Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-08-16
HOLDS PEACE
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NN0nfInueu FROM rage One.l
been supplemented by bipartisan agree
ment that tbis amendment shall not be
discussed during the city campaign; and
this has been carried to such length that
the News and the Star, in their reports
of my speech on June il, suppressed
every word l said on this subject. and
also stated in the text and headlines of
their professed reports that I opposed
two amendments, making some mention
OF the other two that l did oppose.
This attempt of a handful Of politicians
to SUPPRESS discussion Of an amendment
Of our basic law, affecting the welfare of
over three millions of people, is the most
grotesque travesty on popular govern
ment on record. II the spirit of Boss
Tweed Is aware Of 1t, he must feel a pang
at having overlooked such a masterpiece
of bossism. The ageement was made on
the theory that great numbers OF negroes
would vote for Ralston, II properly cod
died. This idea has some weight with
the class who ina gined that q large ne
gro vote would be case for Senator Tag
CART in his last campaign. To others it
is chiefly interesting as an Illustration
Of the great truth that hope springs
eternal in the human breast"
ATTITUDE OF
NEGRO VOTER.
A few months since. a prominent Demo
crat, who had been defeated fer election,
was talking to an intelligent young negro
with whom be was on friendly terms.
With humorous intent, he asked the ne
gro if he voted for him; and, with evident
embarra ssment, the negro admitted that
he did not
why. George" said the defeated can
didate. u always thought YOU were a
good friend Of mine; and supposed that
Of course you would vote for me-"
''Well. sir" was the answer, you
ought to know that no self respecting ne
gro can vote for a Democrat"
The same attitude, in another form, was
shown recently by one OF the most in
telligent negroes in Indianapolis, who
was demonstrating with me for my po-
sition on this militia amendment. In the
course Of his remarks he said
You do not understand how liberal
minded our race Is. You would be sur
prlsed to know how many negroes realize
that it is a disadvantage for us to vote
solidly with one party, and would vel
come a favorable opportunity to divide
our vote"
What do you mcan,by a favorable op-
portunity?" I asked
why, for example" he replied, an
1912. If the Democratic party had been
eliminated, and It had been race be
tween the Progressives and the regular
Republicans We would have split fifty
afty."
GLORY FOR ME"
CONCENTRATIONS.
That is the exact situation. The time
when negroes will vote for Democrats is
when there is no Democratic party. A
Democrat has the pleasing prospect that
when his party IS eliminated" he will
have the privilege Of voting with a wing
Of the Republican party In connection
with a part OF the negro vote. 1t is
easy to imagine the average Democrat
glowing with enthusiasm in anticipation
OF such Joy. one even can contemplate
him as tuning his harp eud singing:
ooh that viii be
Glory FOR me
For seventy years Democratic leaders
In Indiana have been trying TO induce
negroes to vote on current issues; but
they have not even made a dent in the
negro vote. And they never viii; foc
the supreme, all-dominating purpose OF
the negro Is 10 XIII the Democratic party.
IL Is a Jack Johnson fgbU-a test Of en-
durance. in which the Democratic party
Is THE white mans hope" The Demo
cratic party I'm Indiana IT, and has been
always. just as much the white mans
party" the Lily Whites" Of FloriGa
or Mississippi: and this, not on account
Of the attitude OF Democratic leaders. but
because the negroes viii have none Of f..
There Is a bare possibility that in tho
course of the next seventy years Demo