Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-15

MONDAY, JULY Is, 1918.
Recognition of the Negroes.

More than the usual attention pald to
such uttcranCes attends the resolutions
adontcd at meeting, recently held III
Dover, of Negro voters, some oi whom
were men who had been active workers
for the Republican party IN numerous
campaigns. 4 significance Is attached to
some og the uttcranccs contained m the
resolutions that may make Republican
leaders somewhat ANXIOUS rs 20 the best
policy to pursue throughout the campaign,
no matter which faction may get the
mastery at the primaries
Aftcr calling for the nomination Of
.clean and honorable men rs Rcpuhi'-
can candidates forodicc this wear, there So
ttions say. no Negro has ever been
chosen to represent his race IN tho General
Assembly. none holds any office N ~"
executive department. no member "i the
race serves on the jury when our peoplo
arc accused Of crime: no Negro attorney
appears for us in the courts
This Indictment IS generally true. and
IN the man strictlN turue i i fact that
no Negro has ever been sent 70 the t'cn1
eral Assembly 1t IS fact that 20
Negro holds position in the State cNccu-
tive department, notwithstanding no
Republican could hc elected governor
without tho aid Of the Negro vote.
In all the wears the Negroes have been
actual citizens Of the country and State.
only two Negroes have served on Jurirs
in Delaware These were drawn n New
Castle county, and it has been many wears
since the last ono served.
Nor is there any Negro lawyer practIc-
inc in tho courts of this state Thirty
Years or more ago. q Negro attorney from
Washington came here and made applca-
ton for admission to the bar Of New Castle
county While his application was not
formally rejected, he met with such a
cool reception that apparently he antlcl-
pated his fate At any rate. he soon re-
turned to his former home
We cannot recall any appointments of
Negroes to public office outside Of the city
of Wilmington. although few may have
served in the two lower counties as iani-
tors. In this city there have been Negro
bailiff of the United States District Court
many wears ago: two Negroes as balhii Of
Citv Council Two Negroes also have
served as members Of City Council from
the Sixth ward, although the first one
chosen was defeated when he sought re-
election The present member from the
Sixth ward. Councilman Hopkins, IS
Negro, and is in his second term He com
ports himself with dignity and serves as
acceptably as any Of his fellows. A Ne
gro served on the police force, but was
soon dismissed And there have been some
minor appointments
We believe this about covers the ex-
tent of q recognition Of the Negro IN the
distribution OF loaves and fishes under
Republican administrations in Delaware
city. county and State When ii Is con-
sidered the Negroes furnish more than
one-third OF the total voting strength Of
the Republican party, it will be admitted
that a shockingly meagre share of the
official perquisites has been doled out to
them Yet they have patiently endured
this rank injustice. True 1t is they would
have nothing better to expect from Demo
cratic administrations, but one reason for
this is, they have always arrayed them
selves solidly against the Democratic
partv at elections, and therefore had no
claims to advance But they have a
right to expect, and to receive, from their
own party great deal more than they
have had thus far.
This is why the declarations made by
this meeting of Negroes in Kent county
possess unusual significance al this time
They may lead TO interesting develop
ments dunng the campaign.