Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-11-19
WRECKING THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY.

hhe policS adopted by the Repub-
leans in this State, under the lead
.ership of Hon. G. Bascom Slemp in
dealing with the colored electorate,
mas resulted just as we expected 1t
would. Instead OF increasing tho
membership and the popularity of tho
Party, It has tended to lessen the
membership and held the organiza-
ton in this State up to contempt and
ridicule.
Treachery and ingratitudc are de-
sp1sed by right-thinking people
everywhere regardless Of party afil-
latlons or color. The Republican
managers, who are known as Lilly
whites" underestimated the voting
strength and influence of the colored
people in this State.
They overlooked the fact that this
vast body of colored people exercise
potent influence upon the white
people Of the commonwealth lust M
the immense number Of white people
exercise powerful persuasive power
upon the colored people of this same
VaSt area. AS the colored people re-
sented the treatment, so did num-
bers OF white people vouchsafe aid
anu comfort to the deserted allies
OF the Republican Party. While
this did not take the form of mon
etary consideration, it was every
where evident in the encouraging
words Of sympathy and to lessen the
blow, which had been so brutally
inflicted upon one Of the kindliest
races OF people upon the face of the
globe.
The white people of Virginia were
or the opinion that men, who would
be guilty of such conduct could not
be safely trusted to handle the af-
fairs of the Mother State. Colonel
Horny w. Anderson's> yituperative
remarks and inviting promises i'm
mediately became as "sounding brass
and tinkling cymbals." The people
logically turned to his brilliant DO
litical antagonist, Hon. e. Lee Trim
kle, who persistently refused to be
led away from the fundamental is.
sues of the campaign.
Colonel Anderson further injured
his chances by challenging his
Democratic opponent to discussion
OF the race issue, when he had loudly
proclaimed that it had been elm
mated from the campaign. This
showed that he was Inconsistent.
that he and those associated with
him were not conducting the cam
patgn upon high plane, but were
resorting to any subterfuge to win.
The Administration at Washington
and the national Republican MANN
gers Had been induced to give the
white Republicans in this State n
free hand, with the distinct under
standing that enough Democratic
recruits could be obtained to not
only make UP for any loss brought
about by the disa Election OF the Negro
electorate, but to swing the State
into the Republican column and to
defeat the nominee of the Democratic
Party, Hon. e. Lee Trinkle and
those associated with them. This
talk Was one thing and the results
are another
The unofficial returns show that
. the Republicans have lost eight re-
representatives. in the lower branch Of
! the Virginia legislature and one In
! the upper branch. In addition to
this, Congressman C. Bascom Slemp.
: who carried his district last year by
: plurality OF four thousand has lost
' this same district this year by a
. plurality Of fifteen hundred. There
Was no congressional election being
held in this district this year, but
when the Ninth Congressional Dis
trict is called into action next year,
i he will start his campaign with a
serious handicap as to Republican
votes.
: The action Of the Republican man.
ayers in discarding the fundamental
principles OF the National Republican
Party and in unlawfully ousting
therefrom the veterans in campaigns
Of the Past extending over a period
, Of wcll-nigh half a century has had
its effect. II the present leaders
will take heed and mend their ways,
so to speak, trusting to the future
for party increases, all will be we'll.
If, on the other hand, these same
men, persist in their unlawful, i'm
moral and unjustiflable course, then
disaster more pronounced than that
> which has already overtaken the
party is surely in store for them.
1t pays to do right and certainly
justice and fair play are the most
valuable assets Of the National Re-
publican Party. When the State
organization discarded these assets