Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1901-11-28

they kept in mind the facts that Mr..
Washington is a peer intellectually
OF any man living, and that his race
at the present time is, contrary to
the eSprayers and wishes Of millions OF
people, distinct element in our ma
tionality; that if this vexed question
is to be settled in statesmanlike
manner it must be solved by men OF
the best intellects and upon a plane
so broad that distinction of color is
forgotten and relegated to a position
far in the rear. 1t is important to
remember that the negroes number
nearly eleven millions Of people; and
that SO far the solution of the social
problem raised by their pl essence in
our body polite has not been ap-
preached in scientific spirit, not to
say a patriotic spirit. They are a
mass of humanity lodged within the
borders of the United States to act
upon US or we to act upon them, as
the case may be, aimlessly and with
out purpose! Such a state of affairs
is fraught with dire results. And
President Roosevelt realizes that
something must be done, and that
intelligently. No other class of peo-
pie in our country is so easily singled
out, and remain so chiefly because
SO little inducement is offered them
to become respectable by means of
acquiring real as well as personal
property. Not that a social equal
ity should be fostered among the
blacks and whites, but to give them
unrestricted and American opportu-
mites to rise within their own
spheres. That is all President Roose-
velt means, that is all the very best
friends of the negroes generally ad-
vocate; it is the extent of the doc
trines taught at the Tuskegee Insti-
tute by Mr.. Washington himself
It is for conferring with MIR. WASH
ington in regard to the best meth
DDS to pursue in this line and for the
solution.of this perplexing question
that the President has been criti-
cised by a few gentlemen and many
rabble politicians. To dine formally
with dusky "cheap-skate'' called
''consuP' or minister" from Mo-
rocco or some other African coun-
try, who in intelligence cannot meas
ure with Mr.. Washington goes with
out criticism. But to discuss mat
tiers OF gravestJ impoT tance to our
own social welfare over cup of tea,
with man OF whom Dean Shaler OF
Harvard said recently. "There was a
time when Booker Washington
might have been my slave, but now,
thank God, he owns me, for the good
he is doing among men, that is all
wrong!
President Roosevelt in his states.
manship rises above the mediocre,
forgetting whenever necessary stale
traditions and musty prejudices, re-
melnbering that sentiment is no
more part of craftsmanship than
it is OF, business. He is working in
theory and practice along lines laid
out by the most successful states
men abroad in the building of en-
pire and the unifcatiop OF many diff
ferent peoples. The Russians in the
far East are totally unconscious of
the presence of the Cinnamon or
other degraded people in their plans
of empire. They look a century
ahead and success follows them. To
quote from an article in a recent
magazine written by Senator Albert
Beveridge speaking Of Russia's g bear
ing among peoples in the "Far
East" ''The bronzed Korean, the
queued Chnaman and the blue-eyed,
yellow haired Russian soldier, array
themselves on an open fat car in q
human mosaic of mutual agreea ble-
ness. There is no race prejudice here
then! Superior to all the world as
the Russ an believes himself, he
shows no offensive manner toward
the other races with which he so pic
turesquelJ mingles." In other
words, it ID Russia's sense of strength
that makts her tolerant. And Pres
ident Roosevelt unconsciously con-
scious Of similar statecraft may at
times resort to rather startling
methods 4but he gets there!