Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-02-14

This same element, which, in the
North is stirring up war of classes as
against the rich white man is stirring
upa war of classes IN the South as
against the poor Negro. These white
men recognize as they seem to think in
the Negro a menace to their ell-being
and prosperity.
We are frank to state, however, that
we do not believe that Mr. RooT has
had it presented TO him in this light.
But this is neither here nor there. 1t
is his references to the Negro with which
we desire TO deal. He is quoted furth =
er:
after the civil war the great cues.
/ ton was, What shall we do with the
black mang and the ans yer was, Give
him citizenship equal rights, and the
franchise and he will RISE Three
amendments were added to the Consti.
tuition and fear that we will have to
face the conclusion that the experiment
| has failed"
1t is this phase of the question with
which we desire to deal. Has the ex-
pertinent failed? He continued:
1.-THE suffrage has been taken away
7 from the Negro, and, in many of the
Southern States, the black man no
longer has the right to suffrage"
This is true, sir, but has the expert
ment failed?
Mr.. Roof said further:
GA curious development has been
seen within the past year. President
! Roosevelt has appointed fewer black
! men than President Mckinley did, and
there are to-day fewer black men holding
| Office than wien Mckinley died. Yet
loud outcries are to be heard in the
South about President Roosevelt's poll
cy of appointing black men to office in
the South. Under previous Presidents
MCKINLEY, Cleveland, Harrison, and
back to Hayes time more Negroes
were appointed to Office and nothing
was said.
| "a black man attended an official re-
ceptlon in Washington at the White
House a short time ago. The black
man, as an official of the government
had always attended these receptions
Yet the invitation of the President tc
these men was the signal for an outcry
OF thousand papers in the South that
the whites were being insulted."
Mr.. RooT continued:
81 don't want to argue this question
L am certainly showing that we have
to face a new change of feeling in the
South, that the black man is denied the
right to aspire to the highest there is in
American citizenship. This right &
aspire to the highest dignity which
was formerly unquestioned is now ques
toned. In short time the white mar
will succeed in excluding the blacl
man from all offices in the Southern
States.
I'VE can never throw off the respon
slbility that rests on our people for th,
welfare of these black people that w,
held in slavery for so many generations
Now that the first attempt has fail
ed, the question is what to do, and i
should take the greatest thought of tn,
greatest minds Of the country"
! We are of the opinion that thes,
words, falling from the lips of the cen
tral figure, barring one in Presiden
RoosEvELT's cabinet are grimly omi
nous and they may be the fore runner
OF as startling q change in the futur
policy of the national administration a.
has been ever witnessed since thu
foundation of the government.
We confess that we do not regarC
with favor either all of his statement
or his conclusions. 1t emphasizes on
opinion previously expressed that afte
all the rights which we now enjoy from
Republican political standpoint arr
directly traceable to the political powe
} of our colored brethren in the North.
Secretary RooT in the beginning O
his remarks guardedly said that b,
feared that the experiment had faileC
and before he concluded his utterances
he unguardedIy declared that the exper
lment had failed. 1t was the lamente
statesman, CHARLES SUMNER, who said
Give him Negro citizenship, equa
rights and the franchise and he viii
rise" His words were prophetic anC
he has risen.
Blind indeed must be the man whC
does not see that the period during
which the Negro enjoyed the right t.
vote and to hold Office was the on,
which furnished the inspiration for tn,
present. Cast down, forsaken, suffer
ing for the necessities of life, his eleva
ton to a place in the body polite wher,
the best men of the race could be seen anC
heard, it lighted the watch fires of hop,
and inspired every black citizen of tn,
Sunny South to go forward.
The illiterate black man labored {,
educate the son and the daughter anC
practiced the lesson of frugality, fo
they already knew the problem of toll
AS result, the progress of this won
derful race of people has been withou
a parallel in the history of the world
That the Negro used the ballot wise
ly, no honest man acquainted with tn,
facts Will deny. He had sense enough
to vote with his friends and give hi
-