EDITORIAL                      265

20 per cent of the total Negro vote was cast for Woodrow
Wilson in the last campaign. The causes of this renaissance,
revulsion, revolution, or whatever it may be, are not far to
seek. They were cumulative. From the Brownsville affair
onward, there were aggravations and multiplying causes of
discontent-brought to a climax by the patronizing and un-
fair treatment of the Taft administration, and the policy
pursued by the Bull Moose convention toward Southern
Negro delegates.
    The Negro can no longer be safely counted en masse
as the political property of any party. While it cannot be
said that he has transferred his allegiance to the Demo-
cratic, or any other party, his faith and loyalty to the Re-
publican party are gone-gone never to return. The Re-
publican party will never again be his political fetish, nor
its professions held sacred as the tenets off his religious
belief.  On the threshold of the semi-centennial of his
emancipation from chattel slavery, the Negro has achieved
his political freedom.  Henceforth, intelligent, self-respect-
ing Negroes may vote as they choose without being
frowned upon by members of their race as one who had been
guilty of treason. This much, at least, has been accom-
plished, and it is a great gain.
    The organized movement of Negro voters in support of
the Democratic ticket was led by Bishop Alexander Walters,
the bright and capable James L. Curtis, Esq., and J. A. Ross,
of New York, and A. B. Cosey, of New Jersey, who were his
chief aids in the direction and management of the campaign.
Other Negro leaders in politics before Bishop Walters had
no leading to do. There was little or no fear that the Negro
voter would be seduced. But Bishop Walters led an organized
movement into the camp of our traditional enemy, and one-
fifth of the total Negro vote followed him, It was a great
achievement.
    What are to be the gains, or losses, as a result of this
action is as yet problematical. Certainly our plight can be
no worse from whatever angle viewed. Both Mr. Taft and
Col. Roosevelt have each made overtures to the Southern
Democracy for the delivery of the Negro into their hands.




			

African Methodist Episcopal Church Review, Vol. 29, Num. 3

Editorials

Volume:  29
Issue Number:  03
Page Number:  260
Date:  01/1913