The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-07-19
LINK JOHNSON lost"
In HIS NEW JOB?
REPUBLICANS SAY 1T MEANS
HIS ELIMINATION FROM
NATIONAL COMMITTEE.

WASHINGTON, D. C.-The re-
publican leaders about Washington
appear happy over the nomination OF
Henry Lincoln Johnson, the Georgia
negro republican national committee
man, as recorder OF deeds OF the Dis
trict OF Columbia, because, they say
it means his elimination from the ma
tiona1 committee and the end OF the
prominence of negroes in Georgia pol
itics.
Several well informed members Of
the republican national committee in
discussing the appointment asserted
that before Johnson was given the ap-
pointment his promise to resign from
the republican national committee was
obtained by the president. When 1t
was suggested that Johnson might
change his mind after getting the job
these men asserted with emphasis
their belief that President Harding
would bounce Johnson and appoint an
other man in his place if he did not
keep faith by resigning from the ma
tional committee
Didn't Want Job.
From these men it was learned that
the republican national leaders had a
difficult time in getting Johnson to
consent to take the place as recorder
of deeds, and that it was not until the
subcommittee of the republican ma
tional committee Clipped Johnson's
wings" by reducing the Georgia rep
resentation at future republican ma
tional conventions, and thereby sealing
Johnson's doom as political leader
OF the race that Johnson would con-
sent to take the place.
Johnson's place as republican ma
tional committeeman from Georgia has
meant much to him in financial way
during the last year or so, II is said.
With the prestige this place brought
to him among the people OF his race
Johnson has been obtaining a great
amount of money through his forma-
ton of an organization ostcnsibly tor
enlightenment of the negroes in their
political rights and duties. Entrance to
this organization cost 81 to each per-
son, it is said, and Johnson has great
" prohted through many thousand
negroes wishing to see the political
light.
Listens to Reason.
But when the republican national
committee reduced Georgia's repre-
sentation i'll future conventions and
practically eliminated Johnson the lat
ter lost his prestige with ms race and
the flow of s. fees to the Johnson or
ganization slowed up pcrceptibly. 1t
was after this golden flow began to
stop that Johnson first began to listen
to reason about taking the job and
giving up his place on the national
committee.
The change made in Georgia's rep
resentation at future republican nation
al conventions will prevent Johnson
or any other negro hereafter becom-
ing prominent in Georgia politics. will
prevent the recurrence of contested
delegations from Georgia at republic
can national conventions, and will
place control of the republican organ
ization in Georgia safety in the hands
of the whites, these national commit
teemen stated
Two OF these men who came from
the south said the Johnson deal was
a great thing for the republican party
as a whole. and for the republican or
ganization in Georgia in particular.
They would oppose Johnson's ap-
pointment to any office in Georgia or
any other place in the south, they said
but his appointment to a place in
Washington where one-third of the
population is colored and where the
federal departments are full of negroes
will make but little difference.