Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-03-18

WW&EY uclan caring everything for negr
W - H delegates to the National Republica
Convention and nothing for the peace and pro0res
1.-THE South would not sCrupe to incte the race an
tagOnism In order TO accomplish his purpose.
statesman sincerely desrous OF furthering the wefar
OF Dotn the whites and blacks, or one especially an
uous to advance the interest Of the blacks would no
set tabout this work by inflamiug each race a0ains
the other. e'--S
intentionally or otherwise, that is precisely wha
President Roosevelt has done Protesting the mobiles
motives he has started q fire whose heat is now ho
ing felt by the whole country.
frociaiming that the door Of hope and opportunity
snail be closed to no man on account of hia color
the President chose to open door which has Iad
strife. anu
Mr.. RoOsevelHs theory is exalted, of course. but
why did ne lay his opening hand Oh a door in 4
section OF the country where, rs he must have
known benefit to the negroes could not attend his
act however fruitful it might be in delegatesf
Conditions as we'll as theories have t0 he keDt in
mlnd. When theories are applied without regard
70 consequences, the consequences are invariably
disastrous.
The government asCertains the quality Of kerO.
sene by means Of the fash test Would Mr. Roose-
Vet think 1t wise to have the flash testing done IN
powder magazinef he faVOrs target practice for
our soldiers, but he would hardly approve the sat
ting up OF the butts in q crowded city.
II President RooOevelt Is not simply playing poll.
tcs With reference to the Presidential nomination in
1904, and honestly wants to open the door of hone
and opportunity TO the negro by giving him Office he
can 90 IL without insulting and agitating the entire
white population Of the South.
Dr. Orum Is not the only educated and reputable
black man IN the United States, nor is Charleston
tne only city where negroes who are bis equal in
ability and character can be found.
Boston has q Custom House as we'll as Oharlaston |
II, IN order to assert the equality of the races.
Dlaek must be made Collector Of the Port some
where, Why not select Boston instead of Charleston
for the honOrf
Moreover, there is no law to prevent Mr.. ROOse.
Velt from opening the door of hope and opportunity
In washington and admitting some cOlOred citizens
OF distinction to the Cabinet There is no Law to
restrain him. either, from surrounding himself With
negro secretaries and clerks.
Such support as the president receives in his
EFFORTS to thrust colOred Oficeholders unOp thel
whites OF the South comes Of course, nearly alto
getner TrOm the North, and when sincere and dis.
ISOLATED from mere political partsanship is accord
ed by men go constituted that when their minds
give hospitality to 3 fnesounding general princi.
pie they have no room left for facts which counsel
against the enforcement Of the principle In human
affairs at any given time or place.
''The door Of hope and opportunity must not he :
closed against any man on account OF his color: :
therefore negroes must be given Offce"--. So h
runs the logic, but do not observe that the men
Who assent most enthusiastically to the argument
IRE at all eager TO give it reality near at home
Bostons officials are not dark COmplexiOned. Mas !
Governor is white man, and negroes :
IRE not elected to seats in any Of the legislatures of
he New England States. Their Senators and Rem. !
esentatives in Congress- strange to say, are all !
Il the Caucasian race. The Middle States the I
tates Of the Middle West and Of the far West seem
ute as reluctant the South to have the negroes
old Office.
Long-distance megaphoning about the rights OF !.
be oppressed costs nothing. That, perhaps, is J,
Thy it is 80 popular an exercise.
10
It is only in the Southern states where the negro
opulatiOn is large that the African represents
ice problem. Outside efforts military and Doliti y
al to solve that problem have failed The sober III
1dgment Of the country has arrived at the concu m
ion that the solution ha0 best be left to time and
be people Of the South themselves. They do not at
ate the negro and they understand him. In their re
ers0nal relations with the blacks Southern men az Al
rule are far kind and considerate than are na
-mericans who have not been brought up among to
lem. Elsewhere in our country-inoludidg New M
ngland-it Is sheer race prejudice that causes III
sgroes Of ability and education to be Disseminated bo
yainst politically; in the South the motive Is fear N
be whites there have had experience OF negro Re,