The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-01-30
THE NEGRO VOTERS
AND THE "GOP."
(By A. T. Edmonston.)

Jefferson City, Mo-, Jan. 27.--That
the $4,000 negro voters of st. Louis,
who were the prime and sole cause
at every election in the last fifteen
years for Republican majority
there, ranging from 10000 to 10000,
are still wearing war paint, wildly
waving tomahawks and demanding
their pound of flesh in the way of NOM
nations on the party State and local
ticket from e. o. p. leaders of that
burg, is evidenced by the following ar,
ticle from the St. Louis Star of Jan
2, 1920, which details the movement
which is on foot to appease the turbu-
lent Etheopians there and elsewhere
over Missouri.
"A joint conference of white and
negro Republican leaders to discuss
the demands Of st. Louis negro Re
publicans that they be given one dele
gate-at-large to the national conven-
ton, a candidate for Congress and
other candidates Of their own race in
districts where they are in the ma
jority, will be called by City Chair
man Schmoll for an early day. The
conference will be held at Republican
City Committee headquarters in the
Odd Fellows building.
"Schmoll consented to call the con-
ference after he had been visited by
A. w. Lloyd, president of the Citizens
Liberty League, and its executive COM
mittee The committee made known
its political demands and intimated
that unless these were granted the
negro voters either would stay away
from the polls or put up their own
candidates. The negroes are in the
majority in the 18th district, repre-
scented by Congressman Dyer, and in
numerous other political divisions of
the city and State. There are $4,000
negro votes in Missouri and defec-
| ton of these votes would mean Re-
publican defeat at the polls next fall,
party leaders assert.
List Submitted by Negroes.
"The negroes submitted to Schmoll
list of white Republican leaders
whom they wished to attend the con-
ference. Virtually all are regarded US
candidates either for seats in the ma
tional convention or for public office
at the next election. The list includes:
Schmoll, Nat. Goldstein, Mayor Kiel,
Edw. w. Foristel, Edmond Koeln, ia
cob l.. Babler, State Chairman Cole,
Congressman Dyer, United States
Senator Spencer, Congressman Cleve-
/ land A. Newton, Judges Shields, Kim
mel, Grimm, Davis and Kruger, W.
! D. Becker, Frank Slater, Prosecuting
Attorney Sidener, City Counselor
Daues, Sheriff Weinbrenner and Jaas.
McKeivey.
"The negro leaders say they waited
until January IS for Schmoll to call
the meeting. In the meantime hav-
ing grown impatient, they sent a per-
sonal letter to each white man they
had agreed on as delegate and asked
whether he would attend. This let
Ter read:
"'Dear Sir:-On Jan. 8, 1920, a
committee representing the Citizens
Liberty League held meeting with
Mr.. John Schmott, chairman of the
Republican City Committee, the OBJ
ject of which was to arrange a con-
ference with prominent Republican
leaders of the city to discuss matters
of vital Importance to the Republican
party of the city and State. Your
name was suggested as one of the
conferees, and it was also agreed that
the conference was to be held at the
Republican city headquarters at an
early date.
"'You were to be notified by Mr..
Schmoll of the date of the confer
ence. Information reaches US through
Mr.. Schmoll that to date he has been
unable to arrange this conference
"'This communication is addressed
to you to ascertain if you are willing
to attend such a conference. If so,
will you be kind enough to reply at
your earliest convenience, upon which
you will be notified as to date and
place of the meeting. We earnestly
await your reply.
"The letter was signed by Lloyd
and sixteen members of the executive
committee.
"Replies promising to attend the
conference, were received from kiel,
Daues, Goldstein, Foristel, Babler
Sidener, Weinbrenner, Slater, Judges
Kimmel, Shields and Davis, and Sem
ator Spencer.
Lloyd's Letter to SchmOll.
"tJohn Schmoll, Republican City
Chairman.-At meeting of the Ex-
ecutive Committee of the Citizens
Liberty League on Monday night, /
repeated our conversation over the
phone relative to the conference that
was to be arranged with the Repub-
lican leaders. 1t was declared that
since you have been unable to arrange
this meeting, we would communicate
personally with these Republican lead
ers to ascertain if they were willing
to hold such conference, and to ar
range for the date and place of said
meeting.
"'We are enclosing you copy Of
the letter that is being sent to each
of these men,
"On receiving this letter, Schmoll