The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-24

the seething caldron of politics-of
politics at once theoretical and practi-
cal-to become the chosen adviser of a
President in the making and unlnaking
of great men--to be the first of his race
to sit at the White House table an
honored guest, as we'll as an equal be-
fore the law-we much fear is to rob
him of his distinguishing feature as
black man without investing him with
any of the distinguishing features of
the white man. 1t is to suspend him,
like Mahomets coffin, betwixt the up
per and lower heavens.
When Frederick Douglas married a
white woman his power was gone. 1t
did not elevate him in the estimation Of
white men. 1t lost him caste among
the people of his own race. Booker
Washington as head of the 'ruskegee
School was admirable. AS head, even,
of the kitchen cabinet he is to be
pitied; red rag to racial prejudice; an
object of envy to those blacks who are
intelligent enough to differentiate; an
offense to white Republicans, a menace
to white Democrats, at the South.
Truly, the President did Booker
Washington an i'll turn in this business.
albeit serving his own purpose early to
declare in some startling way his in
dependence alike of political and pru-
Dental considerations. 1t is wholly
characteristic of the man. 1t vindicates
Mark Hanna's prescience when at the
Philadelphia convention of 1900 the willy
old plutocrat reminded the lusty braves
of the Roosevelt line that lin nominal
ing a Vice. President they might be
making a President"
There are two Republican parties, one
of sentiment and conviction, the other
of opportunism and money. There is
the party of Hanna and Plat and
Quay, all wool and iron, and there is
the party of Roosevelt and Low, all
gilt-edge and goo-goo. The ship sub
sidy campaign deht-paying grab for
cre. Reciprocity, seeking to ride two
horses, free trade and high tariff,
around a ring hardly big enough for
enc. for another. The succession in
1904, for a third, Teddy in the Rocker,
but most of the prominent cards" in
adverse hands; particularly the Ma
chine" in the state of New York. AL
ready the heavy swells of finance are
beginning to discount the future, to un-
load on the lambs, and, generally, to
prepare for the rainy day they see to
be inevitable. In fine and in short, good
luck cannot run forever, and both the
President and his party are going to
find Jordan a mighty hard road to
travel.
Looking at it from a partisan point
of view, Democrats may take not a
little comfort to themselves What
ever happen, this is not our funeral!
Out in the cold as we may be-shiver-
ing as we are-and hungry, yea, veri-
ly, and thirsty-yet as we stand around
the White House and look in through
the windows and see Teddy and Booker
hobnobbing over their 'possum and DO
tatoes, not one of us is DISPOSED to
envy either of them, or to exclaim Of
either, Wouldn't it be bully to be
him?"
We prefer to take our chances of the
future. We had rather wait till our
time comes. Somehow, the look ahead
does not seem so hopeless, nor the dis
lance so long.
For there is here a radical infirmity
of judgment--a plain lack of common
sense-and bless the Lord, we are not
in it! Indeed, the shortening implied
by it means a great deal to us. Mis-
takes, like misfortunes, never come
singly. They travel in groups and are
cumulous. We Democrats have but to
get together and to keep our powder
dry to carry all before us three years
hence; because this young man is
bronco buster and he is going to raise
more of that stuff from the very hot
place with the very short name to the
square inch than was ever raised be-
fore in that particular neck of woods
Sursum corda!
There a good time coming, boys;
Wait little longer"