Evening star., 1898-12-21
| Mr. Fortune Undertakes to Explain.

To the Editor OF The Evening Star:
1t is easy enough to twist the extempo-
ranaous remarks of a speaker to suit CIV
en- purpose. In the report of my remarks
last night before the Racial Protective AS
sociatfon published in The Sta am placed
in false position in three instances. rake
the following. referring to the President:
Il want the man whom l fought for to
fight for me- and if he don't L feel IKE
stabbing him.. Your report stops there
but l distinctly said: Il feel like stabbins
him at the ballot box a phrase in common
usage thoroughly understood and entirely
harmless 1t was this sentiment which
the audience applauded. 1t would be I'M
possible for me to be an advocate OF law
lessness of any sort without contradlctns
all the teachings of my life. certainty
should not begin at this late day by ad-
vising the assassination of the President,
and no one who knows me will believe It,
In referring to the Wilmington disorders
you report me as speaking III the positive
instead of the relative sense L said that
it was a strange thing that some thirty
black men were killed and no white ones,
and that no property was destroyed al
though there is plenty of pitch pine IN
North Carolina; ard then / added, But 1t
shows that our people are law abiding
This is a very different statement from
that in your report.
on the question of caring for confederate
L
sound policy. then 1 insist that the widows
and orphans of confederate soldiers should
be pensiOned. AS showing how far we are
going in forgetting and forgiving the sins
Of the past | added After awhile We may
build u monument to Benedict Arnold
As to the Supreme Court, l declared that
It had been consistently opposed to the
just rights of Afro-Americans and was so
today. and that it was natural that we
should be resentful toward it, l said moth
ing about using african razors." l never
saw one and was not aware that there was
any such brand on the market. The Su-
preme Court is the highest judicial tribunal
in the republic. and | have as much respect
for it any other citizen. however resent
ful 1 may feel toward it for its historic op-
position to every constitutional and man
hood right which belongs to me.
No one is more opposed to mob law and
crime of all sorts than | am. | have con-
tended against them for years and shall
continue to do SO. whether the guilty peo-
pie be black or white. Along the same
line l have laborcd to bring about good
understanding between the races, upon
which the happiness and prosperity of each
depends. but in doing this l have conceded
no right which belongs to Us. l should not
be just TO myself or race if had done so.
In dealing with the race question white
men should remember that black men do
not always think about 1t as they do. Most
white men argue the question as if black
men had nothing whatever to do with
NHV oVttSiHtHt VI II. 10 NOT Heeu 10 point
out that this view of the matter provokes
a great deal of confusion and irritation.
The race problem cannot be settled by
white men alone. The more harmoniousIy
and generously and tolerantly and peace
ably all the people work together to the
common end the more deSirabiy and salts
factorily 1t viii be for the whole COUNTRY
violence of Whatever sort and assumption
OF superiority which denies justice and fair
play will complicate matters in the future
as in the past. T. THOMAS FORTUN NE.
December 20 1898.