The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-19
OF The BLACKBELT
SENATOR MONEY SAYS ROOSEVELT
Is PRESIDENT.
RAISES THE RACE QUESTION
IN DISCUSSING THE INDIANOLA
POSTOFFICE.


tude Toward the Negro and His
Appointment of Negroes to FEEDER
al Offices in the SOuth-Was Inter-
rupted by Questions from Dis
senting Republican Senator's.
Money Gave Southern Views.
Washington, March 1S.-The race
question again was discussed in the
Senate TO-DAY.
Mr.. Money of Mississippi spoke for
two hours, his remarks having direct
reference to the action of the Presi-
cent in closing the Indianola, Miss.
postoffice. Mr.. Money explained at the
outset of his remarks that if he could
secure unanimous consent for leave to
OF the Senate. The sentiment of the
Senate seemed to be that remarks not
delivered should not be spread in the
record. He thereupon proceeded, and
delivered himself of some severe strict
ures of the President. stating in the
course of his remarks that Mr.. Roose-
welt was not the President of America,
but the President of the BLACK belt"
At times he was closely interrogated
by Messrs. Foraker and Spooner.
1t was the inheritent and constitu-
tional right of a great community,
said Mr.. Money. to have their mail
handled regularly. Letters, he said,
which have been addressed to Heath
man to important county officials re-
siding at Indianola have been sent to
Greenville, and this he said was an
interference with the liberty and rights
of the people of Indianola. If it were
intended to punish the people of In
dianola in his opinion the punishment
had gone far enough. The department
had shown to the world its authority,
and nobody had disputed it. He de-
clared that the Postmaster General
should do all he could TO heal the
breach and not continue stubborn and
vindictive. THE department has made
the people hate the administration"
said he.
The Black Belt President.
Directing his remarks to President
Roosevelt he said that in the South it
was believed that Mr. Roosevelt when
make an American, not a sectional
President, but change had come over
this dream. He is not so much an
American President said Mr.. Money
"as he is the President of the black
belt and he added with some feeling,
1--WE don't consider him a great man"
He declared that of all of the APP
pointments made in Mississippi none
have given such general disgust as
those made by this administra ton. and
he said the President had raised tue
question of social equality of the ne
gro, but there could never possibly be
any social equality between the two
races. There is a race prejudice in
the South he said, land thank God
that there is
The prejudice against the negro, he
asserted, is not local. but prompted by
a worldwide sentiment Answering
Mr.. Foraker, he said that these recent
appointments have revived the race
question, and while the people of the
South had heretofore tolerated negro
office holders, they did not want any
more of them
This is white mans country and a
white mans government" said he. st
has been carved out of the wilderness
and conquered from the Indians, not
for the African, but for the white
man."
Mr.. Foraker asked Mr.. Money if his
objection to colored people holding
office extended to all offices of all kinds,
and also whether ii would include the
enlistment of colored men in the army
to defend the flag and the constitution.
The reply was that he had no partic-
uar objection to colored men serving
in the army. but declared that 1t would
be better If no colored man held any
official position whatever.
Representation Point Raised.
Would you decitizenize the ::egro
as to voting?" asked Mr.. Foraker,
land, if So should that be taken in
to account in fixing the representation
in Congress? ?"
Money. The participation of the negro
in the affairs of government, he
thought was dangerous.
us it the demand of the South"
inquired Mr.. Spooner, that the Pres
ident of the United States shall in no
case appoint a colored man to Federal
office in the South?"
Mr.. Money replied that there was
no demand made and no authority for
il, but it was the feeling in the South
that no colored man no matter what
his qualification may be, shall hold
federal office. The whole truth of
history, he declared, shows the utter
incompetence of the coiored race for
self government.
Mr.. Spooner remarked that Pres
ident of the United States who would
WELD to the demand of a section that
the rights of any citizenship should
be surrendered, would show himself
unfit to hold the Office and quite will
ing to violate his oath as President.
Mr.. Foraker commented upon Mr..
MONEYS statements as being most re-
markable because of their far-reach-
ing consequences.
Mistake to Give Them Votes.
Mr.. Money expressed the conviction
that the amendment to the constitution
which made negroes voters was a ire
mendous mistake. and he said a vast
number of people of the North enter
tanned the same view. He said there
had been no objection in the South to
a colored man working, and none had
been Killed for so doing, as was the
case i'm Illinois. The feeling which OBJ
tanned I'm the South. he said. was that
il a white man did not think himself
socially better than the negro he was
not half as good.
In the matter of these appointments
Mr.. Money said the President should
consider conditions in the South Ap-
pOlnting negroes 10 office I'm the South
was most obnoxious and repugnant 10
that section. II was impossible, he de-
clared, for any one reared north OF
Mason and DlNons line 20 know any
thing about the negro
49, gsaa EaN