The Denver star., 1916-05-13
By JOHN E. BRUCE -GRlT.-

with headquarters in New York city. Is
sending out circulars and petitions for
signatures to be presented to the Ma
uonal Republican convention at Chi
cago In June. The league Is protesting
against the action of the law commit
tee of the national Republican commit
tee In reducing southern representation
In national Republican conventions of
the present and future.
This action Is being taken because
of the manifest injustice of party man
ayers in depriving Negro voters who
are citizens and taxpayers of a voice
in party councils and because the ma
tional committee in thus eliminating
the Negro appears to be playing into
the hands Of group Of white men in
the south, calling themselves Lily
White Republicans, who have persist
emily advocated the throwing over
board OF Negro Republicans In that
section because OF their growing num-
bers and possible danger to the polit-
ical hopes and aspirations of white
mold them to their purposes.
The law committee and the national
Republican committee. as the official
mouthpiece OF the Republican party.
allege Us reason for the deletion of
the Negro from party councils that
Negro delegates are purchasable: that
they have no influence and cannot de
liver any votes: that these southern
Negro delegates arc an ignorant type
nf hn ntn 90. ln
seem to be valid reasons for depriving
the electorate. which Is the judge OF
the qualifications Of its representatives.
Of the right to voice and n vote
quadrennial!y as to whom they want
for president
On the score OF general intelligence
the Negro delegates from the south In
previous national conventions have not
suffered by comparison with the white
men from the south In political acu-
men and in mental equipment l
have known many men Of both races
from the south who were delegates to
national conventions. and think the
dumbest white Republican l ever met
was one who represented 4 district in
South Carolina In the Republican con
vention Of 1883. 1 Travelled with mem
bers of the South Carolina delegation
from the District Of Columbia in that
year and saw much of the white men
in the party during the run from
Washington to the convention city.
Edmund Deas OF South Carolina was
a delegate, and he IL a colored man.
He could make rings all around his
white confrcres in the delegation be-
cause Of his practical knowledge of
the political game. Robert Small was
also a delegate. He WAS not an
educated man in the broad sense.
but he died in Office. and black
man who could obtain and hold an Of
flee in the south for more than forty
years and get himself elected to every
national convention of his party is not
only a good politician. but genius.
and General Small. whom knew
very well, was certainly genius I'm
his way.
l could name dozens OF these old
timers like Jim Hill of Mississippi. Jim
Lewis of New Orleans. N. Wright
Cuney OF Texas. Il. Hem Burch OF
Louisiana, Perry Carson of the Dis
trict OF Columbia. Judge Glib of Ar
Kansas, and scores OF other notable
Negroes. who in their day were good
enough Morgans for the national Re
publican committees that wrote party
platforms and made presidents.
The Negroes of the south have not
politically nor intellectual
ly. As n matter of fact they knew too
much Of the political game for the
crafty white men in that section. who
would rcorganize the Republican party
to the condition of political non
entity. This is the purpose of the
scheme to reduce southern representa-
ton in the national committee. The
southern Negro Is man, the southern
white Is also n man. They differ in no
essential as voters where opportunities
are equal, for one mans vote counts
one and no more.
Then. too. the Negro is reducing his
illiteracy In the south. and his ambi.
tiOn rises In corresponding ratio. He
wants to be somebody politically and
socially. He is somebody industrinlly
and financially. rs Il glance nt the last
: ensus will show. He is taxpayer
The constitution tells him he is a maj,
and citizen OF the United States.
lie believes what the constitution snys
and he demands the enforcement Of Its
provisions guaranteeing to him the In.
oliennble rights OF citizenship. among
which IL the right to n voice In the sc.
ection Of those chosen to rule over
lin.
very much question whether the
law committee OF the national commit
tee can Justly In = court Of law It's
action In aOr'IrinR the rights Of the
Negro snrrna,sns OF tho south by deny.
Ing them fu'' rcp-esent alton in \ cou.
VNntlcn wiz. . tlelers te< arc chosen by