The Monroe journal., 1920-10-19
RICHARD ALLEN PLEADS FOR
REGISTRATION NEGRO WOMEN
THINKS HIS RACE DESERVES
VOTE FOR THEIR PARTIN WAR
Protests Against Registrars Requir-
ing Negroes To Write Section of
Constitution from Memory.

Constitution from Memory.
From Rev. Richard Allen comes
Fan appeal TO the executive commit
tee of the democratic party of both
county and state and leaders in gen.
eral." Styling himself the chosen
leader of the eolored people, he
greets the democratic executive COM
mittee as distinguished christian
gentlemen" and proceeds as follows:
May | pray you for fair deal on
the part of my peopleg You are the
gentlemen who make and enforce
the laws of our state. You have en-
acted an election law that requires
colored citizen to read and write any
clause of the state constitution that
the registrar may require to his sat
isfaction. or course this is a wide
margin TO begin with.
But after members of my race
shall have read satisfactorily ana
written very leglbly. should they be
turned down because they are col
ored? Should they be turned down
for failing TO answer such questions
as may be put 10 them by the regis
trar when the 1919 election law does
not call for questions?
| have been informed that some
registrars require the colored to
read, close the book and write cor
rectly the clause without seeing Il.
appeal to you gentlemen, sirts. to
come TO our rescue and let us not be
trodden under foot in any such way.
We are not your enemies.
Would you allow me TO invite you
TO come and LEI us reason together.
We live in North Carolina, and ought
we not be proud of our state and our
] officers? Are we not counted in the
population when new representa-
tive is TO be gained? When our state
or country is TO be protected, won't
we be called to help? Please give
us a chance. When we satisfy the
law, let us registera nd vote, will
YOU? Encourage the colored people
and treat them kindly and race an
tagonism will soon be thing of tn,
,.ast. The colored people of Nortf
Carolina think more of Governor
Beckett than any other governor tht
state has ever had. If he was in thu
race to succeed himself | believe tn,
whole colored population of the stat'
] would support him. The colore'
I people have learned to recognize
I good man and a good measure lik'
\ other folks.
I Every since | came to Union coun
4 ty. more than thirty years ago, W
Nhave had a line of democratic off
4 GERS that could not have been bet
\ tered. and for that reason | hav
never cast vote against one.
The mysterious letter" would ad
! wise us TO take our grievances to tn
q federal courts of the land, but W
4 think such course both unwise an
4 unhelpful. Strife is not what W
4 want. We want more pleasant rela
y tions between the races. We beliey
J that the great party that enacted tn
4 law has the moral courage to enforc
II 1t.
h am in favor of the colored We
q men coming in under the state
y North Carolina. The state of Mort
d Carolina has said "they who do dut
n shall enjoy privilege" On this yei
n principle | led my people in all maj
4 ner of war-works. Then ! occuple
n the position of q mouth-piece K
y North Carolina. and indeed of Il
q whole American people. | encou
n aged my people TO fight as long
b there was pea in the dish, the
4 break the dish and fight on. Now
n desert them, | feel II would be
h damnable sin. They would as
x what are going to get fpr the pa
y we take? Nothing but demoerac
z They are everywhere drawing the
4 accounts on me. The law says q
n principal is responsible for the co
X tracts of his agents.
n Did we not do all we were ask'
n to do. You gentlemen have said :"
Il the victors belong the spoils."
n We do not believe James Du
n ley of the A. & T. college acted fro
X pure motive. The position he hol
N Is a suspicion circumstance. | dor
4 believe the white people think HI
n sincere, saying nothing about I
n colored. II there is any one thu
x above another that every pure BLOC
n ed American white man despses,
n is traitor and a coward.
n Because Prof. Dudley seeks TO n
n further favor in the eyes of those tn
q are responsible for his position
n promote his own personal good,
h pray the governor and the trustees
4 the part of the eolored people
u have him removed.
n am ever yours for the peace a
X harmony of our state Richard Ale