The Appeal., 1919-10-25
RIGHTM Mr.. WRIGHT.

A recent interview of Mr. Edward |
H. Wright, a $4,000 assistant corpora
ton counsel in Chicago, on What the |
Colored People Want" which was pub
lished in the Chicago Daily News, is
so admirable in it's general character |
that THE APPEAL reprints some ex.
cerpts from the same: !
t:What do the colored people want |
politically in the 1st congressional dis
trict, where the bulk of those in Chi
cago live, and why?" Assistant Cor
poration Counsel Wright was asked
today.
''The colored man in the 1st con-
gressional district" replied Attorney
Wright, "constitutes the backbone of
the republican party and he desires
politically what any other element of
the American people desires under
like conditions. The colored man is a
native bora American; he is 100 per
cent patri6tic; he is intelligent and
progressive and his ambition is to
reach the status of absolute equality
as an American citizen.
1--WE feel that if we bear all the bur-
dens and responsibilities of citizenship
we should be accorded all the priv1-
leges that go with it. We want no
special privileges-and we want no
special handicaps.
I'm all matters in which the law
governs we demand the same rights
that other American citezens enjoy.
But there is often friction and bad
feeling between the colored man on
the one side and all other races on the
other because there is not better un-
derstanding between the antagonistic
elements.
THAT better understanding may be
brought about the colored man should
be represented in all bodies that have
to do with the shaping of policies un-
der which the people must live.
HE should be represented, in con-
| gress, in the legislature, in the coun-
Gil, in the governing committees of the
| political parties with which he affli-
ates.
1T is unfortunate that the white
| mans unreasoning prejudice (no mat
| ter to what party he belongs) makes
it almost necessity that the colored
man should have a preponderance of
the vote in certain territory or have
at least the balance of power between
the parties before he is given any
political recognition. This has tend
ency to compel colored men to draw
racial lines as matter of self protec-
ton. This is all wrong on both sides.
"The white man holds the solution
of this question in his hands. Not
having reached this desirable point,
the colored man naturally seeks to
combine his energies to achieve those
things that ought to be freely accord
ed to him If he produces man com.
petent and deserving of preferment.
"The colored republicans of the End
ward believe that their people should
be represented in the Cook county
republican committee. They believe
that in the End ward where the color
ed man constitutes 80 per cent of the
republican strength, they should select
colored man, not because he is color.
ed, but because he is deserving and
capable, as the head of the republican
organization, with voice in the man.
agement Of the affairs of the party. =
While many of the colored voters
believe that in the 1st congressional
| district an effort should be made to
send colored man to congress, there
are many, others who feel that Con.
gressman Martin B. Madden has been
the one conspicuous member of Con.
gress who has stood up for the rights
of the colored people and they feel
that common justice requires that they
make no attacks upon Congressman
Madden unless he should fail to CO.
operate with them in matters for their
good in the district.
I'VE believe we should apply the
same rule. to the delegates to the re-
! publican national convention from
the 1st congressional district. We
should have one of the delegates and
he should cast his vote for man for
president who represents American
ism in it's highest sense.
''In the program herein outlined,
the enemies of the colored race will
: raise the cry of negro domination
wherever the colored man is numer-
i vically in in the he! majority. This is all
rot. :.>.st4 :.
':It is the desire and purpose of
the intelligent progressive colored
man to maintain the most friendly
relations with the white man and to
cooperate with him in all matters
touching the public welfare.
'*All they ask for is justice and
fairness in all public matters and -