956

largely destroyed here by the efforts
of our organizattion, and by the friend-
ly policy of the local Democracy, has
revived during your Administration.
We, who, with such high hopes for
the welfare of our race, urged colored
voters to support national Democratic
candidates in 1912, are daily subjected
to ridicule and reproach by our peo-
ple. The strength and morale of our
organization has been gravely im-
paired.

Segregation and Officeholders' Re-
moval.

This condition is due to the follow-
ing facts: Segregation and discrimi-
nation among Federal civil service em-
ployees at Washington, the removal of
the majority of prominent colored Fed-
eral officeholders, and the failure to
replace them with colored Democrats
and the recrudescense of Negro-baiting
in Congress. Locally this condition
has been much aggravated by the re-
cent action of Mr. Dudley Field Ma-
lone, generally recognised as the
spokesman of your Administration
here. We called upon him for the pur-
pose of ascertaining whether there
was any patronage in the Customs
House in the distribution of which we
might share, and were treated by him
with gross discourtesy. The reason
assigned by him for his attttude, name-
ly, the fact that we are supporters of
Mr. Murphy, is so absurd that we can
not regard it as the real reason. Mr.
Malone has lived in New York all his
life, and cannot be ignorant of the
sentiment of colored men towards
Tammany Hall, nor of the reasons
therefor. Tammany Hall's fair and
equal treatment of the Negro has
caused it to be known and loved by
colored men all over the country.
This was unquestionably the pre-
ponderant reason for the support
which the National Democratic party
received from colored voters in 1912.
Even if we, as leaders of the colored
Democrats, were base enough to at-
tempt to array them against Tammany
Hall, we should not be strong enough
to succeed. Colored men against Tam-
many Hall! Mr. Malone knows this
to be preposterous. Moreover, we are
certain that as spokesman of your Ad-
ministration here, Mr. Malone would
not dare prostitute Federal patronage
to personal or factional uses, and we
likewise personally know that there is
no faction of any importance in the
ranks of the Democratic organization
which is opposed to the present lead-
ership, and that the organization
stands ready to support you as the
leader of party thought and sentiment
in any policy for the good of the par-
ty or of the country. What, then, is
the real reason for Mr. Malone's treat-
ment of us? It seems to us that he is
catering to the anti-Negro sentiment
recently grown so powerful. We feel
confident that he does not have your
support in this matter.

Still Believes in Woodrow Wilson.

We regret the necessity that com-
pels us to address you on this sub-
ject at a time when you are occupied
with so many affairs of momentous
import to the country, but we trust
that you will recognise that this is a
matter of paramount importance to us,
and perhaps to the Democratic party
of this State. Our organization in-
cludes all the colored Democrats in
New York. In New York County,
where we are strongest, we had in
1912 a membership of more than five
thousand voters. If it were not un-
fortunately true that as yet it has
been impossible for you to carry out
the promises made to us before your
election, we are certain that at the
coming Congressional elections we
should be able to claim the support of
ten thousand colored Democrats. We
hope, therefore, that you will find it
possible to assist us in this matter,
and that by some official act or pub-
lic utterance you will contribute to-
wards the success of the efforts we
are making to regain and hold the
ground which had been won for the
cause of Democracy among colored
men in this State.

For our part it gives us genuine
pleasure to assure you of our faith in
you, and of our support in all you are
so nobly endeavoring to do for the
welfare of the country and the cause
of humanity.

With assurances of the highest re-
gard, we are

Most respectfully yours.
ROBERT N. WOOD

May 28.

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