The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-04-21
Clarence Poe Never Heard Or
Understood Any Demand to
Eliminate Plank
M UNION POSITION
Mr.. Poe Declares That the
Omission of Segregation
Plank From Mass Meeting
Discussion Was Simply and
Solely Because of the Mat
ter of Time Limit.

~
To the Editor:-I notice the con-
tinued and widespread publication of
absurd rumors rs to why the segre-
cation plank was omitted from the
list Of subjects for consideration at
The Democratic mass meeting. Let
me repeat, therefore, that this was
done simply because we saw there
would not be enough time for its
consideration and it's advocates were
determined not to put it forward
without having enough time to make
sure of thorough discussion and alb
solute victory. When the meeting was
first called it was the idea to have it
last twenty-four hours. When we de-
cided TO limit il to twelve hours it
was evideDt h q the program would
have 10 be cut. The questions
proposed had long been discussed and
needed little explanation. The Sc
Sregation issue is now and might
EASILY have been debated for hours.
| saw, therefore, hat with this new
issue and the new issue of q State
wide anti-jug law before it for de-
bate the meeting might not fully con-
slider anything else; and everybody
knows if this had happened the oppo-
nents Of the meeting would hav said
that Clarence Poe sacrificed the gen
cral interests of the party and the
people in order to get his favorite
segregation idea "paramounted."
As To Secretary Bryan.
AS for Mr.. Bryan, l have no doubt
but that as d national character he
~ould dislike TO become involved in
Ii discussion OF our sectional race
problem one way or the Other. But
ne has never said or written one word
10 me about the segregation plank in
our call, and ] believe Mr.. Daniels,
through whom / conducted my nego-
GationS, says positively that the sub
ject was never once mentioned in
their talks. A North CarOlinian in
Washington did write me that he
thought Mr.. Bryan would object to
that plank, but so far as / know he
had not seen Mr.. Bryan or been asked
TO see him. In any case the utter
most Mr.. Bryan would have suggest
ed or wished would lave been that
We locate his address so that h
would not have TO discuss this plank
In our call nor becom personally in
Nolved in a negro problem discus
SIGN that might embarrass the ad-
ministration nationally; and this
could easily lave been arranged by
having his address before Or after
the segregation debate without omit
ting il at all from the list of subjects
If / know my own heart, the one
real reason for definitely emitting
II from the subjects for consideration
was that we would not have had tim,
for adequate discussion.
But nobody need fear that the idet
has been hurt. The farmers OF tn
State are aroused about it, and tn
failure TO discuss ii at the mass meet
ing will no more stop them from
agitating it than the same resolution
emitting the jug law from discussion
viii stop Rev. X. l.. Davis from put
ting this before all the folks from
Dan TO Beersheba.
The Question At Issue.
What the white farmers want, j
ought To be emphasized, is not S
much the segregation of the neSrCe
AS an opportunity to segregate them
selves. AS it is today there are vir
tualiy no country neighborhoods l
which "a man can buy a farm an
build a worthy home with a%ssuranc
that negroes of uncertain and pos
slbiy vicious n criminal characte
may not eventually buy all around II
and while tenants come and go and q
most are responsible to some whit
man, the negro landowner is respor
sible to no one and stay put fol
ever. In the w there are wealth
Ter white sections from which by III
written law the negroes are debarreC
and III the towns anywhere the Whl'
mans wife and children hav til
whole city's police power within ca
ut any hour Of day or night. In tf
country, on the contrary, there are L
sections reserved for white occl
pancy, and the white farm WoTne
n girls, as good as their town si
ters. have no policemen to stand guar
against any menacing danger.
As conditions are today no or
can deny that the negro simply b;
a definitely unfair advantage Cor tai
ing the rural South to himself.
Aalf dozen neerOeS one after anOth.