The age-herald., 1901-10-20
A Declaration of War.

From the Memphis Scimeter
 If President Roosevelt had announced that he intended to use the army and navy of the United States in defending the rights of the negroes to rule wher- ever they happened to be In the minority. he would have aroused great indiens. ton in the South, but the feeling would nave been far less bitter than that which ne has created by his open and fragrant championship of social equality of inc races. He would have been opposed bv southern white men as Grant was. the @noutn @ would have stood against him po- le'eauy as sohd as wall, but the el- ement or personal rancor would have been lacking. There would have been lett the golden bridge by which political enemies may pass to a better understand ing when the passions of the conflict have cooled In such case there are on both sides moderate men who oppose extremes or strife, and who finally succeed In the opposing forces. At the worst nol,- tics IS only war, and after every rwar comes a certain degree of federation. if not mutual esteem
 The days of reconstruction in the Sonth were bad enough, heaven knows ana the recollection of them will finger after .ne iast actor in the events of the time
 
 period was at it's worst the snirit o, ,t did not pass the threshold of the horne Ihe nght was in the open. It did not touch the family circle, nor did the mos tive or 1t outrage the personal pride of the superior race.
 It IS because President Roosevelt has offered this crowning affront to tha amour propre of the Southern white ,,ao1 pie that he will never be forgiven as Grant was. In consideration of all tba circumstances of the case, his action in dining Booker Washington at the Wbtta House. presumably as the guest of honor at Family party. has the appearance os a deiiberateiy- calculated defiance thrown in the face of Southern white men Tbara was no reason for it that anyone car see, except that the president wanted an opportunity to proclaim to the country hls determination to break down tba social barrier between the races so far as in his power lies. The act was the more surprising from the fact that the North erners who have been coddling the negro ever since the war have recently sboun that they are tiring of their fad. ana from the very recent announcements h,, the President of his intention to n,aka the Hepubiican party in the south Ire spectable." ie
 Therefore. the distinguished soc,o,. honor thus paid to a negro by the Presi- cannot a garded as mere incident of party no,,- tics. or as necessary matter of public policy. It is declaration of war. Tbe gauntlet has been thrown down before the South. and the South will not he slou, to take it up. For nearer and dearer to every Southern white man than even life itself is the assurance of his superioritv to the race that has been the slave of slaves from the beginning of history and which served him and his father in the most meniai capacities. His pride of race is the keystone in the arch of his self respect. In his estimation the white man who does not hold himself the racial and social superior of the negro is lower than the negro. This is not matter of belief with him; 1t is an absolute assur- ance. born in him and surviving all else in the event of a wreck of his faculties The Southern white man who has lost his reason may need a straight jacket, but he will never need any reminder of rhe distance between bimsalf and his ]