The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-07-29
NEGROES WILL
HAVE It ALL
TO THEMSELVES
White Republicans Believe
Trouble viii Result From a
Negro Primary in Shelby
County.

There may be a Republican primary
in Shelby county on Aug 5 or there
may be a riot. At least that is what
the white Republicans are saying.
The Republican primary board. whose
Legality is denied by {. H. King who
says he is chairman of the regular
board, is made up of an organization
approved by r. r. Church and a few
Of his white henchmen
Under the law there will be three
elections held on the same day. The
election of county officers whose terms
expire In September, and primaries for
the selection of Republican and pefnV-
cratic candidates for governor and rail-
| road commissioner.
This viii require three sets OF elcc-
tion officers: one for the regular elec-
tion. one set for the Democratic pri-
mary, and another set for the Republic
can primary.
IL the primary for Republican candi-
| dates Is conducted In every ward and
precinct something like 500 persons win
be required in the city alone.
The regular election will be conducted
! by white persons; the Democratic state-
wide primary will be conducted by white
Democrats and the white Republicans
OF Shelby county having declined to
have anything to do with the Republi-
can primary and advise all white Re-
publicans not to vote, the Republican
| primary will be conducted almost en-
| tirely by negroes
The question that has been provoked
| by the action of the white Republicans
| is: VIII the white Democrats and whito
| officers in the regular election permit
| q negro primary 10 be held In the same
booth or under the same tent with the
others
The Republican primary will be pat
| roniZed almost exclusively by the ne-
groes. excepting their white henchmen,
and In all probability there will be some
confusion IL not clashes before the day
| is over.
As a precaution the Republican coun-
| ty executive committee on Wednesday
| issued a statement declaring that ''un-
| der existing conditions, such an election
| would be either farce or a fraud, and
| as decent respectable Republicans we
| are resolved not to countenance such
and pledge ourselves not 20 particle
pate in such an election"
| Three reason5 are gwen why the nes
| gro election board Is not legal. Mr.
| King says the board is pot composed
/ OF members OF the county executive
| committee as required by law: they were
not appointed so days prior to the elee-
| ton as required by law and fin1IIy
a quorum of the state committee was
not present when the appointment was
| made.
Local Republicans place the blanc
for conditions upon sam r. Sells. mem
her of congress from the First district.
Sells is anxious to keep as many white
Republicans from participating In the
party primary as possible He believes
In the "ifredueabie mEAImufii- for
membership In the party and as fed
eral official he viii have less competi.
tion In the distribution OF federal
patronage In the event of the election
Of Republican president
IL is charged also that Sells is act
ing in conjunction with the national
organization that Is trying to reinstAfe
itself in the graces Of the negroes after
| the Eastern and Far Western yRepub-
| licans unseated as many negrpek as they
| could In the convention. over the pro-
test Of the Middle West and Southern
| Republicans.