Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-01-22
SPINGARN MEETING GREAT sue.
CESS.

T, ored men and women and q sprink-
ling of white persons, the latter in
cluding Governor Clarke Attorney
General Cosson, Casper Schenck and
Harvey Ingham, call for renewed
courage in the struggle Of the black
race for political and economic equal
ity and pleading for recognition by
the white race of the Negroes rights.
The meeting was held at the Corin-
THAN Baptist church.
DR.. Spingarn, who is a white man,
the chairman of the board of direct
ors of the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People,
laid chief stress on the three most
vital and unjust evidences Of racial
inequality, as he termed them, dis
franchisement, anti-intermarriage and
segregation propaganda, and laws.
Referring to the amendment to the
immigration bill excluding the black
race, he said: "That would have
meant that Negro doctor or a law
yer, or an educator, born and raised
in this country, could not have
crossed the suspension bridge at Nj
agara into Canada and then returned
to his native land"
Intermarriage Problem.
The amendment was lost, the
speaker pointed out, chiefly, if not
entirely through the efforts of the
Washington branch Of the N. A. A. G.
P, working through an awakened
and united body of organized col
ored men and women. E~+~
The speaker vigorously attacked
the phase Of the race question which
has inspired the anti-intermarriage
agitation, although admitting the
difficulty Of presenting the subject
without danger, Of offense. -
The subject has timely signifi-
canoe in view Of the bill which has
been introduced in congress making
it crime for black and white per-
sons to marry.
"There is no legal intermarriage
between the colored people and the
white people now," he said. Not
one colored person out Of million
wants to marry white person"
Here the speaker was interrupted
by the biggest demonstration Of ap-
plause with which his words had yet
been greeted. =.
"Why are they so anxious to stop
legal marriages." he continued. "The
reason is simply this: To save white
nsr from rtu tho aseoasequencea-sof any
wrong they may do colored women" )"
Attacks Segregation Propaganda.
"There are some Of us white men,
men who have families, who do not
intend to see without protest that
colored girls receive less protection
than our wives and daughters"
The subject of segregation was
forcibly handled by the speaker. he
protested against herding the black
race, the weaker race, within pro-
scribed limits, where vice, disease
and crime would be generated. Under
this humiliation with the incentive
for struggle removed the progress
the race has achieved through bitter
struggle would cease and degenera-
ton would follow, continued Mr.
Spingam.
Disfranchisement, anti-intermar-
riage and segregation must be fought
by agitation and political power, de-
clared the speaker, in summing up.
Attorney S. Joe Brown introduced
Governor Clarke, who introduced Dr:
Spingarn. Mr.. Brown declared en-
phatically that the governor had done
more for the progress of the colored
race than any governor Iowa has ever
had.
The governor paid a tribute to the
achievements of the colored race, and
nrophesied a time when every man
would have equal opportunity with
every other man.
Preceding the main address and
following the invocation, delivered by
the Rev. M. w. Alexander, Miss Mil
dred Griffin, pianist, and the Metro
nolitan octette entertained with mu-
sical selections.
At the conclusion Of DR.. Spingarn' S
address the roll was opened and over a
hundred persons, including Governor
Clarke, Attorney General Cosson and
Editor Harvey Ingham enrolled as
members Of the Des Moines branch OF
the national association.