Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-09-18
'UOW SHALL WE VOTE?r

The New York Crisis, whose odi
! tor, DR.. w. T.. b. Du Bois is a Social.
list and whose policies are supposed
90 be nonpartisan says:
| The present campaign places the
, Negro votGr,--and indeed all Amcri-
can Voters-in difficult position.
| -Four parties ask our votes.
The Republican party has for 25
years Joined the white South in dis
| tranchlSlng us; it has permitted us
to be "Jim-Crowcd," deprived OF
schools and segregated. 1t has partial
| ~ diSfranchised us in its party coun
ellis and proposes practically to elm
| mate MS as soon as this campaign is
over. 1t has encouraged and recognize
| Ell the ''LilyWhite' factions and
nearly driven us from public office.
| In addition to this the Republicans
| represent reaction and privilege, tho
! abolition OF freedom Of speech, tho
| punishment of thinkers, tho suppress
| sion OF the labor movement, the en-
| couragment and protection OF trusts,
and new protective tarin to tax tho
poor for the benefit Of the rich.
This is Il drastic indictment Of u
great political organization. 1t pays
its respects TO the Democratic Party
| in Il similar manner. Here Is whit ii
says:
L n mi eip do. fnv
| exactly the same things MS the Repub
! licans. Between their professed and
| their actual policies there is no diff
ercncc worth noting. 70 be sure, tho
northern wing OF the party has ten.
| denotes toward some recognition OF
the laborers' demands and the needs
OF striker war-curscd world, but
| this is more than neutralized by the
Solid South.
The Solid South means lynching,
oligarchy, mob-rule, disfranchisemen
systematic ignorance and rottcn-bor
| ough voting. Against this body OF
death the highest ideals of Woodrow
| Wilson at his best ayailed absolute
| ~ nothing, and there is not today tho
shadow Of hope that Governor Cox
Or Ohio would be able to champion
any policy as president that propos
es to disturb the rule in tho South OF
the constituencies exploiter of black
and white labor.
| This is the position Of the two chief
| win.
There arc some charges against
| the Republican Party, which we are
| Of the opinion the distinguished
| imam of letters" will be unable to
| s,lbstantiate or prove. Certainly the
| action Of the New York legislature
was revolutionary and unjust in deal
| ms with the five Socialist members
| that it, in combination With their
! Democratic associates barred from
| the seats to which they had been
righilully and legally elected. On
| the other hand Republicans OF tho
! Judge Charles Evans Hughes type
! openly voiced their protests. Editor
! Du Bots concluded as follows:
| There are two other parties, tho
| Farmcr-Labor and the Socialist Both
these parties speak out bravely in on?
| behalf Neither Of them can win and
! because of our dcfcnselcSs position
the triumph Of one Of the greater
parties without our aid might be tho
signal for further aggrcssions upon
| the rights as citizens
| Our one clear path is this: What
| ever vote we cast for President,
| let our vote for Congressman be clear
aDG decisive; vote for friends Of our
race and defeat our enemies
| If the question is to be brought
down to the personality of, the can
didates for congressional honors, why
should it not be brought down to tho
| personality Of the candidates for
| presidential honor? Both Senator
Warren c., Harding and Governor G..
ID. Coolidge have spoken plainly with
| reference to questions concerning
the colored people and their welfare.
I while Governor James NJ. Obx and
/, Secretary Franklin D. Roosevelt, can
( Gidates Of the Democratic Party have
boon ominously silent. With a slight
; change in the language we iterate
~ l.