The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1920-09-16
MANY NEGROES
ON FRONT PORCH
HARDING VISITED BY FIVE DEL
LEGATIONS.
Makes Two Speeches.
Several Hours of Demonstration and
Oratory Mark Day at
Marion.

M"TlO0.
Marion, Ohio, Sept. 10-Five dele
cations of negro Republicans, repre-
senting various organizations of the
race in the north and the south, gath
cred at Senator Harding's front porch
today and pledged him their support
| in several hours of characteristic
demonstrations and oratory.
In response the Republican nomi-
nee made two speeches praising the
| loyalty and attainments Of the ma
tion's negro citizenry and promising
that the federal government will not
fail the American negro" He asked
that they make service to the coun-
try the every day standard of their
citizenship, and declared his abhor-
renee Of the use Of "bruta1 and un-
lawful violence" against the black
race Or any other class,
In several private conferences Sem
ator Harding also heard the griev-
ances of various negro leaders and
assured them he would make care
full study of the situation. Lynching
and segregation of the negro federal
employees were practices for whose
suppression the visitors made par
ticular plea.
Conventions of negro Baptists, in
session at Columbus and Indianapo-
lis, sent the largest delegations and a
camp meeting spirit ruled the days
celebration. The first group came in
singing Harding Will Shine To-
night" in parody Of revival hymn
and "Amens'' and etHellelujahs''
foated heavenward with "Oh, Boy's''
and "Yon Tell EN- as the succession
of orators poured out their profess
sions of loyalty to the party>of Lin
coin and Grant.
Henry Lincoln Johnson, Republi-
can national committeeman for Geor-
gia, headed the group from the ma
tional Baptist convention at Colum-
bus, which arrived during the morn
ing and which was the first to be adj
dressed by the nominee. An after
noon speech was to the representa-
tives of the Baptist convention incor-
porated, which is meeting in India
napolis, the National Equal Rights
League, the African Methodist Epis-
copal church and the Methodist Epis-
copal church.
Besides Johnson, those who made
speeches included the presidents Of
both of the conventions; William H.
Lewis, of Boston, former assistant
attorney general; Charles Cottrill, of
Toledo, former collector of internal
revenue at Honolulu; Halle, O..
Brown, president of the National
Federation of Negro Women's Clubs.
A prayer opened the afternoon
meeting which had lasted for nearly
two hours before Senator Harding
was reached on the programme Of
speakers. Other speeches followed
his, and then the visitors f1ocked up
the front steps of the Harding resi-
dence and kept the candidate busy
for half an hour shaking hands.
Two hundred thousand votes from
negro women we're promised the SEN
ator by the women speakers, one Of
whom praised his stand for party
government and said the women Of
her race. would claim representation
in the government proportionate to-
their numbers.
At both the morning and evening
celebration Of Gen. John J. Pershing,
an overnight guest at the Harding
home, was an added attraction that
helped stir the enthusiasm Of the
VISITORS. To each crowd he made a
short speech praising the service OF
negro soldiers in the war but not
touching on political subjects
One of those who conferred with
the senator during the day was Will
lam Monroe Trotter, Of Boston, ex-
ecutive secretary of the National Roy
al Rights league. He asked that
segregation of negro employees OF
the federal government be abolished,
and declared afterward that the nomi-
nee had given the request apprecia-
tive consideration