The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1917-09-21
HASHvILLE'S CAM
DIDATE FOR MAYOR
NO NEGRO NEED APPLY-DIVIDE
NEGRO VOTES SAYS DR.. JONES
-CAldPAIGNERS ARE MOVING
HEAVEN AND EARTH"
Editor Of the Globe:

The municipal election, embracing
the selection of "a mayor and two.
commissioners, is taking place before
! have had the time during my briel
permanent residence in my home
city, to know enough about the can.
didates to make a choice from my
own personal knowledge of the men.
| have heard several of the candi-
dates speak from the stump, anu
have read the speeches of others.
The campaign reading up to the re-
cent primary was exceedingly warm,
and | noted that more Negroes were
interested in the election than there
have been for number of years in
the past. 1t was also noted that the
Negro vote was more divided than
usual.
On general principles, | hold that
Negroes votes should be divided
just like the white vote. And under
normal conditions, the Negroes
should not be expected to vote as a
race. They should choose their
man like other men do, and
vote for him, regardless to race
But when an issue is set forth,
then it is time for the Negro, as a
race, to sit up and take notice, and
in the name of Almighty God, act,
and let men who want Office know
that the Negro is not only a man
but that he is an American citizen
Two men are now before The citi-
zens of Nashville for their vote. for
the position of mayor of this town,
MIR. II. e. Howse and Mr.. VIM. Cup
ton. | do not know either man, per.
sonally | have heard that Mr.. Howse
proved to be the best friend that the
Negro has had in that Office fer many
years. On the contrary, | have read
from the columns of the daily papers
that Mr.. Howse is a very undesirable
citizen to some people.
And now / notice that Mr.. Gupton's
campaign managers as well as his
stump speakers are moving heaven
and earth,' trying to stamp as a lie
the report that Mr. Gupton promised
to recognize Negroes on the police
force. | do not know that the Ne.
groes have asked such a thing The
truth of the matter is, Nashville Ne
groes do not usually ask for any
thing. But why should Mr.. Gupton's
spell-binders feel called upon to
adopt as a slogan-"No Negroes on
the Police Force?" There are other
cities, and even in the south, and
some of them farther south than
Nashville, which have had Negroes
on the police force. Why may not
Negro policemen be appointed in
colored wards or Negro sections? /
think now since the Gupton forces
have seen fit to go out of their way
to raise the issue and adopt that as a
slogan, the Negroes of Nashville
ought TO make it the real issue in
this campaign so far as they are
concerned.
The Nashville Negroes have be-
come so accustomed to taking just
what is thrown out to them so long,
that they really hav5 come to he
lieve that they are receiving a gift
Nher ttoy are silII.y receiving WHAT
10 utt IhGll' tlCy dNJudlly DblItFe
that the new Pearl High School
building is gracious gift They
don't think that they are entitled to
it at all There are many prominent
Negroes in Nashville today who be-
lieye tlat the Hadley Park is a gift
from the city, for which the race
should be eVerlastingly thankful. +
am Tennessean by birth and rear
age. ] have lived in and around
Nashville from childhood l measure
my words The city of Nashville has
not given the Negro race anything
The race has justly won all the rec
Ognition that it has received since
the war of the rebellion. And some
of us have got sense enough to know
ii.
If Mr.. Gupton means to adopt tho
Vardaman-Tillman tactics or riding
into Office on denouncing the Negro
and his vote, I think the Negro for
once should rise up in his might and
rebuke it.
J. A. JONES.