Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-11-26
THE DOWNFALL OF THE "LILY-
WHITES.


The "Lfly-white wing" Of tire Re,
publican Party in Virginia took the
position that only tho Negroes OF the
state stood between them and over,
whelm'ing party success. Once climi,
nate, this handicap and the disgrun
tiled white men would f.ock TO the sup,
port of the white Republican Party
and its candidates. We knew at the
time that this was u vain hope. AS a
result they kicked tho colorcd citi.
zens out of the Republican Party IN
this State and refused him to sit even
as n delegate In the Republican State
Convention, to which hc had been leg
aAly elected. This line of demarcation
was drawn, wholly and solely upon
the basis of race and color.
In order that they might lave no
further embarrassment along this
line, tho Republicans, who believed in
the principles Of the National Republic.
can organization proceeded to nomi.
nato their own ticket for State offices
with the understanding that they
would permit the "Lfly-white" faction
to have clear field, so to speak. AS d
result Of the experiment, the sixty.
five thousand Democratic plurality is
omst convincing sequel. No such
plurality has been rolled up in forty
years.
AS for the colored people, with a
Qualified vote upon the election books
OF from twenty-seven to thirty thous.
and, their candidates polled q vote In
excess Of twenty-thousand and the In.
dications arc that this figure will
reach twenty-five thousand. This
abandonment Of principle has been
stern!y rebuked. The embarrassing
part about 1t is that the white erector.
ate Of Virginia had tho Inst wcrd
Tho colored voters withdrew to them.
serves rs the result OF the election
plainly shows and the will OF tho
white electorate was freely expressed,
by this action, tho white people OF
Virginia expressed their dIsapproval of
the race issue in politics IN this State.
The candidates of the "Lily-white''
Republicans should have known that
no was playing with fire." It was
OILY n fpu yoor, ,ro ty,,t ,o,o., ,eas
ers wore invited to attend n conference
with view to reassuro the colored
people and to induce them to remain
within the boundaries OF this State
and not seek n homo among strangers
III the North. 1t was IL strange condt.
tion that brought these anti-Negro
white>politicians in tho limelight, I'm.
doing the work of many years and ap.
pealing to the worst prejudices in or.
'etr to secure Office.
All OF this agitation did not disturb
the far-seeing democratic candidate
Tor Governor and 10 refused to accent
the gage of battle. He discussed tho
issues with the mastery ability of n
statesman and was rewarded with In.
formation after tho election day that
made him and his followers rejoica
over one of the most stupendous vic.
tories ever vouchsafed any candidate
In this State Mr.. Fairfax Harrison
In his final appeal for support for his
candidate boldly stated that the Re-
publican leaders had turned the Re.
publican Party Machinery over to him
and his candidates to do with 1t as
they saw fit.
They have wrecked the machine and
thorough reorganization lis now In
sight. Just what part the colored cle.
toratc will play In this new scheme re.
mains to be seen. Certain it is, the Re.
publican colored people have ascertain
cd that they have strong, friends on
the Democratic side OF the equation
and they have an opportunity now be.
fore them which will afford them salts.
faction and comfort. Truly has It bee,
said of those, who trust in God
where one door closes, another shall
be opened"