The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-04-15
Big Meeting and Program Last Eve.
ming at Bethel A. M. e. Church
Was Well Attended and
interesting.
FAIR PLAY is ASKED
Grimes Committed Against the Negro
Deplored by Speakers Who
Ask for an Even
Chance.
by A. w. Drained


Keokuk branch of the National AssC
citation for the Advancement OF Col
ored People came to a fitting clos
in Bethel A. NJ e. church last nigh
with an audience that taxed the ca
pacity of the church. There was ;
large outpouring of both colored ant
white citizens, who were charmed
with the splendid program that hat
been arranged. The church was pro
fusely decorated with flags and bunt
ting and the spirit Of "Americanism,'
fair play" and "a mans chance
was uppermost in the mind OF each
| speaker The Peoples Institute Con
cert band was at its best and the
music rendered by that organization
was greeted with enthusiastic appre
citation. The band is a good one and
has fixed place in the hearts OF al
/ the citizens of Keokuk.
! At 1880 o'clock the parade moved
from the Peoples institute on North
! Fourteenth street to Main street
/ The entire membership was in line,
| including citizens and secret socie.
sties, headed by the Institute band,
followed by automobiles and citizens
on foot. The first car carried Mr..
Walter F. White, the speaker; the
president, the Rev. ]. Sterling Moore.
DR.. T. H. Phillips and George w.
Snoddy, treasurer OF the association.
Then followed autos and members of
the local branch carrying flags. The
parade moved down Fourteenth
street to Main down Main to Seventh
street. thence north on Seventh to
Bethel church, where the program
was given.
Seated on the platform were Mayor
Craig, Commissioner Hemmy. Rev.
J. Sterling Moore, Mr.. Walter F..
White. DR. William II. Harper, Mrs.
Selby Johnson, secretary; George W.
Snoddy, treasurer of the local branch,
Mrs. V. Olive Phillips and Solomon
Williams, Jr.
The program opened with "The
Battle Hymn of the Republic" by the
choirs of the four churches, followed
by prayer by the Rev. T. H. Phillips.
after which the Institute band gave
a number.
Mrs loretta Morton was called
from the audience by request and
gave a splendid reading delineatins
the advancement of the negro.
Mayor Craig gave the welcome adj
dress. He said he was glad to wei
come DR.. White to our city and that
he was sorry there were not more
white people present He said there
ought never to be anything to dis
turb the friendly relations between
the colored and white people here.
He said there is not another city in
which the colored and white people
live in such friendly relations to-
gether. He said he was glad to be
present and he extended hearty
welcome to all.
False Racial Instinct.
DR.. William H Harper was the
next speaker. He spoke on False
Racial Instinct" He laid down the
that instinct is a condi-
ton that develops in the individual.
He said there is both a true and a
false instinct and we do things be-
cause there are things that are
common He urged racial support
because we can do thing as well
as it could be done, and not because
we are colored. He called upon the |
ccal branch to be satisfied with |
nothing les than five hundred paid |
lp subscriptions to the association. |
This was followed by splendid |
number by the Institute band. At
his time an offering amounting to /
527 was lifted for the association.
The Rev. J. Sterling Moore was
Introduced and in turn introduced |
Dr.. White in brief and fitting !
speech. He quoted the famous dec
aration Of Frederick Douglass, and
aid there are more skilled negroes
n Keokuk in proportion to popula-
ion than any other race. He said
hat when one negro is touched a
hundred thousand are touched. The
olored people can be brought to.
,ether, and they will be brought to-
,ether. 81 have faith in my race
lie said" Georgia leads the world in
ynching and Atlanta leads the world
Ter capita in wealth among our race.
lie concluded with splendid intro
uction of Walter F. White, Of At
anita, Ga.
Riots and Lynchines.
Mr.. White opened his splendid adj I
ress with an amusing story that !
cry yisibly affected the audience.
lie said that conditions are worse
ow than before the world war. He ,
poke of the riots and lynchings in s
.merica, and said that if black :
ian was guilty of a crime charged Il
e should be punished to the full eH /
snt of the law, but if he were not s
uilty he is due the benefit Of the 8
wv. He told how the colored men i
ere robbed of the fruits Of their t
lbor by the plantation owners in a
lie south The system of the south. '
m land owner is one of confisca. {
on and robbery. The National AS c
ocation for the Advancement Of O
olored People raised fund of q
!; 900 to defend the negroes of Phil t
ps county, Arkansas, and the cases 8
i'll be carried to the supreme court c
the United States. He told Of the b
hicago riot and said the association v
auted the guilty punished. He told n