Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-15

This campaign Is all full to the guards
Of subjects which the politicians won't
discuss, hut which they work at all the
time. One of them is the negro vote;
The Republicans at Kansas City did
not exert themselves overmuch--or
even at ALTO get equal hotel accom-
modations for the colored delegates.
Convention Hall put all colored spec
tators into special little chicken-wired
coop. These "reminiscences do not pre-
vent either party now from interesting
itself in the colored race.
The Democrats of the Solid South
may feel as they may feel about negro
suffrage. The Democrats who are man
aging the Democratic national CAM
paign are intent upon such facts as the
following:
In the border" States OF Delaware,
Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky.
Tennessee and Missouri there are APP
proximately 100000 negro men and
women who actually vote.
In the Northern States of Massa-
chusetts, New York, New Jersey, Ohio.
Indiana and Illinois there are today
545, 900 negro men and women who
cast ballots.
~
In several of these States-"border"
and Northern-the negroes sometimes
hold the political balance Of power.
- X
The headquarters of favorable and
equal treatment of the negro politically
by Democrats in the North has been
for a long time Tammany Hall. 1t Is
claimed by Tammany leaders that 276
negroes now hold New York City polit-
! zeal or civil service positions with sala-
rfn ty, metz nf than
| 81, 800 a year It is indeed claimed by
them that negroes hold more really
good and lucrative positions under the
New York City government alone tnan
under the whole Federal Government
throughout the United SteteS.
Ferdinand G. Morton, member OF
the New York City Civil Service Com
mission, and said to be the highest sal
! aired negro Office holder In the coun-
| try, with four other New York City Of
ficials of his race visited Washington
this last week on tour through this
country westward for the organizing OF
"Al Smith-Joe Robinson Negro clubs"
| in all important centers of negro voting
| activity.
Negroes In several cities IN border
and Northern States have recently be-
come much accustomed to voting the
| Democratic ticket In local elections
,, This has been true often In consider
able degree in certain sections of New
York and Chicago. It has been true In
Baltimore under the leadership OF
Tom" Smith. locally extremely
powerful negro politician. 1t has been
! true also Ia Memphis under the leader
ship of Robert r. Church, one OF the
ablest and most outstanding negro char
acters of the country. who Is a stanch
Republican nationally. but who In local
affairs has been a frequent and well
coined ally Of the local Democratic
! boss"
Even In Arkansas, State of the
Solid South" the chairman OF the
State Democratic committee. j. S. Utley,
has now under consideration project
for Smith and Robinson clubs" among
Arkansas negro voters.
! In this campaign there is no notion
that the whole negro vote Of the Nation
will go to the Republicans by default.
Many negroes are highly dissatisfied
with Republican rule They claim that
the number Of negroes occupying honor
able and valuable positions under the
Federal Government has been steadily
declining They note that the three
negroes who recently have been men,
bers OF the Republican national COM
mittee are all In sad trouble. Walter
Cohen of Louisiana and Ben" Davis
| of Georgia have been dropped from