The Enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 192?-1930, 1928-11-29
DePriest's Election
(Continued from Page IL

for Congress on the Democratic tick
ct. The contest was between Rep
resentative l.. c. Dyer, author of the
Anticipating Bill, who for years
has represented the 18th Missouri
District, and Joseph l.. McLemore,
A Young lawyer. The result was:
Dyer, 24,6S6; McLemore. 1920.
The Democratic nominee polled al
most twice as many votes as Repre-
sentative Dyer two years ago.
One of the anomalies of this Con-
gressional fight was that in Dyer's
home precinct, which is white, he lost
to McIemore, while in the latter's
precinct. which is colored. Dyer was
given the larger vote. Never before
in the history of st. Louis have white
citizens given colorod candidate
such whole hearted support as they
did McLemore. 1900
AT the close of the Fifty-sixth Con-
gress Representative rye II.
White, the last of his race to sit in
the House of Representatives, con-
cluded his valedictory by saying:
"This, Mr.. Chairman, is perhaps
the Negroes temporary farewell to
the American Congress; but let me
say, Peonix-like he will rise up some
day and come again. These parting
words are in behalf of an outraged,
heartbroken, bruised and bleeding
but God-fearing people-faithful, in
dustrious, loyal people--rising peo-
pie full of potential force.
1.-THE only apology1 have to make
for the earnestness with which have
spoken is that am pleading for the
life, the liberty, the future happi-
ness and manhood suffrage for one
eighth of the entire population of the
United States"
In the election of Oscar De Priest
Negroes throughout the country are
enthusiasticall constituting George H
Whites farewell utterances as a pro.
phecy soon to be fulfilled. Former
Representative White died few
years ago in Philadelphia, where he
took up residence after leaving Wash
ington.
For more than quarter of a cen
fury the American Negro, who today
owns real estate worth in excess OF
81. ZOO, 100000 exclusive of non-tax
able property such as church and edu
cational institutions, has been max
ing sporadic and up to this year un
successful efforts to stage come
back of the colored Congressman. II
the last decade these ambitious &C
Invites have been confined to the
North, where the groups numerica
strength at the polls has beer
steadily on the increase due to mi
grafton.
Of the twenty-one, Negroes whC
held seats in the House of Repre-
sentatives at Washington betweel
the fortieth and fifty-sixth sessions
of Congress all represented South
ern constituency. A precedent, there
fore will be established if De Prizes
is permitted to represent the LIST II
! linois Congra ssional District. He will
have the distinction of being the frs
of his race living above the Masoi
and Dixon line to serve as a nationa
lawnaker. .r, rad A y -s.+e =,
Negro voters of Chicago could hav'
made a more determined gesture a
sending one of their number t
| Washington before this. Since tn
close of the World War they hav
outnumbered the white residents il
a district normally Republican. Blu
they reasoned that as Chairman o
/ the all-powerful Appropriations com
mittee Representative. Madden coul,
serve them more advantageously thai
any other, be he white or colored.
be Priest was selected as the Re
publican nominee by the five War,
Committeeman of the LIST Illinoi
Congressional District at the instanc
of Mayor Thompson. At first ther
was some opposition among Negroes
which later was more or less moll
fled.
The Negro Congressman-elect wa
born in Florence, Ala. He is fifty
san. s S,n xs. ss Z. s .ssn p S. O.,