Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1909 — Pledged the Whole Vote. [ARTICLE]

Pledged the Whole Vote.

It is related of a certain candidate for office in the last Kansas cainptflgn that he billed himself for a speech In a Southern Kansas town, on, a certain October day, and wrote ahead to a number of friends to give him “tips.” One of them says the Mobile Register, told him to see a certain colored man upon his arrival In the town. “If you can get the vote of this negro,’’ wrote the friend, “you can get the vote of the whole negro population in this town. Don’t fail to see him and get him to your way of thinking.” About the first thing the candidate did after registering at the hotel was to look up this negro. It was only a little while after the introduction that he was calling the negro by his given name, filling his pockets with cigars, passing him compliments and generally “giving Mm the tafify/’The negro took it all and enjoyed the occasion immensely. The candidate spent several hours in the negro’s company, and after he thought the proper degree of warmth had been obtained, broached the real object of his friendship: “Say, John, I want the negro vote of this town.” “All right,” replied John, “I’ll vote fo’ you, sah. “I’ll vote fo’ you. I’m fo’ you, sah.” “Thats all right,” said the candidate. “That’s all right. I’m sure you will. I’m sure you will. But I want to have the whole negro vote of this town. I want to get all.” “Dat’s all right,” responded the negro, “I done said I’d vote fo’ you. I’m. yo’ friend. 11l suttinly cast my vote fo’ you.” “But, say, John, I know that,” said the candidate. “See here, I’ll be frank. The fellows told me that you are a big man among the colored folks down here, and that If I got your vote I’ll get the whole negro vote In this place. Do you catch on?’’ “Sho’,” replied John. “Sho’ I do. You’ll git de whole niggah vote, all right. Dey don’t be trouble ’bout dat, sah. Yo’ see, I’m de only niggah in dis here whole town.”