The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1915-10-23
THE INTERVIEW WITH THE
MAYOR.

Atty. B. S. Smith, Editor Smith, Mrs
M. o. Cannon, Mrs. Grace Blackwell
Messrs. r. c. Marshall and Thomas
Perkins, appeared at the mayors Of
fee. Rev. Stovall saw the mayor be-
fore the delegation arrived, because
he had to leave for the Methodist
Ministers convention. Mr.. Nye said
that he had left the matter of censor
ship to- committee of representatives
from various associations, which had
offered to assist in censoring pictures
etc.. and that he would abide by thei
decision in this play. Atty. Smith
made an earnest plea for a manly
stand by the mayor and showed the
disastrous effect on the race by the
exhibition. He had also asked that a
Negro organization be represented in
this censor association, knowing that
the mayor had placed in evidence in
the district and supreme courts the
correspondence from the Minneapolis
Sunday Forum a public society and
Ames Lodge of Elks, an incorporated
Negro organization. He also made a
plea for representative from a Grand
Army post, but was told that Capt.
S. P. Snyder was on the list, but he
sanctioned the play. Mrs. Blackwell
wanted to relate personal experience
resulting from the show.
1t had been suggested that the COM
mittee of 16 heads of various organi-
cations be increased to 80, each or
sanitation adding four delegates.
This was the trick Editor Smith
asked the mayor why he left the ad-
hainistration of the affairs of his office
to the committees, and the mayor re-
oiled that "he was being criticized as
a judge, or Gar, and he wanted a
public decision on this picture" Not
withstanding the fact that he had re-
voked the license after private exhi-
bition on Oct. u, where the concen-
sus of opinion was against the film,
Editor Smith said that it was unfair to
leave it to public opinion now that the
courts had declared the mayor had
the right to stop the play. Also that
he should recognize "the great major
ty of one" which was his official
power, and that his action, if in the
right, would always be with the ma
iority. He stated that there were
more than 100 representative citizens,
perhaps more representative than this
(suggested) committee, who would
not and did not endorse the nomina-
ton of Wallace G. Nye for mayor,
and that you, Mr.. Nye, are immune
rom critism. The mayor then told
how Mr.. Karl DeLaittre, former pres
dent of the city council, had organ
zed this movie cenor committee and
offered aid, and the mayor after RE-
FGSING to give Negro or Grand
Army organizations voice, or allow
ng delegation of Negroes to meet
he committee to appeal or protest, he
promised to see Mr.. DeLaittre. Atty.
Morris not being present, the COM
mittee of two Smiths went to Mr..
DeLaittre and was cordially received.
He told that he had interested him
self in the movie censorship on the
request of a civic organization on the
east side, and the project was begun
asst April. They had perfected or
ganization and were to begin Dec. 9th,
but they had not given thought to
The Birth of Nation" He showed
a letter from Mayor Nye, which stat
ed that he had consented to allow a
private exhibition Of "The Birth of
and suggested that the rep
resentation from each organization be
increased to FIVE, also suggested the
name of some local censor board,
composed of movie picture men. Mr..
DeLaittre said that they were not &C.
cepted. He said that Mr.. Nye had
come to him recently, and had men
toned the "colored representation"
but the committee had not decided to
accept them; in fact, the matter was
not considered, just mentioned. Mr..
DeLaittre saw no harm in the picture
Mayor Nye was again informed and
again asked to secure representation
for the Negro citizens, and he COM
pletely ignored the communication,
which reached him at 2 p. m, Mon