The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1920-02-27
REPUBLICANS SHY AT
RETURN OF NEGRO VOTE
Ac+;o, of District Convention of C. O. P. at Ply
mouth May Have Been Reputation OF
Pugh Plan To Corral 43, 600 Negro
Votes

Manager Tor the NepuDllSdH pa
tv in North Carolina, to organize
$1,000 Negro votes to throw IN
to the November election are re-
pudiated by leading Republicans
of the First Congressional Dis
trict and the Republican Con-
eressional Convention in session
at Plymouth, N. c., "Wednesday,
Feb rs, named Col. [. M. Meek
ms as delegate to the Repubh- ;,
can National Convention. Until
Mr.. Pugh had divulged his
scheme to round up $4,000 Negro
votes he had strong support in
his aspiration to represent the
First District at the National
EConvention. But Pugh support
ers seem to have been seeking
cover since their young idol dis
closed his designs upon the col
lored brethren.
i In the convention of the Re
publicans of Pasquotank county
Iheld in this city last Saturday
Mr.. Pugh sprung the Negro
question which has resulted IN
first class panic in the Repub-
: lican family He told this coun-
ty convention that whereas there
were only 5000 Negro votes, cast
! in North Carolina in the last
? general election, h there
4 would be $4,000 qualified Negro
votes in North Carolina in the
g coming November election, due
to the rapid educational advance
ment of the colored people. Mr..
Pugh indicated that he purposed
: to quietly round up these $1,000
i-fENegre votes and dump them in
y to the November ballot boxes to
the CONSERVATION, Confusion and
Al utter rout of the Democratic
- ticket. Instead Of getting ap-
" plause for his brilliant young
I scheme his remarks fell like a
Of wet blanket upon the convention
i !, When he got to Plymouth this
\. week Mr.. Pugh was ready to say
W that he was joking and didn't
really mean any such thing; but
~ ~ the Negro question has ceased to
ng be Joking matter with old line
Republicans. Mr.. Pugh's a t
re tempts to deny that he had an
1e nounced any such Negro pro-
e gram were met by contradic-
MS tory sworn affidavits from relia-
20, ce BILE men who heard his speech
of in this city last Saturday.
Us Us Those in touch with Republi-
ey can leaders in this district be-
of lieve that Pugh has damned him
% of self with his own party. At one
is time it looked as if c. R. Pugh
would be the whole Republican
be be party in this district. Pugh hae
~ worked himself we'll into the
en councils of John Motley More,
ms head in this state and into the
to confidence of Will H. Hays, the
on. Republican Observation-Disclosures
TO He was getting almost anything
md he wanted at the hands of tina
on, pair and was expecting the Re
lay .1,1; =, +b;e district to cen,
St
7he him to the National Convention
of nominate him for Congress an'
ose ;+ hin, ~ dictate the distri
old pei ILL iiiiii ~
not button of all other favors and pa
do tronage He was openly hostll
at at to Col. Isaac NJ Meekins of thi
city and indicated that he wa
ia putting Col Meekins on tn
tne Ne shelf.
pity But the best laid plans Of mic
ear and politicians gang aft aglee, G
,,,1d ID something like Not only di
ner- Mr.. Pugh fail to get himself de
ton egated to the National Conver
'D' ton, but he failed to secure II
Congressional nomination II
LIS Plymouth convention delegate
power to name a Congresslon
der, H. D;e+r;c+ Ex
ting Odiluiuae0' ~
airs cutive Committee. This con
arch nittee is said to be composed
''tn the large majority partial to II
nday wishes of Col Meekins and litt
urg- concerned with the aspiration
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