New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1903-02-28
THE ROOSEVELT-HANNA NEGRO
VOTE HUNT.
resident Roosevelt's monopoly

player to the colored gallery
3 been destroyed. Senator Hanna
as bounded onto the stage and de-
manded his share Of Afro Amerl-
can attention and applause. 1t is
fully understood by the whole
white population Of the country
that either gentleman is willing
to make any sacrifice Of dignity
in return for Southern delegates
to tho next National Republican
Convention.
The contest between the two for
the favor Of their fellow citizens OF
African decent has its comic aspect,
Of course, but only the light-minded
will care TO dwell on the ludicrous
side OF such degrading tug-of-
war between the President OF the
United States and the leading Re-
publican Senator, his rival for the
nomination in 1904.
Mr.. Roosevelt, processing the
very noblest motives the while, APP
points negroes to Office in the South
and takes every occasion to rebukc
8outherners for not liking TO init
mate personal contact with race
whom they, in common with Mr..
Roosevelt, refuse to regard "a their
equals. This policy appeals to
the pride OF the blacks, and the
President has calculated that in OK
change for recognition" the ne
groes will flock to the polls in his
behalf when the time for electing
delegates arrives.
But now comes Senator Hanna
with bill providing for the pen
sioning Of every ex-slavo, a meas
ure that would take hundreds of
millions from the Treasury were it
to become law. Nobody better
than Senator Hanna knows that
there Is not the reInotest possibility
of his bill ever becoming 4 law
There is not the least probability
that It will ever be brought to a
vote in this or any other Congress.
But that does not concern Mr..
Hanna. What he is after is popu
Iarity on the plantations and in the
black alleys of Southern cities,
where Mr.. Roosevelt Of late has
been having it all his own way.
The poor black man may be CRATE
ful to the President for giving
collectorship and postoflice or
two to colored citizens, but what
is such recognition however
q ering, in comparison with the
Use Of a Hanna pension for
elf or one Of the familyi
The people Of the South have
.ght to be indignant at this truck
ling to the negroes by a brace
Of politicians whose ambition APP
pears have put their scruples sound
asleep. No one who has any I'M
Outstanding of the conditions in
the Southern States, where there
Is large African population, can
refrain from actively sympathizing !
with that indignation. Messrs. t
Roosevelt and Hanna are playing |,
with fire, a fire which once started :
may devastate many Southern CON- i
munities. They are selfshly and r
consciencelessly trifiing with very q
grave matter adding enormously B
to the difficulties of an already :
sufficiently burdensome race prob G
lem. Deliberately they are filling +
the heads Of great masses of ig-
norant negroes with hopes of poll
teal preferment, social equality
and material advantages that can
never be realized. p
President Roosevelt aud Senator :
Hanna are intelligent men. They ::
know perfectly well wha: must be :,
the effects Of their bids for negro !.
popularity. They are engaged, for !
political purposes, in stirring up :
the blacks against the whites Of the
South.
That 10 sinister business. Not +
only is 1t to the last degree dis n
creditabls to the President and the :,
Senator 40 public men, but it is -
highly dangcrous--so dangerous C
that II becomes the duty Of patriotic X
men throughout the Union, re. o.
Isrdless Of party, to lift their ',
voices and order halt. =,
The South Is a part Of our CON- a,
mon country, and as such as we'll d
untitled to internal peace as is any
'thsr part. For outside politicians
% disturb its quite and threaten its
'afsty in order that they may fur - :.
her their personal ends in ma. !
'ional convention is simply iu. =
famous. II the Chinese of the Pa
'ihc Coast we're City times a. mum. I
IRONS asthsy are, aud had votes, aud
Roosevelt and Hanna, for the sake .
II delegates, should endeavor to
'ouse the yellow men against the