Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-03-14

suit was most gratifying to every color.
ed man and white one too. for tho.
matter, who had been made aware os
the faise-hoods and the misrepresep .
tations made to President RoosEyE1r
as TO the cause of the opposition to
Negro appointments in the South
lie may be well to state that the Negro
as such has not been .'sitting down >,
waiting for political office, neither has
he been frittering away his time wait
ing for an appointment to come from
Washington. The race has business
men, professional men, artisans labor
ers and politicians. Each occupy their
own special field.
Inc politician can do but little along
the hues of achievement I'm businass -
the other professions. His forte is poll.
tics. Wecan see no Just reason then
why he should be forced out of that
sphere for which he is peculiarly fitted
SIMPLY because some one else thinks tba #,
1t is best that it should be done. II
political Office is good for the white
citizen, why should it not be good for
the colored one? The right to vote
carries with the right te hold office.
Ii seems that even as Hon. RUTHER-
FORD u. HAYES turned the state govern
ments OF the South over to the Demo.
Gratis, so does Hon. THEODORE RoosE
WELT propose to turn the Federal offices
OF the South over to the same combi-
nation. Mr.. HAYES penalty was
Oblivion In the country; Mr.. RoosEvEIT,s
reward may be bust in the southern
niche of fame at Richmond. Who
car tell?
Ii MI. ROOSEVELT intends to main
tam that basis of equality TO which he
refers, why should he pursue one policy
In the North and another in the Sontb,
Why should the Republican organi-
zatlon name the offioe-holders in
Nevada and the Democrats name the
othce-holders in Georgia? Both states
gave Democratic majorities. We can
understand the necessity of going ont.
side of the party for ofice-boldars
when the party has no qualified office
seekers In its midst, but how can q
reas enable explanation be given when
the man selected is a Democrat with
the statement that he is better qualified
for the position than a white or colored
republican, who is also qualified?
hou Il
our people maintain their position in
politics: while advancing along indus
trial, business and other material lines.
and our comment is actuated by naught
else than the purest motives. If the
colored men of the North and the West
viii see this matter as we see it and use
their influence and exercise their power
to check this dangerous policy, this
article will not have been written
IN vain. Mr.. ROOSEVELT is not the
only President who has defied the
southern Negotiating sentiment and
set his seal of disapproval upon race
prejudice.
Hon. GROVER CLEVELAND, a Demo-
crat, did it and Mr.. MATTHEW'S of
Albany, New York, was a shining
example, while his support of the late
Hon. c. Fl. ). TAYLOR as United
States Minister to BOLIVIA and as RE-
CoRDER of DEEDS of the District of
Columbia is not yet ancient history.
be Invited colored men to his official
receptions and no one has ever charcoal
that he WINGED under the criticism 70
which he was at that time and has
since been subjected.
Hon. WIN. J. BRYAN, a Democrat
was equally as felicitous in his
language in dealing with race preipdica
and his words to F. L. MCGHEE. ESQ
or MINNESOTA. in accepting a gift of a
copy OF Lincoln breathed the loftiest
principles and gave assurances that he
would not discriminate against an
American citizen on account of his
color. In the light of these deliver.
ances by the representatives OF the Anti
Negro Democratic Party, it would seen,
that Mr.. ROOSEVELT is giving voice to
no new doctrine, but is following in the
pathway of his predece ssors, even ON
the other side. If he intends TO con-
tinue TO take orders from Democrats i'm
the southern states, who have been in
stalled under the mystic name of
referees, the miscegenation policy In
politics has begun and it will be but a
few more months before we will have
political mulattoes just as we have
Negro ones. They will be mistaken
first for Democrats and then for Re-
just as some of us now are
fret for white man and then
for Negro.
Who doubts that Mr.. ROOSEVELT has
listened to the voice of the political
tempter? Who doubts but what Score
tary RooT spoke with the foresight of
a seer, strengthened by the possession
of that inside information with which
we all have since been made acquainted,
when he said - In a short tima tho