The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-01-10
THE INDIANOLA AFFAIR.

11L hCtf
harm, and which illustrates what has
been shown thousands Of times, that
there is a very imperfect mutual IN
derstanding between the sections Of
this country. Mr.. Roosevelt has
probably never done anything 10 all
his official career from more ~conscien-
tious motives, or about which he feels
greater moral satisfaction. On the
other hand he has never done any
thing more childishly foolish. Nor
them people generally do not under
stand, and many of them do not wish
to understand, the relations subsis-
ting between whites and blacks in
the South. The writer has heard a
learned professor In a great Northern
college ave like a mailman in speak
ing of the separate coach law of many
Southern states. He did not see and
did not wish to see that it is purely a
police measure 10 the interest Of
peace. He did not see nor wish to
see that it is no aoridgement Of per-
sonal liberty or civic equality. He
could not be made to believe that if
the coaches for blacks are not as good
and well kept as those for whites it is
because the blacks are too Indifferent
about it to complain TO the courts.
In his own state, as the writer took
occasion to remind him, a man might
not appear on the streets dressed 10
woman's clothes or a woman in
mans clothes-regnlations Of q pure
ly police nature, in the interest OF
peace and public morals and 10 no
sense intended to abridge personal
rights or to discriminate between the
sexes in their equality before the law.
The cause Of the feeling between
the races in those particulars 10 which
there is any feeling and the merits of
the controversy are not Mr.. Roose-
welt S affair. If he were at the head
of some great business and had a
foreman who could not get along with
his men, no matter if he thought the
men were wrong and the foreman
right, he would get rid of him. II he
were a teacher in a country school
and, as an abstract proposition, had
ever so little patience with a boys
''code Of honor" he would neverthe-
less respect it and make the best of a
situation as he found it, If he was
worthy Of the position. If the APP
pointment of either blacks or whites
to certain official positions to winch
they are eligible by their merits, in
any section of the country, causes
friction and trouble, it would seem to
be the part Of wisdom, especially 10
a government supposed to b by the
will of the people, to avoid such
appointments. This is precisely
what Mr. Roosevelt would do lin the
conduct of his private hu inoss, unless
he has much less intelligence than
even his enemi S give him credit for.
There are vast regions in the North
where no such race feeling exists, so
they say; and he might appoint
thousands and tens of thousands Of
his colored friends 10 comfortable DO
itions from Maine to Oregon, with
out arousing any objection, probably.
IL is nonsense 10 object that they
cannot be transpldnted. The office
seeker is a nomad and will 60 any
where. Some have been known to 90
as far as the Philippines-even tender
youths and gentle maidens, to teach
the black, brown, yellow, ring-streaked
and striped wards Of our republic,
the sweet charity OF our benevolent
assimilation. Yes, they would 90,
willingly; duty would add its persua-
sion to interest. For who does not
remember that just after the war
thou>ands of Northern men were
found Tho were willing to leave their
happy homes and go down South to
hold Office for the people there while
they we're doing something e Sc more
pressing. The South preserves this
gracious generosity in tender memory
and would be charmed 10 reciprocate
the favor
Under the heading. "William AL
len White Is solid at the White
un,,.u - a matrpnnlftan oarsr voac