The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-04-27
THE COUNTRY'S DUTY:
LET THE SOUTH ALONE


Roosevelt energies from the Yellowstone
park he will find the door of opportunity
open to him for another pronunciamento
on the race question. Since ne secluded
himself in the wilds discussion OF it has
been actively renewed The occasion for
this renewal was the address of eX-PreS-
ident Cleveland at the Booker Washing
ton meeting in this city last week, IN
which he agreed unreserVedly with the
stand first taken by The American months
ago. when Mr. Roosevelt. as a bidder for
colored delegates to the next national
republican convention, set the whole South
aflame
1t will not surprise the president TO
learn that the southern press lndorSeS
Mr. Clevelands speech with the same
heartiness that it has indorsed the utter
ances of this journal on the same sub
ject.
But there is something else that will
give concern TO Mr.. Roosevelt, because
OF it's political Significance Not lew
northern newspapers, classified as demo-
cratic. which We're for a time disposed
to support him in forcing negro officials
upon hostile communities, have taken the
back track. They were speedily made
aware that The American. and not they,
spoke for the democratic sentiment OF
the nation, and that silenced them. The
appearance of Mr.. Cleveland on The
Americans side has emooldened them TO
fall into line.
Ana more: ON entering the Yellow
stone the president already had had 1t
borne in upon him that many northern
republicans regretted his attempt 10 res
urrect sectionaIism. When he comes out
il will be to face the fact that the mum
Der of such republicans has greatly in
creased The intelligence OF his party
knows that he has made a mistake-and
so does he.
Among the scores of speeches which the
president has yet to deliver before MS
tour shall end it is not unreasonable 70
expect that at least one will be devoted
to the race problem AT the south and his
relation to is. And this speech may Wen
prove to be novel as well as impor-
tant Everybody knows in advance
what Mr.. Roosevelt will say when MS
theme is the tariff, or the trusts, or the
duties of citizenship. or the army ana
navy. or Cuba, or the Philippines. But
this is not the case when he has the
race question for his topic. ON that ne
has changed ground repeatedly, or rather.
at different times. he has given different
reasons for doing the same thing.
In November last, for example, he de-
clared that 1T is and should be. my CON
sistent policy where the numbers war
rant it. to recognize colored men OF good
repute and standing in making appoint
ments to office
That is, where negroes aye few and the
recognition" of them would produce
II, m G
not look for office, whereas where their
numbers are large and trouble follows
if they are recognized, there they Will
get office.
Thus spoke Mr. Roosevelt frank15' as a
politician
But in March last in his letter to Mr.
Clark Howell editor of The A'lahta
Constitution, he said
Il cannot treat mere color as q bar
to holding office any more than | could
so treat creed or NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. pro-
viding that in other respects the appli-
cant or incumbent is a worthy and we'll
behaved American citizen
That was Mr. Roosevelt the friend OF
man. the opener of the door of hope ana
opportunity the voicer of high aud no
bic opinions, who cares nothing ABOUT
numbers and recognition
The American declined to accept Mr.
Roosevelt in his second and finer aspects
1t saw in mis- actions not the doctrinaire
loyal 10 a principle regardless of conse-
uucnccs to himself or others, but the
politician maneuvering for nomination,
who. in order to achieve his purpose,
set race against race in a section of our
common country which carries great
load but nevertheless is steadily bringing
its social life under safe and Iva bic con
ditions. Therefore The American rebuked
MI Roosevelt rebuked him strongly, re-
buked him frequently. And in these re-
Dukes il was joined by all northern news
papers which believe that it is more i'm
portant that the ong-suffering south
should have peace than that any man
should be president.
Hence it was that Mr.. Roosevelt in his
letter to Mr.. Howell turned angrily upon
The American and said:
Il have been surprised and somewhat
Dailed at what seems to me the incom-
prehensible cutlery in the south about
nv actions-an outcry apparently started
in New York for reasons wholly uncon-
nected with the question noslnally at IS
sue
With these examples of his versatility
before us it may we'll be anticipated that
when the president again utters himself
on negro appointments he will supply
fresh reasons for his policy.
But no matter what President Roose-
Welt NAV saw or do, The American will
continue to demand justice for the south.
From the beginning we have understood
and expressed the true democratic atti-
tude on the negro question. Consequent
ly, while it gives us profound pleasure it
>.-..,. Z
neWspa pers and democratic public men
at the north who were among the halt
ing now ranging themselves on the right
side.
1t is the civilized side the American
side, the side of patriotism that knows
no sectional lines, but embraces the union.
In taking this side there is no unkind-