Show SHOULD LYNCHING BE MADE A POLITICAL I 1 ISSUE SSU E the following paper was read by julius F taylor of salt lake city utah before the western negro press pres association which convened at omaha neb aug and 1898 mr CA chairman airman fellow associates Associate sil ladies and gentlemen balleys Hal leys comet made its appearance in the heavens during the middle of the century and it continued to increase in size and brilliancy until it surpassed all the other stars and comets it became so BO bright blight that it could be plainly observed at noon noonday dav this great phenomenon caused the greatest commotion and consternation ster ater nation among the people throughout europe it was considered a as the harbinger of the vengeance of the gods the dispenser of the most dreadful of their retributions the pope of rome issued a bull against agg rabi it and ordered all the church bells in europe to be rung rung ta in order to drive or to scare it away and the faithful were commanded by th the e pope to add each day another prayer as their prayers had often in such a marked manner been au answered in eclipses draughts and rains so the people watched and prayed but the comet continued to shine forth in all its brilliancy regardless of the prayers of the people and the popes bull the actions of the pope in relation to the comet are likened unto unta the actions of the leaders of the republican party respecting lunching lynching lyn lym ching ehing when the leaders of that great party assembled in national convention in the city of st louia on june jane 1896 they incorporated into their platform the following we proclaim our oar unqualified condemnation of the uncivilized aud and barbarous practice et well known as lunching lynching lyn hing ching or kwing killing of human beings suspected or charged with crime without process of law this resolution or portion of the platform was enthusiastically endorsed by all who participated in that convention but at the same time none those who wh were in attendance possessed the th moral courage f 0 to raise their voices in condemnation aaion of the unmerited merited and d unwarranted treatment which to some of the most members of our re race who kathe had the honor of being delegates and who bk 3 were retired refused admittance i m in the best hotels of that city agthe As the c campaign progressed the ne negib gro was washed led to believe that in rho 4 1 ia COUN considered dired the greatest lead p darty was I 1 elated FW thi the presidency of the 1 I yn aba g would 1 d db auy quie d ac 0 that hat hi remd K S 1 afy t land d 15 V RB iff F ian yv y v in a al 1 1 tr 1 T t 2 V are contained in the platform pertaining gainin g to lynching lunching lyn ching but unfortunately for the negro the utterances of the president have proved to be abortive and of no more effect than the bull which the pope caused to be issued against the 1 comet we must therefore conclude that it would have been just as logical and as consistent for the republican party to have passed a resolution condemning grand larceny or to have incorporated into its platform a clause to prevent or to restrain the people from exercising their right to choose their various vocations it must be perfectly apparent to all men who possess a limited or a reasonable amount of intelligence that it is impossible for any political party to make the sub subject i act under discussion a political issue in the first place it is not within the province of any political party to do so unless it could be nationalized consequently the constitution of the united states sta tes would have to be amended before lynching lunching lyn ching could be regarded as a national issue as congress has no jurisdiction or power to interfere or meddle with local issues or questions therefore we are driven to the conclusion that the remedy against lynching lunching lyn ching must come from within and not from without W we t are aware of the fact that the people and especially those who are unfamiliar with our democratic form of government have been taught to believe that the doctrine of state rights was shot to death by general grant at appomattox court house but that is an erroneous idea for if it were true then it would naturally follow that the united states government would be absolutely supreme and monarch of all it surveys and the various states which go to compose this thi great and glorious union would not be in the possession poa session of any rights which it would be bound to respect no doubt there are many under the sound of my voice who will marvel at this theory and proclaim that it is false or otherwise but if it is true that the vario various usi states are absolutely under the control of the general government then it may not be amiss amias to inquire why is it necessary to maintain a local form of government and why not permit the general government to enact all laws lawa and to regulate and adjust the expenses incident upon noon maintaining or conducting the municipalities in the light recent events is clearly demonstrated that the position which we have taken in relation to the state and the general goven government ment is correct for members of our race have been ruthlessly slain and murdered and our theologians and other great leaders have petitioned and offered up supplications ions to the President and to the united states congress to stretch forth their strong arms arm and protect the weak and the defenseless but their prayers and supply have elicited only one response viz that the various states are in the possession of certain rights which the united states government must and will respect I 1 and as lunching lynching lyn ching is is only a local issue or question and not national in its scope therefore it must be treated as in view of these facts we cannot escape from concluding that the leaders of the republican party inserted the clause in its platform orm pertaining to lynching lunching lyn ching for the pur pose of throwing sop or lor taffy to the negro as iiii meaningless me mingle and in no wise vise did they intend it to be construed differently whenever we can make up our minds to accept this doctrine then our leaders will mill devise some plau plan or method methea to remedy 30 some of the evils which are inflicted upon us and an d th they ey will not urge the leaders leaden bf tae Be publican party nor the leaders bof any other p party to make lyn chinga as po political issue it f all a patriotic and liber Y long M citizens irrespective affiliations ons or predilections to put their seal of condemnation upon lynching lunching lyn ching because it is ia a relic of the dark or middle ages and it is not in harmony with our democratic form of government but lynching lunching lyn ching should not be made a political issue in the meantime the negro must refrain from participating in such mich horrible and revolting practices neither must he permit himself to witness the degrading and demoralizing scenes which are enacted on such occasions my fi tends friends let us fervently hope that the day is not far distant when we can exclaim in the language 0 of f pascal the golden tongued philosopher and mathematician that all men are brothers and are bondsmen for one another and are responsible for each others actions |