The Denver star., 1916-07-29

SnJootSe and Political Piracy.
The committee on state of the coun-
try Representing the New England
Baptist Missionary convention has Is
sued its statement for 1916 following
its annual meeting held In PHILADELPHIA
in June. The territory OF the conven-
ton covers fourteen states. including
the District of Columbia. Its religious,
educational, home and foreign mission
work Is carried on by its local boards
grouped In the various states through
out its Jurisdiction The Rev. W. B.
Reed OF Hartford, Conn. is chairman
Of the standing committee on (resolu-
tions) state of the country
The report of the committee released
July Is. says:
After charges and countercharges
the New England Baptist convention
has come through the conflicts of an
other year. Our battle against sin, un-
righteousness and evil has been inces-
SAINT: trench after trench has been
taken. fort after fort has fallen before
our advancing army. and our King goes
on 'conquering and to conquer We
pass In this annual session the forty
second milestone of our journey with
THANKSGIVING to our Captain. for the
Lord alone has brought us. and there
was no strange god among US.
I'VE are living in great yet pecul-
lar age The popularity may be OBJ
served under the seven general head
lines in this report. We are living at a
time when wisdom has greatly increas-
ed. yet wise men are greatly deceived
on Important questions affecting us In
a peculiar way as people. \ new pub
lie sentiment is in the molding If
soda is left out of the dough it would
be most difficult task TO put it in the
bread after it is cooked and the baker
who tries il would lose both reputation
and trade.
I'm our great body polite no man or
group Of men is taking chances on
waiting TO put his essence in the mold
Ing after il comes out of the mold.
The time is too critical to intrust 9TH
efs altogether in the molding. The
cost OF neglect Is too great: we must
Insist on our place and time in the
grinding. So the New England Baptist
/ convention has selected some twenty
FIVE men. covering its territory from
Maine to Virginia. to survey in broad
sense the political end of our conven-
tion from national point of view.
We aim To- deal with national Ques-
tions as they affect us as a people. We
aim at our well earned and well de-
serving place in the great functions
of the government By this we do not
ask a place for colored man. but a
; man. . loyal patriotic citizen and an
American. with an ancestry older than
the constitution We are not mere
politicians looking for personal popu-
larity, personal consideration or per
sonaI friends
We are OF age and We aim to speak
for ourselves. We aim to deal with
this mAgnined southern question. We
are going to deal with it not as subject
citizens. but as sovereign citizens. not
by permission. but voluntarily. fired
by duty with the knowledge OF a com
mon privilege burning in our souls. We
sim to Ill up the gaps broken down by
the suppression of free speech by
southern political machines through
the terror OF its mobs. We aim to
break down the southern oligarchy
that makes the southern congressman
representatives of only white men and
misrepre9entatives of colored men. We
aim to ten OF the hypocrisy of all law
makers who advocate jimcrow laws.
The aim of this committee is backed
up by work. We are uniting our forces.
we are fighting nearly half million
strong. The New England Baptist con-
veution has invited all of its state con-
ventions to aim and fight with 1t for
federal supervision over federal cleo
tions. This will he the key to the stu
alton, the great highway to the goal OF
our inalienable rights. This is the
weapon that will bring disfranchisers
home and supplant political piracy with
political equality.
In our fight we shall not be guilty
of Misrepresentation. We leave that to
our enemies We shall speak the truth
from hearts free from hatred. selfish
heSs and racial prejudice. All the com
mittee combined cannot tell all the
truths of the horrors OF the political
machine. We aim to tell enough to get
hearing in the name of Justice and
rights alike for all men.
We are In fair fight for fair and
sacred principles. We are not fighting
In the dark. but in the open, contending
for the inalienable rights guaranteed
by the constitution to every citizen.
We are reaching out for our share OF
the benefits OF the government. the
preservation Of which In every crisis Is
lmmortallxed by the blood OF our dead,
We are calling to the man at the stan
to wave Old Glory over us. for our de
votion helped to keep 1t from the claws
of the fowler. We are calling to the
government that protects her citizens