Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-22
KENT NEGROES
N LIVELY ROW
OVER PRIMARIES
Quarrel is Said to Involve Fight
Among White Leaders of
Party Factions.
MOVE TO GUST THE ALLIES
staff Correspondence of Every Evening

staff Correspondence of Every Evening
Dover, March 22.--Ousting Alfred
Raikes, Negro, from the Republican State
Central Committee and making W. Spen-
Ger Matthews, also colored, his successor
is one possibility of the Negro political
battle ia the Fifth Representative district
of Kent county, which includes the
greater part of Dover and extends north
TO Forked Branch, distance of three
miles from the State capital. Wrestling
political control OF the Negrores III the
Fifth district from the New dispensation
faction Of the Republican party by the
old organization rs another possibility.
Former United States Senator j. Frank
Alice and Alfred Raikes are SAID 10 he
landing the New Dispensation forces IN
the fight and James A. Hirons, former
chairman of the Kent County Republican
Committee. and Frank Hall Davis, a
Dover lawyer are reported TO have charge
OF the Old Organization comhatants.
OBJECTIONS To RnKEs.
Raikes, decorator and painter by
trade, has been member of the STATE
committee for three years and viii be n
candidate for recollection next month.
Opponents say ne ~ unpopular, selfish
and bitter factionist. Because of alleged
unpopularity they say protest against his
election as committeeman was made IN
1917, when he was elected TO finish the
rmexpired term of his predecessor. To
prove the allegation of selhshness they
cite the fact that he was legislative tele
phone messenger IN the State House at
the session of the Legislature held. last
year and say he probably will have the
position again at its special session. They
also blame him for the defeat OF bill,
introduced in the General Assembly last
year, providing for an increased number
of Negro school trustees
Matthews formerly was a hotel waiter,
but now is barber. lie has been active
IN Republican politics for many years but
never held political office.
DEPENDS ON DELEGATE CHOICE.
The possibilities mentioned are dc
rendent on the Negro elected as delegate
from the Fifth district to tho Republican
State Convention which meets IN Dover,
April 20 for the purpose Of electing dele
rates 10 the Republican National Con
vention and also elccting State COM
mittee. Allee's continuance on the State
committee NAV also depend on the result
of the Negro battle The Negroes will
probably prolong the fight until the Re
publican primaries, which viii be held
April IL
An attempt 20 elect Negro delegate
10 the State convention was made st
meeting held IN Whatcoat Methodist
Episcopal Church, Dover, March 10, when
Rev. L. S Moore, pastor Of the church
and said 10 be the Hirons-Davis candidate
for delegate. defeated William II. Morgan,
reported 20 be the Allee-Ralkes candidate
bv a vote of 81 10 % Dissatisfied with
this result, the New Dispcnsation "boltcd.
Deserving Morgan. that faction proposed
Harry W. Carney "a Moor. ~ u candidate |
for delegate. and he arranged for \ meet !
ing to be held in Calvary Baptist Church |
Dover. March Il, the purpose Of which /
was TO repudiate Moorc's selection. The |
call stated question tor discussion would |
be DO James A. Hirons and Frank Hall |
Davis control the colored vote of tho !
Fifth Representative district, ur arc the |
colorcd voters Of the district capable of |
selecting their delegate without inter |
ference by Hirons and Davis The call |
also said: "lt Is the duty OF every coiored !
man who has any self-respect st sll TO I
vote against Rev. J.. :. Moore, the Hlrons /
and Davis candidate for delegate 10 the /
State convention 10 elect delegates to the /
Republican National Convention Car |
news proposed meeting was not held ~ |
cause Moore supporters outman1uYTed
him by obtaining the key on the pretense
of cleaning the church and kept the build
ing locked Carney now announces that
the New Dispensation will hold meeting
in the Forked Branch schoolhouse next
Wednesday night.
WILL NOT TAKE ORDERS.
Carney has resigned the position of
assistant ianitor at the State House and
made the following statement. Il re-
signed my position as assistant !anitor
at the State House. The position was
secured for me by James A. Hirons, and |
my reason for resigning Is that | will not
take orders from the James a. Hirons
Frank Hall Davis combination | am not
one of the Negroes that Hirons carries in
his vest pocket,
Moore's friends say he is independent
and has the support OF the better class Of
Negroes.
Friends OF Carney declare the fight will
90 to the primaries and state he viii not
only have the indorsement Of the 80
Moors in his district but at least half Of
the Negroes,