The monitor., 1928-06-29
Negro Disfranctlisement Distorts Power

cendancy. In Virginia, North Car
olina, South Carolina, Florida and
Texas, where the voice of the Negro
delegates used to be heard at nation
al conventions, alas, they are heard
no more. The Negro politician has
given up the ghost, without expecta-
ton, if not without hope of resur-
rection.
The race owes ex-President Hard
ing an unrecognized debt of political
gratitude. All had once before been
lost to the Negro. When Judson Lyon
was thrown off the national commit
tee by Lincoln Johnson, there was
not single Negro representative left
in that august body. Lincoln John
son fought his way to chieftainship.
But when President Harding seized
the reins of power, he decided to turn
over to Negro control the states of
Mississippi and Louisiana. The ma
tional committeeship in that state be-
|
gave it to the very white man who
has brought about his unhorsing.
Such is political gratitude. But the
outstanding fact remains, the Negro
has been practically eliminated from
trusteeship of the G. o. P. He is
now holding on only by a tenuous
| rxyhi hirh tbn Of
fate are ready to clip.
There is little likelihood that this
power will be restored. The great
republican party is a practical body
and, excepting the Roman Catholic
Church, is the most efficient organi-
zation on earth. 1t has no sentiment
that will stand in the way of eff
cheney. 1t desires to build up a func-
tioning republican party in every
state of the union. Nowhere has this
yet been accomplished under Negro
leadership, certainly not since the
days of Wright Quincy of Texas. The
party in such states as North Car
/ 4
thrives much more vigorously under
white sponsorship. Negro leaders for
the most part seem satisfied to traf-
! fic in delegates rather than build up
strong local organizations which will
induce every republican to vote in
local as well as national elections,
ia+i hxY nA
constitutions. Theodore Roosevelt in
his progressive campaign, adopted the
policy of placing in power in the
southern states the men who could
best command the situation, regard
less of race. But he found that they
were mostly white men of local stand
ing, courage and influence and
wealth. 1t is needless for the would
be Negro leader to hark back to the
sentimentality of bygone age. In
politics as elsewhere, it is a case of
the survival of the fittest.
The loss in the south is partially
offset by gains in the north. The
vital difference is that the northern
delegate must needs speak with
dictated voice. He is in the hopeless
minority in every state and must fol-
low the fortune of party bosses.
There is little or no latitude for ra-
cial independence.
And SO, now we face the coming
campaign with eyes wide open. There
must be devised an entirely new set
of reasons and arguments for racial
support of Hoover and the G. o. P.
Appeal to Lincoln and Sumner and
Grant will not sway Negro votes as
it did aforetime. Extravagant proph-
ecy of what the new administration
is going to do for the Negro has been
done to death in previous campaigns
with sad disillusionment. Only the
simple will bite at that bait. Denun-
citation Of the democrats and dread of
southern fire eaters, if Smith sue
ceeds, will no longer frighten the
simple. The southern fire eaters eat
as much fire under republican as un-
der democratic national authority.
There are sufficient sound reasons
and good sense why the Negro should,
in this campaign, prefer the republi-
can to the democratic party, why
Hoover should be chosen rather than
Smith But the Negro spellbinder
must learn it's spell and potency. The
one which he has used for the past
40 years has lost its spell and po-
tency.
June 21, 1928.
Washington, ID. G.