The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-01-23
THE DEFENDING
POLITICAL CAMPAIGN

dental campaign more deeply concern
the colored people in these Unlte'
States than any previous one since tn
adoption Of the 14th and 18th amend
amendments TO the constitution. In
accommodating evidence Of increaslnt
persecution of the race in the south
and discrimination in the north, ant
the apparent 'leave it alone policy
az the party with which we have Ions
been asliated-and which has had oul
solid support in national elections-as
bearing on those questions calling fol
a solution by the granting of constitu-
t:cnally vouchsafed rights and privi-
lepes. has made our race somewhat
skepfical as to the future.
The world war, out of which we
thought, and confidentially believed,
would issue much tauted world de-
meeracy--as applicable to our race,
that gave millions to finance 1T and
more than four hundred thousand men
to fight for it, left, instead, in its
wake trail of racial prejudice wider,
deeper and more engulfng than existed
before.
The leaders Of the republican party,
no less than the leaders Of the demo
cratic party, have, apparently been
more concerned with economic ques-
tions which concern other countries
the feeding and uplifting of peoples in
foreign countries-than with the ques-
tlon of justice for the American col
ored man who Loyalty bore the brunt
of the battle in the heat of the day.
Unless we succeed in influencing the
republican party to write into its plat
form, to be adopted ;. at Chicago In
III 10 anJ1ql
Justice for the race, and solemn
pledge that such plank shall be strict
" adhered to, we will have failed in
orr duty TO the race.
There will be four parties to 60 be-
fore the voters of our country for en-
dcrsement this coming fall-the repub-
liean, democratic, labor and socialist |
With the second, which is most respon-
sible for all our ills, past and present,
Nc cannot consistently ally ourselves. /
With the socialist there are inseparably !
associated too many radicals who are
styled bolsheviks, soyiets, syndicalists i
md I. w. WIS. The labor party, al
though the American federation of la
Dor has gone on record as favoring a
within the ranks Of organ
zed labor, of eolored labor on equal
.erms with whites, yet appears impot-
mt, even though there is much in its
policies that is idealistie, to secure for
IS quick and permanent justice. The
'epublican party, providing it is recon
back to those prin-
III les that actuated and controlled it
lrder Lincoln, appears to be the only
afe ark upon which we may take safe
passage to hoped-for millennium.
Practically all of the avowed presi-
le1ltial aspirants In the republican par
y have sounded their keynote, but in
lcne Of them has there been single
tote of encouragement, even by infer
nee, for the more than l2, 100000 col
ned people. The burden of their song
las been antagonism to the Hreds'
no would, as bolsheviks, soviets, syn
|icalists and what not. overthrow our
Internationally, perhaps,
hey have made no reference to the
rebels those in this country who
ebel against the dictates of the con-
titution.
Before the republican convention
cnvenes we ought to assemble from
very state, as race and banishing all
fractional strife among ourselves-ig- !.
oring every and all personal differ
nees-by speech, action and resolution
IMPRESS upon the party that we must
e given only that recognition the con-
titution specifically provides, and I
hitch our loyalty, service and sacri- '
ces have paid for in full. Il
There must be no recognition of a
southern policy by any future re-
nblican president in contra distinction S
. national policy of Justice for all. d
here must not be revival of policy, /
rrsued by republican president, that c
enies to our brothers in the south b
luitable representation in government i
a