The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-18
POLICY ASTO SOUTH
Specializing on What
Roosevelt Will Do.
Some Think He Regards His Re-eIec-
ticn as an Endorsement of His
Treatment of the Race
Problem.
Problem.
BY CICERO w. HARRIS.

washington. NOV. 1f.-hooSeNeleo
Southern policy is just now mooted
among the gossips here, and there
seems to be a difference in both in
formation and Judgment as to what
he intends doing. Perhaps the best
way to acquaint the readers of the
News and Observer with the situation
precisely as it is is to state both views
of the question. and then sum UP the
Droba bilitfes from the standpoint thus
obtained.
Mr. Roosevelt. according to those.
who hold that he means to "stanu
pat as respects the negro and his
own exaltation of the negro i'm politics
and social life, means to re-appoinl
Crum collector of the port of Charles
ton and to make other negro appoinu-
ments in the South. He has become
satisfied that along with the big en-
dorsement he received at the polls is
Il clear. unmistakable approval of his
treatment of the race problem He is
not one whit less satisfied with HIM
self than he was He believes he
was right in the Booker Washington
episode, right in the Crum matter
and right in all that class of things
with which he is called to deal as
chief executive. This view is the view
of Roosevelt as he has always seemed
to most critics. Nevertheless, he IS
an emotional man. liable to change.
and not always as frank in making
changes as his admirers crack him
up to be. There is another view
OF his attitude on this question di-
ametrically opposed to the one pre-
scented above.
Thought He'd Gone Too Far?
According to the statement of
prominent Republican we'll known To
fnii 10 in mo
his knowledge, and very likely to have
full information in the matter before
us for conscientious Southern Ike
publican of high social standing, a
member of the executive committee
of a leading Southern State where the
Republicans had strong hopes visited
the White House before the election
and discussed the politics of the day
with the President. He assured the
Chief Executive that the State he rep
resented could be easily carried but
for the springing of the race dues-
ton, but that it could be carried any
way with great effort. The President
seemed deeply interested. At length
he replied in substance as follows:
Il feel that l am largely responsible
for your embarrassment on this ques-
ton 1t was L who precipitated it in
doing precisely what l thought under
the circumstances was best for all per-
sons ana all Interests. Under the
lights of my conscience and the guld-
ance of my intelligence have brought
these difficulties upon the white he
publicans in the Southern states. II
there is anything l can do to relieve
you in the future, l promise you 1t
will give me great pleasure to do 1t.
The leading Republican who told
me this considered that in this re-
mark the President partly expressed
regret at what he had done and partly
To do thn
so far as negro necognitions for Of
flee were concerned: / do not entirely
concur in this opinion. And yet there
is a subtone of regret In the remarks
quoted. 1t seems to me that Mr..
Roosevelt merely stood abaSheu at the
extent of the possible damage he was
dong to his white friends in the South
but that what he intended doing Tor
their relief did not include in its
scope taking the back track all along
the line.
Tho matter is one of some import
ance of course, but it has possibly
been widely magnified. That he Will
continue to make appointments OF ne
groes to office in the South seems very
likely, and that he may at some fu-
ture day again invite Booker WASH
ington to social repast at the White
House table also seems likely. Nat
urally this gives offense to the white
peopIe of the South and some OF the
white people of the North. not all of
the latter Democrats. But Mr. Roose-
welt is a sort of free lance who does
things to please himself regardless
of what people think unles it is cal
culated seriously to hurt Mr. Roose-
VeltS public career. He does not
think his treatment of the race prob
lem has ever injured his polltlcal
career or that it will injure 1T II per-
sisted in. Hence he will persist In
recognizing the negro.
OF Interest to Planters.
The planters of North Carolina
have an interest III the consular re-
ports from such progressive countries
as Argentina, which has lately taken
nm cotton culture ConSul-Generai
Never sends from Buenos Ayres some
very important facts, with statistics.
Argentina is the only South American
country exporting cereals and she has
been doing so only within thirty years.
In 1902 the value of the quantity ex-
Dorted was sos, 100000 and according
IN all calculations it will reach $780,
OO0. 900 in 1904. The people in Ar
gentina who export wheat so largely.
consume less than any other country
except Italy. They prefer meat IN the
consumption of which they exceed
every other nation. The lands are Of
the best quality for the cultivation OF
cotton. Important contracts Tor de-
livery next year have been made Tor
large quantities of cotton Inc deVel-
opment of this culture in Argentina
will be a surprise. 1t has been proved
that every hectore (2,41l acres) pro
duces on the average 2,2SO pounds.
The comforting fact to the corn,
wheat and cotton planter is that not
even 10 per cent of the Argentina
lands tnearly $50 million acres In eA-
tenD have been put under cultivation
The area of cultivated land in 1925
was 2O.7S2,000 acres, of which were
in wheat 9.066900 acres: maize or In
dian corn. 3.706,700; other grain 247,-
100; alfalfa, 1921 900: peanuts, So
900; sugar cane, 700; grapes, 10S,-
700: tobacco, 31,40Q other crops,
$4,000 acres. The estimated live
stock amounts to in round numbers,
horses, 5.000,000: cattle, $4,000, 900;
sheep. 10000. 900: hogs. 500, 900. Only
the United States and Russia lead her
in horses Argentina has more sheep
than any other country but takes the
least benefit for them, due i'm part 10
the unretined quality and also to neg
ligence in the care of them and the