The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1941-10-18


in the failure to go to the polls and
vote. This makes the task OF the
Negro candidate, who must abso-
lutely depend upon the race vote
for his success. a bigger one In get
ting out his vote.
The Negro candidate must watch
this barometer OF general public in
terest in any election In which he Is
running and put on extra effort TO
overcome the handicaps involved.
Last Tuesday was such day. A
Negro nomination for the common
council was saved in spite of this
slumping vote for two reasons:
First. the overwhelming majority OF
all Negro voters who went to the
polls voted for Charles c. Diggs for
council: second. because Diggs
candidacy drew enough white votes
10 give him victorious nomination.
HINDER THE PRESENT city char
" ter. setting forth the form of
government, the nine man council
clected-at-large Is provided for. Tn
der this plan, there cannot be the
election OF Negro TO that body on
any principle, program or platform
OF race representation. for the
simple reason that there are not
enough Negro votes to elect one.
Any Negro candidate for the COM
mon council can only give himself
chance for success by broadening
the candidacy to embrace the entire
electorate. The record. ability. ex-
perience. public service OF such a
candidate must lend itself TO the
support Of the general public.
Lets look at the Negro vote pro-
ducing ability in the City OF De-
troit. The greatest Negro vote ever
polled IN the city OF Detroit was
received in the Presidential Elec-
ton in 1910. In that election 7S.4O6
Negro voters went TO the polls and
successfully cast their ballots. IL
was the greatest turnout OF Negro
voters this town had ever seen.
Would the casting Of that vote for
Negro councilman elect Negro TO
the ninth place on the city ballot?
No. Not on basis OF the past cleo
tions, for in all OF those cases II
took 100000 votes or better 10 win
the ninth place on the city ballot
for the common council. Now lets
look at our city elections. They are
not as large in turn out as our
presidential elections. The largest
Negro vote polled In city election
was approximately $4,000. This Is
$4,000 short Of the 100000 figure OF
votes absolutely necessary TO elect
one to the ninth place on the coun-
cilmanic ballot. Therefore let us
set down the fact that n Negro by
its own vote cannot elect one of its
race 10 the common council.
So that any Negro candidate for
the common council hoping to get
elected TO that office must get the
support OF sections OF the white
population. Such a Negro candidate
must be known TO the public gem
orally and must have record in
office that will nike its appeal to
elements OF the white population.
The Negro has produced one can
didate for this office who best
measures up to this standard. Civ
ing himself chance for possible
nomination and that is the can
didacy OF Senator Charles c. Diggs.
let Me MAKE myself clear on
~ this point: Senator Digs is the
best candidate the Negro can offer
because he has had the opportunity
as state senator for six years TO
demonstrate his capacity for public
service to ALL OF THE PEOPLE
and had done so. His legislative
record has been in support of labor
unions. the school system OF Mich
igan and the thousands in its en-
ploy, liberal civic groups, liberal
social legislation, OF benefit TO all
OF the population as we'll as legis-
lation Of special 10 the Negro. On
this record he Is prepared to 20 be-
fore all the people and urge his
election TO the council upon his
proven record OF progressiveness.
This Is what mean when say
that he is the best qualified for the
opportunity to win the nomination
and election to the city council.
We mentioned the fact to the
Senator Digs about two weeks be-
fore the election, that we had a
cigar bet with a politician that the
senator would win the nomination
no matter how many Negroes were
in the race and that he would land
way above the 18th place. Needless
now TO mention that we won our
bet. But It is my conviction that
Senator Digs conducted the very
kind OF campaign and thereby
sacrificed more than he gained. But
now. lets anaIyze the vote cast for
both Diggs and the Nowaks.
WE HAVE CITED the law OF the
:" voting slump 10 he that when
there Is a general lack Of public
interest in an election. the Negro
vote Is always affected by a like
or greater degree OF staying away
from the polls. There was a twenty
five per cent vote by the general
pnbllc--But the Negro percentage
who went 10 the polls Tuesday was
only twenty per cent OF Preslden-
tial Election year vote OF 1910. On
last Tuesday only 1857 Negro
voters hnfhnrad fn 90 10 the mills.