Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 November 1904 — THE COLORED VOTER. [ARTICLE]

THE COLORED VOTER.

An Interesting illustration of tha high consideration which’ Republicans feel for the colored man was given at Indianapolis last week in the effort of George L. Knox to get his name on th* ballot as an independent candidate for congress in the Seventh district. Mr. Knox is a colored man who has twice been selected as an alternate delegate to Republican national convention*. He Is also the proprietor of a couple of barber shops and is in every way prosperous and progressive. As this would indicate, Knox reached a point where he saw that his race was being used by tbe Republican* without profit to them or to the country, and he determined to break loose from his party affiliations to the extent at least of Inviting his people to assert their independence at the poll*. He we* willing to lead them, and when this became known he was Importuned to announce hla candidacy for congress. One reason why his people wished this office selected was because Congressman Overstreet had become very unpopular with members of their race. Under tbe Australian ballot lew It was necessary to file a petition containing' 300 signatures, asking that Knox’s name be printed on the offldal ballot, and his friends went to work and secured a total in excess of 1.109 names. When the petition was filed the Republican managers sent special delivery letters to each one of tbe signers, urging him to come to headquarters and sign a petition withdrawing his name from the Knox petition. Where this failed to bring In the signer, a special agent of the committee was sent out to see him. By these means, which Included threats, Intimidation and bribery, some 600 names were stricken from the petition. Then the Republicans on the election board took the astounding position that, as one name had been fraudulently signed, the petition was tainted with fraud and Knox must show that every name left on it was genuine. In other words. Knox was required to show that frauds had not been committed, thus reversing the rule of evidence that the presumption Is in favor of innocence and that If fraud la charged, the burden of proving it resfe upon the accuser. But the Republicans don’t hesitate to reverse all rules of law and right to gain a purpose. They set out to prevent Knox from being a candidate, and. being a majority on the election board, they determined to accomplish their purpose.