Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-29
G. 0. p. MdneuUers
TO Capture Dixie

Continued from Page One
strong minority capable, perhaps, under
favorable conditions, of becoming ma
jority.
The Republican National Committee
in taking away from certain Southern
districts which cast few Republican
votes in elections their representation
in the national convention. sought to
put a premium upon the building up in
them of an organization of voters. If
districts wish to take in national con =
ventions they must be able to show votes
on election day. A mere organization
of non voters will not serve.
National Chairman Adams. in making
his residence in Washington, chose to be
near the work. which he will carry on
with Congressman Bascom Slemp, of
Virginia, of reconstructing the party in
the South.
The task is important. for, IL the
present discomfort with the Republican
| majority in Congress grows. the control
Of the House in 1922 may depend upon
certain Southern districts which Repub-
licans have a fair prospect of gaining on
the tariff issue, if the race question can
be eliminated.
johnson Has Served Before
In appointing johnson to be Recorder
Of Deeds for this district, Mr.. Harding
is merely following party precedent.
| This is one of the offices which tradi-
tionally belong. under Republican ad =
ministrations, to the colorcd voter.
Johnson himself was President Taft =
Recorder of Deeds for the District of
Columbia.
The office of Register of the Treas
! ury is another such office always filed
BY Republican Presidents with a Negro,
and It is understood that Mr.. Harding
will appoint James Cottrell, of Toledo,
TO this post.
These will be Mr.. Harding's two most
important Negro appointments. The
naming of johnson aroused the Demo-
cratic Senators from the South. cspe- =
cially those from Georgia. where John
son seems personally to have made him :
self especially obnoxious to the Demo =
Gratis.
President Harding has to steer his
way between two difficulties in dealing
with Negro in politics. In the South,
If the Republican party is left in the
control of the non voting Negro. it
will have little prospects of growth.
even though the Southern farmer is de-
manding n tariff upon cotton and upon
peanut oil. and even though his repre- =
aentations CO. operate with the generally
Republican Agrarian bloc in the Sen
| ate.
Negroes Gaining Importance
On the other hand. the Negro vote in
the North has become doubly important
since the war took 50 many colored
workers from the South to the indus
trial cities of tho North. In the last
census the Negro population of the
South gained only 10 per cent. In
the North the Negroes increased AZ
per cent.
| Negro voters have now the balance of
mower. not only in border States like
Maryland. West Virginia, Kentucky,
Missouri and Oklahoma, but also in
Northern States like Ohio. Indiana and
New Jersey. while in close elections
they would turn the scale in New York
and Illinois.
These are States with large electoral
votes and indispensable to Republican
success. not only in presidential but in
congressional elections, The appoint =
ment of Cottrell will be a recognition
! of the growth of the Negro vote in
Ohio and especially in the city of
| Toledo
Side by side with the ignoring of the
| Negro where he is not voter will
probably 60 on increasing recognition of
him where his vote has become impor-
tant.
Especially the local Republicans of
States like Ohio have to take care of
the Negro in filling offices. Already
in Cleveland and Toledo many good
Jobs are going to the Negroes under
Republican Administration.
The Negro's position in these bor-
der States like Ohio and Indiana is
still uncertain. for he has not been
there long enough in large numbers for