The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1916-11-18
A VICTORY FOR NEGROES.
Special to the Star.

Memphis, Tenn, Nov. TO- 1916.
The one great victory won by. the
American Negro in Tuesdays election
came in Memphis and West Tennessee.
The Lincoln Republican League, r. R.
Church, Jr., founder and president an
initiated the lily white Republicans in an
open contest at the ballot-box.
And more, the Lincoln League shat
tered the Local Option combination COM
posed of white Republicans, Democrats
apd Know Nothings.
But most important, Lincoln League,
now 5000 strong and still growing, has
gathered Colored men into the most
unique and largest political organization
among Colored people in the country.
AS leader, Mr.. Church can boast fol-
termined than ever lined up behind a
COlored leader. . r.E
Friday night the League met to con-
slider the situation. More men were
present-maybe 5000 of them--than got
together the Friday night before cleo
ton. Beginning here, the capital of the
Negro race. the battle is on to break the
political shackles Of the Southern Negro.
Candidates Won Down the Line.
From Wayman Wilkerson, candidate
for Congress straight down the line, the
Lincoln League ticket polled a vote larger
than the so-called Republican organiza-
ton. With no protection at the polls,
and local combinations against them,
together with the natural bent of Demo-
Gratis to brow-beat colored men, the can
didates came through with an approx
innate vote of 200 as counted by election
judges. .
Thomas H. Hayes, popular business
man, on fair count, would be Pictorial
Senator from Shelby and Upton counties.
He ran his democratic adversary smack
up to the State House steps. -
The campaign launched by Mr.. Church
and his supporters, grew in interest.
uo!lo9ls Illun lsn5nV 10 7IppIW eul uoLH
eve, when Roscoe Simmons arose to
close the campaign before 1000 people,
interest in the contest was without paral-
lei in the South. And the women were
more set and determined than the men.
Work Just Begun. ....
The Lincoln League is organized for
local contests next year, and for Con-
be put up for every office, county and
congressional and since the great vote
piled up by the organization establishes
1t as the Regular Republican party or
the party will always be represented on
the official ballot. S.
Figures Don't lie.
The following figures tell story Of
supreme interest They are supplied by
the Election Board and are for Memphis
and Shelby County only: -..a
Lily White and Local optIon--For Con-
ator 1863; Senate, Dye 1859; Crenshaw |
1854; voght, Pictorial Representative, |
1906, Representatives Billingsly 295S; |
Broens, 1857; Etlinger, 1912: Gilmore,
2027; Morris. 2163; Parr. 1882; Powell, |
1871. .t.r sH |
Lincoln Republican League-For Con-
gress, Wayman Wilkerson '2220; T. Fl. !
Hayes Pictorial Senator, 27S6: Senate, H.
M. Bomar 2321: b. M. Roddy 2371; G.
w. Atkins, Pictorial Representative, 1927:
Representatives, N. Bowles, 2463; A. E.
Clouston. 21s5; Ned Clowers, 21Ss: Ed,
Lewis, 22S9; J. T. Settle, Jr., 2557; J. Is.
Willis, 1862; o. w. Williams, 257S.
These figures ought to read twice the
size, but, the election officers didn't
wear any religion to the polls that morn
ing, and threw the Ten Commandments
out of the window when they got there.
Mr.. Church announced the morning at
ter election that the fight has but opened
And behind him are the colored people,
without a break, of the largest Negro
city in the world.
Wayman Wilkerson. candidate for Con-
gress, ran away with his lily-white COM
petitor According to the daily press he
ran ahead Of Farley, lily, to 1.