The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-24
THE POLITICAL NEGRO
and FACTS OF HISTORY
From Harper's Weekly

In his letter to MI. Clark Howell. the
president recurs to the policy (which
governs him in naming negroes for Of
fee, and he declares that he has been
surprised and somewhat panied at
what seems to me the incomprehensl-
BILE outcry in the south about my ac-
tions-an outcry apparently started in
New York for reasons wholly uncon-
rected with the question nominally at
issue"
1t is. indeed. the fact that the south
is essentially more sensitive on the ne
gro question than it has been for sew
eral years, since the political race ques-
ton was settled by acquiesence. There
is a reason for this state of mind.
however, which, as n who loves 10
look facts squarely in the case, MI.
Roosevelt ought to recognize. 1t S
| not necessary in seeking this reason, TO
take into account either the personal
| factor Or the suspicion which the pres
| Gdent entertainS of some of his New
| York antagonists. The south did no
like the Booker Washington incident.
which is regrettable. but that alone a
| few years ago would not have created
the storm of indignation Which mas
swept that section Of the country
Nor would the appointment OF Dr
| Crum then have move the city OF
Charleston and the state Of South Car
DINA so deeply as it has. The pres
| ident must go beyond himself, be-
ycnd his own conduct. for his explana
ton.
His policy is in fine contrast to tina
OF his party. 1t is true that even nj:
theory as to the negro in public place
is distasteful to the south, but differ
ences of opinion on this subject be
tween men Of two sections are inev1ta
BILE. Mr.. Roosevelt says that, with him
color is to be no bar to appointment t.
office, and just as little is it to b.
counted as comforting a right. This
however, does not fully set forth no
precisely define the presidents attitud
towards the negro. AS the NY. u just
II points out, Mr.. Roosevelt, in a lette
published last November, then an
bounced his intention ito let the color
ed man know hat if he shows in
marked degree the qualities of goo
citizenship-the qualities which in
white man we feel entitled to reward
then he will not be cut off from all hop
Of similar reward" The president. i
ether words. will welcome opportuni
ties to reward exceptional black me
with public office. While, other thing
being equal, this is a commendabl
spirit, it has given occasion for the Out
burst which has "surpriSed and some
what panied" the president.
The presidents attitude is the pre-
: verbal last feather. He is reaping tn
r whirlwind sown by his party and h.
pr edecessors. If the Roosevelt polio
had been consistently and constant
applied by the republican party, tn
= negro. or race, question might neve
have arisen. Certainly it would NJ
have disrupted social conditions in tf
southern states. made their partiSa
solidity inevitable. and shet them apaI
politically from the other sections
, the union. Such a policy would haN
had the support of the best souther
public men, who, in their time, pc
sessed enormous influence over the
neighbors. The Tribune's extrac
from the speeches of the late JuStit
Lamar clearly shows this. althoue
they are quoted for the purpose of
lustrating southern inconsistency
fact the extracts prove nothing of Il
kind but they do prove, On the col
trary. a disposition to help the neg
upward and if the republican part
which charged itself with the tutela!
of the enfranchised a had cooper
ted with the best element of the sout
MI. roosevelt WOulu not now De SUIT
by a desire to do something political
show the exceptional negro that Il
white man is ready to treat him on h
individual merits. UGH treatme
would have long since been accord
to him naturally. both in the north al
in the south. AS it is. he does II
stand on equal terms in either sectiC
with white men who may be intelle
tually his interiors.
The history Of the negro in politi
has changed the attitude of the sou
toward him, and republican leade
north and south are ~resposible for tn
history. Without inquiring into t
motives of those who gave the suffra
10 the negro, it is true that the gift n
been made the instrument of his &C
ruption from the very first. Unscru
pulous politicians first used the o.
whelming negro vote for the purpc
CT enabling them to plumber n