Pueblo chieftain., 1921-05-16
TWO IMPORTANT MATTERS
IN REPUBLICAN CONVENTION
One Will Be Choice of SuccessoriTo Will Hays, and
Other Will Be New Basis of
South

held to be constitutional by the Su-
preme court of the United States. At
present, the bulk of the Republican
party in the south is made up of these
posal is that the Republican party
shall recognize State laws in the South
and everywhere else. the same as the
Democrats do. The suggested rule is
that hereafter no PRISON can be dele
gate to Republican national con-
vention or take part in Republican
primary or in a Republican local con-
vention unless he is a qualified voter of
the State in which he lives and has
voted in that state. The practical
working out of this rule would make
the Republican party in the South a
white mans party to practically the
same extent that the Democratic party
is.
The suggested rule is opposed by two
groups in the Republican party, which
compose curious combination of prin-
ciple and politics. One large section
of the Republican party in the north
thinks the party should continue to
stand as il always has stood since the
civil war--the friend and protector of
the negro. To those are Joined
group of old time Republican leaders
of the hard boiled" type who have
been doing business with typical
southern delegates in every Republi-
can national convention for a genera
ton or more. They sdo not want to
abandon the system
, 1t is merely that they are anxious
to maintain an institution which in the
past has frequently been an occasion
of corruption. it is rather out of
feeling of personal loyalty that they
do not want to throw overheard old
friends whose political capital and
standing in life rests upon the fungus
Republican party of the south.
Tho forward l0nkinC Rppnhli-
can leaders who want to adopt the
new rule say the negro in the south
has not been helped. but has been
harmed, bya being used as political
capital by white leaders of dubious
standing. who trade with them as
pawns in national conventions. They
say tho experiment of trying to force
local southern communities to permit
negroes to vote against the will of the
white communities has gone on for
nearly sixty years. and has never been
successful. but has always made mis-
chief.
Tho only sound way for the south
crn negro to become voter is to so
impress his character on his white
lneighbors that they are willing to give
going on all tho time and the number
of negroes who have the franchise con-
stantly increases. The position of tho
negro in the south as elsewhere be-
comes better every year, and his worst
handicap is the so called white friend
who uses him as n political pawn.
Tho innovation of doing away with
the southern delegate" scandal. and
making the Republican party in the
south a white mans party. the same as
the Democratic party. viii probably
succeed. There is little doubt that
President Harding favors IL. II is to
he observed that his IL tho first Re-
publican administration since tho civil
war which has not thrust colorcd post
masters and other colored office-hold
crs on white communities who resent
them. In addition to President Har-
ding. SO many other forces are tchind
the proposed innovation that 1t will
probably succeed.
Copyright 1891 by the New York
Evening Post inc)