Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1903-03-06
Hear and Ganor Clash
on Race Question

-~~oSe Oe~"1NSse Ia
gress from the Subject of Wash
ington and Discuss Position of
the Negro in the United States
Senator Hoar touched on the negro
question In referring to a statement
In an afternoon paper that were a
person in company with George Wash
ington today he would be in bad CON-
pany, because the counsel which he
gave his countrymen in '76 would be
bad counsel now.
"And / see that my excellent friend. F..
Secretary Root, thinks something of
the same way of Lincoln" the sena-
tor said. "He says that reconstruc-
ton and the achievements which fol-
lowed the civil war have been fail
ure.
Now, I do not believe that when
Secretary Root goes out of Office he
will gain a monopoly in the business
of thinking for the people in questions
OF righteousness and liberty. He will
not be employed to send news to the
Great dailies from the Philippines.
(Laughter.) Mr.. Root thinks that this
series of events, in which all of us
who have reached an advanced age
have had something to do, has been a
failure in relation to the negro.
I'm the first place, we freed the ne
gro. They do not separate the negro's
wife. from him, or his children from
him, any more; they do not whip wo.
men or sell their children; they do
not prevent them from working; they
do not make it a crime to teach him
to read the Bible. Is that failure?
"He has had but forty years. Now,
If there is one generation in this
worlds history that has done better
or as great a thing would like to
invite them or their defenders to show
their title. +
Look at Harvard. Dear old Presi-
dent Eliot takes no greater delight
than in telling of the grand accom-
plishment of some negro boy who
heads his classes. Young Bruce and
Lewis graduated there with first hon
ors, and not one classmate knew or
cared for the difference in his color
or race in their treatment. This can
not be the failure Secretary Root
speaks of.
II know how sensitive our southern
friends are on this matter of social
equality and companionship, and
may say that it is not wise for the
people Of the north to undertake, to
deal rashly Or. to Judge hastily Of a
feeling so deeply implanted in their
bosoms. They know something about
1t, and while any negro who is gen
tleman would be welcome at my table,
and as guest at my house at any
time (applause). I will not attempt
to thrust my judgment in this mat
ferently educated.
"Time, the great reconciliator, will
reconcile them to that, if, in the ma
ture Of things and in the nature of
man, they ought to be reconciled to
it. And if, in the nature of things
and in the nature of man, time does
not reconcile them, it will be sign
that they ought not to be reconciled
to it and that some of her mode of life
for them must be devised"
Senator Hoar closed his address
with a touching tribute to the people
of the south, and told of four of the
greatest men the south. in his opin.
ion, had produced.
II did not wish to touch upon this
question: Bishop Gailor said, in the
opening of his address, referring to
the negro question. "But the last
speaker, in his pleasant tribute to the
south, has given me the right, in all
goodness of spirit, to say something
on it.. -<
"You must remember that the ne
gro has no more sincere friends than
those in the south. We know him
better than the northerner, and, in all
fairness, we doubt whether, as a race,
the negro is capable of self-govern-
ment without the contact of a superior
race. It is his insane ambition to
gain control of political machinery
rather than turn his mind to elevat-
ing pursuits of merchandising that has
brought upon him much censure and
contempt. #t@
You must recall, in speaking OF
Booker Washington, and other dis
tinguished negroes, that they are not
of pure negro blood. Those of the
race who have attracted public at
tention by their accomplishments are
half-breeds."
Bishop Gailor spoke of recent
magazine article which stated that II
the white men of the south prevented
the negroes marrying white women
they would take advantage of the
white women in other ways. He de-
clared that such sentiment caused re-
sentiment.
"The unrestricted political rights
granted the negro do not show that all
negroes have gained by suffrage" the
bishop said. "This Is undoubtedly
what Secretary Root meant in his ex.
preston on this question. Men OF
single ideas should not be allowed. to
prejudice people against those who
have sectional questions to settle,
and to draw these prejudices into
great political questions"
In this connection Bishop Gailor
spoke of the danger Of individualism,
and once mentioned President Roose-
velt The mention OF the presidents
name was greeted with continued
cheering.
The unexpected discourses on the
negro question and the plain words
by the opposing speakers created con-
siderable OF sensation among the
banqueters. They kept the utmost
quiet to catch every word. and ire
quently they applauded the sentiments
expressed by the speakers.
The banquet room was beautifully
decorated with the Elbright system Of