Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1903-08-14
CHARLES J. MADDOX.
AFRAID OF RACE ISSUE.

A staff correspondent of the Baltimore
Sun, IN special dispatch from Washington,
under date Of August 9th, gives the follow
ing:
The Republican politicians are not alto.
gether happy over the black man they have
put into the political woodpile. They are
now crying out against the negro question
being made an Issue by Democrats Of the
South, ignoring the fact that the negro now,
as at all other times has been introduced
into politics by their own action.
The inside history Of this matter is inter
esting and instructive. 1t is a story Of short
sighted politics played by small minded
men. 1t began as a factional fight within
the Republican organization. Mr.. Roose.
vet wanted to do certain things, In the &C.
complishment Of which he needed the sup.
port or at least sympathy Of the Southern
contingent In Congress. The simplest way
TO secure the confidence of people who have
suffered most from the presence Of the negro
politician seems TO be to indicate a purpose
TO aid them in overcoming the evil.
To this end-perhaps not without sin.
certify of ieeling-Mr. Roosevelt gave voice
TO sentiments which might be appreciated
in the South and gave encouragement to q
movement for the elimination of the negro
from politics In the South. This was all
vague, but some of the white Republicans
10 the South thought they had sufficient
warrant for beginning the work OF reorgan
izlng their party In way to leave the black
man out At that time 1t did not appear as
nearly certain that Mr.. Roosevelt would be
renominated as 1t now appears, and some
very prominent Republicans, powerful in
the national affairs of the party, were hope
full Of being able to prevent the nomination.
Among those were men who had been
most active, both 10 their work and through
the contribution of large sums Of money,
in securing the election Of Mckinley and
Roosevelt. They seized upon Mr.. Roose
velts supposed hostility TO the negro as a
means for the accomplishment of his defeat
at the national conventional least Mr..
Roosevelt believed this to be the case-and II
dawned upon him that the negro might be
very important factor In Republican ma
tional convention. Between the possible
loss Of the Southern delegates and the dan
ger that the negro vote In the Republican
primaries and State conventions In the North
might tip the balance against him 10 many
districts, the President saw grave danger
that his enemies might prevail over him.
II seemed then very shrewd move for
him to do something which would ingrati
ate himself with the negro 80 as 10 thwart
the schemes OF his enemies, among whom
he might have counted Senator Hanna, Sen
ator Aldrlch, Mr.. ]. P. Morgan and mum
Der oil others almost as prominent In politics
aud finance. II was the Presidents hope
that he might accomplish all that was neces.
sary without arousing the resentment Of the
white people Of the South, and to this day
he cannot comprehend why he failed. He
thought the Southern people would be 80
grateful for his action In turning the cold
shoulder 10 few particularly offensive negro
politicians that they would appreciate the
necessities OF his case and raise no objection
TO his playing politics little with the negro
10 serve his own ends.
His first move 10 checkmate his powerful
Republican opponents showed how little he
appreciated the real gravity Of the race ques.
ton; that he did not know the Southern
people were indifferent to the negro's re
ceiving the emoluments OF office in isola.
ton, but would resist to the end any effort
TO bring the negro into social contact with
them.
Having given some offense TO the negro
by seeming 10 smile upon the lily. whites,
Mr.. Roosevelt deemed 1t shrewd move TO
prove his friendship for the negro by invit-
ing Booker Washington TO sit at bis table
He thought this would be "settler" for the
Republicans who were trying to use the
negro TO accomplish his defeat and that no
one could possibly object, since negroes in
Congress had attended official receptions at
the White House and Fred Douglass had
attended such reception during the term
OF MIR. Cleveland. He could not compre.
bend that this social recognition OF negro
might cause more trouble among the partly
and ignorantly ambitious negroes
and be Of greater injury TO the people of the
South than the giving OF Government sala-
ries 70 all the blacks controlling Republican
conventions.
He was greatly surprised and offended at
he outburst Of resentment which this act
but II went long way toward
the confusion OF those mem.
'ers Of his party who designed To use the