Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-06-06
GRAVE YARD Talk.


Mr.. Roosevelt made speech at Ar
lington on last Friday-memorial day.
Friday is thought by some to be an
day, and for MIR. Roosevelt it
would certainly seem SO. Snch a
speech has not been heard for long
time. 1t was full of venom and hatred
toward the South, and there is no de
nying the fact. If a rifle is pointed
directly at an object and deliberate
aim taken and fired it is useless to
deny the intention of the person who
shot or try to explain away the action.
This discharge of the Roosevelt gun
though probably harmless, was the
most deliberate assault upon the peo-
pie of the South which any but a
crossroads politician has uttered in
twenty years. The intent of the speak
er cannot be denied. He indirectly
accuses the South of being the cause
of the attack on the Philippine policy
of the Republican party, and the ex-
posture and criticism of the actions of
the army toward the Fillipinos as be-
ing of Southern origin. His speech,
which as we say, was as full of venom
as the fang of a rattlespake, was delib-
erately written and chosen for this
occasion. 1t has been the growing
sentiment of the country that decora-
tion day should be day when section
al animosity would be drowned IN the
sOlemnity OF the occasion, and no
orator would discuss the issues Of the
civil war, much less the politics of the
day. Mr.. Roosevelt had the Ill man.
ners to desecrate with such speech
the ashes of the dead. He can be,
we are told. the rudest and coarsest
man when be tries, so visitors
say who have gone to the
White House, that ever appeared out
side an Arizona village, and the opinion
Is fast growing that he has no manners
to spare at any time. This speech
was intended as a defense of the army
in the Philippines, but as such was a
fiat failure. 1t tends only to emphasize
what has been said, it shows how nee
essary an apology is, 1t puts the stamp
of truth on the whole dirty and dam
nable business, it tends to recall many
of the horrors practiced by United
States soldiers during the civil war on
people of their own race, and if prac-
ticed then why are we asked may they
not be practiced now? 1t shows how
hypocritical was our pretense of going
to war with Spain for "humanity's
sake, - when we are guilty of as great,
if not greater cruelties, than Spain
practiced. The president had so little
discretion as to refer to lynchings, in
this connection, and this reference
instead of palliating the offense he
was trying to condone, made it worse.
When our Chief Magistrate tells the
world that we hang and burn negroes
at home, where Is the nation that does
not believe we will do the same thing
in the Philippines Where is there
any who can deny the charge when
Mr.. Roosevelt says on SO solemn an
occasion that it is true? Mr.. Roose-
welt cares nothing about whether
lynchings at home are true or not, all
he cares for is to create the impression
that nobody but Southern people are
capable of such crimes, and if he
proves this to bis own satisfaction he
will let the matter rest there. 1t
would seem that an apologist must be
we'll nigh out of material when he
violates all custom by going into a
grave yard to utter calumnies, and
seeks an occasion of national mourn
ing to stir passion and prejudice.
None. we think, but a very .indiscreet
and very vain person would think of
making such an attempt, and none but
a very ill-mannered or weak person
would carry it into effect. This speech
may be the grave yard of Mr.. Roose.
velt's political ambitions, and his des-
olate tomb may find none SO poor to
lay a wreath thereon.