nerally
known as a "Lily-Whiteism." For the last twenty-five years, therefore,
there have come to the National Republican Conventions from the
various Southern States contesting delegations, one white and the
other black, each one claiming to be the properly accredited
representative of the Republican party in the State concerned. In some
States the "Lily-Whites" have actually held conventions from which the
Negroes were excluded or which they were not permitted to attend.
Because of the difficulty of making good their claim as properly
accredited delegates they have abandoned this method for the
subterfuge of holding their conventions in hotels or other exclusive
places which Negroes, because of the social proscription of the race,
are prohibited from entering by an already well established unwritten
law.

As a matter of fact the Republican party in such commonwealths no
longer exists and these delegates whether white or black represent
merely rotten boroughs. As they are of use, however, in selecting the
candidate to be nominated for president, the administration has been
very reluctant to interfere with the proposed reform in these quarters
for the reason that such delegates are usually made up of persons
appointed by the President of the United States to Federal positions
in the South. As the President usually desires to be reelected and can
control such a coterie, it has been very difficult to find one with
the courage to give his influence in the direction of reform.

Early in the winter of the year when the president is to be nominated,
persons supporting the administration usually visit the South laying
plans for lining up these prospective delegates. Politicians
interested in other candidates make similar tours through the South
sometimes lavishly handling funds to the extent of buying up
delegates. As the whites are in a much better position to secure the
few Federal appointments allotted in the South, after the election,
since the abandonment of the policy of appointing Negroes to these
positions, the Negroes have usually exacted a much larger compensation
for their services in the pre-convention struggle than whites have
required, thus shamelessly disgracing themselves in the eyes of those
who would expect the leaders of the race to play a more honorable
role.

There are in certain sections of the South a number of men who devote
all of their time to electing these delegates for service in these
convent