The broad ax., 1902-12-06
Mr. Roo.sysIt q ths e euss.I0n.

Mr. ROOssvsIt On the Negro Question
President Roosevelt has Improved |
god opportunity to state his position
g 70 the treatment Of the people o.
the Negro race in our political system
It seems that Dr.. Crum, a citizen
who has more or less Negro blood n
bis arteries, mingled, probably, win
more or less very blue patrieIan blood
Is 4 candidate for the once Of collect.
or Of the port OF Charleston, S. G.
Two white citizens wrote to the
president protesting against this ap-
pointment Of Dr. cram partly because
Of certain alleged facts indicating hts
unhtness for the once, but chieay be.
cause he is q Negro. The president
wrote q reply and has permitted its
publication.
Whatever may be said Of the reply
and its publication as Affecting Mr..
ROOseVelts political prospects, It Ger.
tainly Il. in ftsslf, highly eredItable
10 his head and his heart
As 10 the specific charges made
against Dr. Crum, Mr.. Roosevelt says
that they ~are entitled to the utmost
consideration" and that he WIN 20
over them carefully before taking auy
action.
But the race objection to Dr.. Crum
is another AFFAIR. Those who raise
It say In substance that It is sumcient
in itself; that the least trace Of NeEro
in q man should forever bar him from
every political once; that where once
such man is in any political omee,
high or low. there Is Negro domino
ton
Mr.. Roosevelt dissents nom en- that
He holds that race IN Itself shou,. be
no bar to appointment or election to
once. Il E cOlOred applicant or can
didHte possesses the requisite QuaIih-
cations in knowledge. ability and char
actsr the fact Of his race should not
count against him.
Il cannot consent" says Mr.. Roose-
Velt, TO take the position that the
door Of hope-the door Of opportunity
lis to be shut upon any maa, DO mat,
ter how worthy. purely upon the
grounds Of race or color"
His wen said. Let Us be thankful
that We have a president who has the
disposition and the courage to say Il,
and let us not entsrtain the thOuRht
that he was actuated By any personal
motive. It Is worth much to have the
influence Of the chief magistrate on
the right side.
The fashion-it Is hardly more than
3 fashion-Of treaohg every Negro, re-
gardless Of his merits. Is both a social
and q political pariah is q wrong to
the Negro race Of which America have
reason to be deeply ashamed. nh
fashion which does not prevail in the
most enlightened countries Of Europe.
aristocrate Is they are.
It Is more than shamsful-lt b Saa-
gsrOus. We have in this country some
$500. 900 people Rho have more or Ieo.
OF the Negro IN them. For better or
for worse they are hare 70 stay.
behooves Us. therefore to consider
What may happen Il. as Mr. Roosevelt
puts 4, 1T Is to be declared that under
no circumstance ahan any man Of
color. no matter how upright and hon
est no matter how good q citizen.
no matter how fair hB dealings with
bis fellows Be permitted 70 hold auy
once under ne government
Il s fair 70 presume that intsuieent
ana reasonable white men n the south
70 . greal extent YieE the matter
much e tie president does. and that
those Who insist On treating the blacks
as political psriahs are nossbacin
Who belong % a dad ssnerati5n and
Who are themsslEss fast fa5ing into
ne imperoeDtiblas-The Chicago
cAronlele
ne Broad Az hosrtly desires 70
.Aeak tie great ohicas0 chroaicle
- g tie cowars 70
@ @ ii favor q worthy
Anrriesa citizens being permit.
- g enjoy ~ rha rlEhis ana priri-
ees accor1rs - offer tmeris-nr