The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1922-10-07
THE APPEALS PLATFORM
Reprinted from THE APPEAL
September Is, 1903.)

Reprinted from THE APPEAL
September Is, 1909
1. THE APPEAL resents the
claim so persistently made by many
Caucasians that this is a white
mans country" The colored people
are citizens by right and birth and
the Federal Constitution specifically
places all citizens on equality before
the law.
, 2. THE APPEAL believes that
the idea advanced by certain persons
that the Caucasian race has been es-
pecially commissioned by God to rule
all of the colored races is blasphemy.
g.. THE APPEAL firmly believes
that in republic there can be but
enc kind Of citizen, hence challenges
the right of the government fed
eral, state or local-to discriminate
in any way between citizens by the
enactment of any law which speci-
fies that the colored people must be
separated from or treated differently
from the great body of citizens.
THE APPEAL is opposed to class
legislation Of every kind.
4. THE APPEAL believes in man.
hood suffrage without any educa-
tional or property qualifications
whatever, and contend that the law
abiding man of good character, who
does his duty as a citizen and risks
his life in defense of the flag, should
not be deprived Of the ballot because
he is poor and cannot read and write.
Disfranchisement works irresistibly
for the denial or abridgement of all
the related rights of citizenship, be-
cause a voteless man has no right
which any one is bound to respect.
5. THE APPEAL believes that
the schools supported by public tax
alton should be open to all regardless
of race, color or creed and that every
parent should determine the kind of
education he wishes his children to
receive.
6. THE APPEAL believes that
the statement that the Southern Cau-
casians pay the taxes necessary to
educate the Southern colored people
is an economic absurdity. That each
man in his place pays as much tax
as any other man in the community
is an economic truism which has
never been disputed by any reputable
sociologist or political economist
from Adam Smith down to the pres
ent time.
Z. THE APPEAL knows that the
colored people have been misrepre-
sented in the. matter of crime. Enc
mics have endeavored to prove that
colored people are a criminal people,
but their statements have been dis
proved by statistics. Caucasian
Americans commit more and baser
crimes than colored people.
8. THE APPEAL is opposed to
mob law and believes that mob IL
cense is more dangerous to the we'll
being and perpetuity Of society than
the isolated infractions of the law by
individuals.
9. THE APPEAL does not believe
that the Southern Caucasians are the
best friends of the race. The South
ern Caucasian idea of friendship is
the relation Of superior and inferior.
In many cases the colored person
who gains the friendship" of a
Southern Caucasian does so at the
expense Of his manhood. THE AP-
PEAL lis not willing for the SETTLE
ment of the race question to be left
to the unjust, un-American, unchris-
tian South for settlement.
10. THE APPEAL refuses to con-
slider any proposition that the colored
man relinquish any of the political or
civil rights now possessed by the
race. Every effort should be made
to retain those which exist and to
regain those which have been lost.
THE APPEAL reafirms it's unal-
terable determination to continue to
battle for the right to the end and
come what may, THE APPEAL will
never give up the contention for JUS
tice and the absolute equality of all
citizens under the law.