The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1901-10-31
The South VIII Meet the Issue.

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The South VIII Meet the Issue.
In recognizing Booker T.
W. s'lingtor, the negro principal
of a negro school at Tuskegee,
Ala, as his social, equal, the
President of the United States is
violating precedents which, for
1.-The peace, prosperity and honor
Of the country. have been re-
ligiously observed by each Chief
Magistrate OF the nation from the
first administration of George
/ Washington OF Virginia to the
second administration of William
Mckinley of Ohio. There can
be no doubt among Americans OF
the Southern States that in thus
attempting to destroy ideals of
racial integrity held up for more
than d century by his predeces-
sors in Office, Mr.. Roosevelt has
not only demonstrated that he
lacks both that good taste which
is "the conscience of the mind :
and that conscience which is "the
good taste of the soul, " but has
also precipitated upon both races
of all sections IN the United States
political issue that was
thought TO be dead and a social
problem that was believed to be
solved.
Il becomes clearer with each
passing hour that Mr.. Roosevelt
has deliberately sought topresent
to public attention the question
of racial social equality and to
presentit in such manner that
lines of sectionallsm, once traced
in blood but happily effaced by
patriots both at the North and at
the South, would be sharply re-
drawn within the limits of our one
common country.
1t is idle for anyone to attempt
to extenuate the conduct of the
President in this incident. 1t is
absurd for friends Of his to state
that be did not reflect upon its
consequences. 1t is ridiculous
for apologists of his to plead in
Mr.. Roosevelt S behalf the school
boy S excuse: Il didn't mean to. -
1t IS preposterous to say that the
Presidents intentions were kind
ly and that if be erred his was an
error Of misdirected beneyolence.
The President has forced the
people reluctantly to conclude
that he desires to make this ra-
cial social equality question
burning issue; and there can be
40 doubt that the Republican
press at the North rejoices that
Mr.. Roosevelt has formed that
determination.
The South will meet the issue.
In the concrete pressure of this
emergency the Southern people
will have the courage, the con-
stancy and the capacity TO resist
what is clearly premeditated
assault upon the social structure
of the Southern States. 1t is i'm
possible to disguise the fact that
the admission Of racial social
equality in the South would mean,
in time, the fniscegcnation and
the amalgamation of the races;
the deterioration of both whites
and blacks; the substitution of
West India or Latin-American
standards of civilization for the
distinctly American standard;
and finally the practical extinct
ion Of that nobler sentiment of
purity, of vaior and of honor
which is the life-spark OF a peo-
pie as we'll as Of an individual.
1t is clearly within the limits Of
restrained statement to say that
the Southern people deplore this
incident and would do all in their
power, consistent with a sense Of
right, that the coming crisis
might happily pass away. But
Republican newspapers at the
North, which, like the Philadel-
phia Press, for instance, imagine
that the South can be intimidated
by any such contemplate threat
as there is a stubborn man in
the White House." should
promptly realize that they are
dealing with a people whose tenn
per and disposition they little
understand. It is as true that
high minded men are not awed
by bravado as it is that high
minded men never resort to it.
Americans of the Southern States
are the last people on earth to be
deferred in their purpose by the
veil threat of a partisan Dress