The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-29
Spirit of the Press.
ROOSEVELT PLAYING POLITICS.

ROOSEVELT PLAYING POLITICS.
Atlanta Journal.
A group of legislators and other poll
ticians, including a we'll known Congress
man, were talking in the arca1e last night
about the resolution to be introduced in
the House Monday by Mr.. Hall Of Fan
min, lifelong Republican and son of an
eX-union soldier, condemning President
Roosevelt aggravating the race question
in the South by dining a negro at the
White House. All agreed that he should
be condemned in the strongest terms pos
.sible And they all thought, 200, that Mr.
Hall showed the proper spirit III leading
OIL in the matter, especially AS the fact
that he is Republican will give the res
olution additional force.
ut was a great blunder," remarked one
of the legislators present.
1T was not blunder," emphatically
declared the Congressman. Il know
Roosevelt we'll, and l know that he de-
liberately planned and executed that
thing-and all for purpose; political
purpose at that"
The Congressman words at once
aroused interest, for he is one of the
most conservative men in the Georgia
delegation and is known to never make a
statement without the stronge5. reasons
therefor.
I'm the first place." continued the Con-
gresham, 'just keep in mind the fact
that Roosevelt is the biggest grand-stand
player this country ever produced. Hc
has been a grand stand player all of his
life-on the plains; as a civil service
commissioner; as a police commissioner
of New York city; at San Juan hill: az
governor; as candidate for Vice Presi-
dent before the PHILADELPHIA convention !;
in Buffalo at the dying Presidents bed
side; in the White House; ut church on
the streets; riding; walking; everywhere
and lat all times he is playing to the
galleries.
He appointed few Southern. Demo-
Gratis to office-a grand stand play, in
tended to show his political independence.
But it played the mischief in two ways
first in almost losing the negro vote of
Ohio for the Republicans, without which
they cannot win: and, second, in making
Roosevelt's chances for a second term
exceedingly doubtful, because it meant
the loss,to him of the Southern delegates,
to say nothing of it's effect on the Ohio
and Indiana and other delegations for
having made it harder for the Republi-
cans of those States to control the negro
vote.
I'm other words, he played the devil
generally, and it was necessary for linn
to do something to counterfeit it and do
it quick. He evidently got the word from
Ohio that the negro vote had mutinied.
Up to that time the Republicans had been
able to control this vote simply by taIn-
ing about Southern outrages' al such
things. But Roosevelt's appointment Of
Southern Democrats to office was a rude
awakening for those Ohio negroes, and
they promptly resented it. 1t was by far
the most serious thing that had happene 4
to disturb the Ohio situation. He doubt :
less heard from Foraker and he heard
from Hanna to that effect, and he began
to realize that he had put himself in a
very deep hole.
i am satisfied in my own mind that he
sent at once for Booker Washington with
view to counteracting what he had
done. He planned to have Washington
dine with him and thereby stop the mu-
tiny among the negroes, and at the SANE
time show his independence with refer
ence to the social question--two grand
stand plays in one. He selected Washing
ton because he believed he was the one
negro that the entire country and the
whole South, too, respected; therefore he
thought he could not be severely criti-
cised
The play had it's effect in oae way
it healed the breach in Ohio and at the
same time, softened the Southern delega-
lions toward Roosevelt. You noticed that
Foraker used it in his speech the next
day. The play was Well-timed, and it had
the desired effect. But it was done for a
political purpose and it was as insincere
as it was disgusting. And Booker Wash
jngton unwittingly allowed himself to be
made a tool off,