The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1901-10-26
THAT DINNER.

When President Roosevelt said
recently that he intended to 80
govern this country as to "tOrce
the white people Of the Soatb to
respect the Republican party" we
confidently thought that the action
portentel by those words was one
that would make the party res
pectable in the South; that would
cleanse it Of tho men and the
methods which had degraded it
in the past, and in its reformed
personnel and better character,
place it before the conservative
men of the South as the party best
disposed and best able to protect
their great interests, safeguard
their cherished institution and as
sist them in their advancing march
towards wealth. prosperity aud
plenty. Ia fact, we felt assured
that he would follow the road
made clear by the wise Mckinley,
which would lead t. peace, good.
will aud respect between the two
sections Of our common country.
We were disappointed. His
words were meant to deceive. His
action gave the lie to his lofty ut.
terance, when at his own invita-
ton, a Southern negro dined with
him and his family in the White
House. Either that: or his idea
OF social conservatism and respect
ability is widely at variance with
that which has been consecrated
through all the years of Southern
manhood, and the purity Of South
ern institutions.
The Presidents action shows
that his idea of political conServa.
tism must he negro domination in
the South, and his ideas Of social
responsibility is negro equality
with the white man. This was
the pernicious doctrine taught bv
the scallawags both white and
black, during reconstruction, and
he who teaches it now, either by
precept or cxample-uo matter
how high his place, or how great
accident has made his. pOwer-nO
matter how loudly he may boast
Of his Scuthcfn blood, is no better
than the lowest scallawag, whose
foul actions in that horrid time de.
secrated the very character and
the name Of manhood, and is Ut
terly unfit to enter the threshold
and breathe the pure and undetiled
air of the humbleSt Southern home.
The South has, We know, been
hard butleted in the past; she has
survived with honor, the destruc-
ton of war, and the paralysis OF
defeat. She endured restlessIy, it
is true, negro political denomina-
ton for years. Under tie rod
of oppression, her sons with un-
equalled energy have rebuilt her
waste places, and made stronger
and enduring her economic insti
tutions. They have been kind to
the negro. They have educated
his children and given him fair
play iEr the trades and other ave
cations OF life, but social equality
ncre'.
President Roosevelt says that
half Of his blood is Southern. Ii
that be so, then half of the veins
and arteries of his body must be
paral yzed, because that blood does
not seem to course freely to and
from his brain. We known 10
half way measure when it comes
to the question OF negro equality.
We are all Southern, when !, comes
to that, Of the wl,itest type. The
superiority of the white race must,
and shall prevail i'll the South.
The threats of the President does
not dismay us. We stand for that
forever, and tho purity Of homes,
come what may, aye, even at the
sacrifice Of wealth, power; prefer
ment and peace.