the ground of rscs or cnIor There
was the hesrtiest, mo~a friendly co-opera-
ton t~tween the whit. and colored men
who cliampioned your cause h~fore ths
American people.
Alexander Walter. President Of the Ma
tiousl Colorrd Democratic League, you.
yourself. specifically. pledged lust.
flair" and equal. Treatment TO your
"colored fellow eitizeLs" During the
progress OF the campaign you gave simi-
lar assurances to other colored men. IL
s~erns conclusive that the elimination of
the Rare Ism" achieved your election.
] beg respectfully to say that many
white and colOred citizens believed, that
~ you were a man of Southern birth and
Northern opportunities, poss~ssing the
brosdest scholarship and culture, with
the gift os staf-srnanship. that you would
bring to hear, ON the Race question, the
hest and most patriotic thoughts IL both
Southern and Northern life. And also,
that you were ideally circumstsnced Ia
wipe ont the Negro question ~ fscto,
in American politics 10y the faithful rec
ognition Of the mandates Of the Consti-
tuition Of the unit~d State, and by th~ir
fearless and impartial execution and en-
forcement.
At the moment when ell should ~
quiet on the Potomsc." do not think
it will ~ altogrther q surprise u you for
me b. say, that the cOlored T.eDple Of the
Unit-d STATES are more wrought up and
alarmed, At this time, over their right
and liberties than at any period since
their Emancipation. This is due:
.. To the removal of competent col
ored men from Onices. in several OF the
stst~s. which they hal filed ny Nations
appointments for pears.
?. The removal of competent colored
men from offic~-, hid under National
appointment. ia Washington.
2. The refusal 70 sppoint oolorrd med
70 Diplomsfic Posts, which had for more
than q generation t~en held ~ rDemher-
~ the Race
.. The degradation imposed on col
Ored men and vOfnen in several of tho
departments of tho Government. thrJugh
the prsetices of Segregation snd Jim
Cro~i-m. COlor~d clerks teing taken
from desks and from rooms and s~grs-
gated. Color~si clerks being den:e.i .,,n-
Al u-e os the lunch counters, the lockers.
toilrts. etc
1 such DETERMINATIONS sgsinst eqnsl citi-
zens are extremely humilisfins and de-
grading and destructive b the fundam~n-
tsl Law. The letter and spirit of The Con
sfitution ofthe United states prohibit
Discrimination on sccoant % rsos OF col
or Discrimination then. .hether against
white or coiored y unls~fnl. The~< dis-
eriminstions and degradation, 90 iasrsns-
~ imposed on the Negro people, have
brought the ksce Issue sgsin before the
conntry. IN it- most acute form. The
great body 81 the people of the Nation
viil not stand Tor sueh gro>s injustics
and oppression. II continued. the Rscs
question will again become par AMOUNT ia
National politics and revive the bitter.
ns~ II ssrtionslism- I rs>ps~sslsy ssb.
mia thst this qusvcton can never b. -.
I'D unsii n - ssole<i rigAk