The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-11-30
The Journal and the President,

The Journal and the President.
Somebody has asked the Atlanta Journal
how the South should treat President koose-
welt, II he comes down this way. The Difficult.
ty which the Journal realizes in answering
the question may be imagined by the space
required-a double column editorial.
The Press and Banner has not been asked
to answer the question, and 1t might be bet
ter for this newspaper not to express an
opinion. bnt We will dc &C.
We would suggest that President Roosevelt
do not make the visit.
Just now there are Southern gentlemen OF
every shade OF opinion. While some men
have strong preJudices against the President,
there are others who no doubt respect him
and are not so pronounced In their opposition
10 him.
1t would be unfortunate II the President
, should come and any of our people should be
lacking In proper respect and courtesy t.
him.
The Northern people would resent any
afrout TO him socially or personally, even as
they have resented our abuse OF him because
OF the Booker Washington incident, the APP
pointment Of Crum as collector OF the porI
OF Charleston, and the. IndIanola post ofic,
business.
The fact Is, the South Is not only too seusi.
tive but it is too exacting. We hurt our
selves in not taking the larger and the higher
view Of things.
There are three causes Of offense to the
South by Mr.. Roosevelt.
First-The Booker Washington Incident.
~Second-The appointment of a negro to the
collectorship Of the port OF Charleston.
Third-The I%ndisnola post Office affair.
Except for these three instances, where race
or color was concerned, we believe Mr.. Roose-
welt has made for the South an acceptable
President.
Speaking from a Southern point of view,
the President erred. as a matter of policy, In
forcing or trying to force, upon US an
unacceptable officer.
But the elections In the North prove tina,
these things added to his popularity in thai
section.
Aside from the color question Mr.. Roosevelt
has made for the whole coun try an acceptable
President. BE is a man Of ability, having the
courage to do whatever he thinks ia right.
The cry against him by Democrats on &C.
count Of the Panama canal was to our mind,
foolish, II not idiotic. The canal is the great
est and the most important enterprise which
is now attracting attention from the Ameri-
can people. The South has 30 much more
than the North to gain in its construction
hal we are surprised at the larger and more
sensible view taken by Northern statesmen
than by Southern statesmen.
The declarations of Parker about the
Philippines alone were enough 10 insure his
defeat.
The South itself owes itself something
And 1t should not fight everything In the
country, irrespective OF its merits.
The people Of the South fail to understand
that they are In the minority, and cannot
rule the Republic.
The recent election seems to remind US Of
the day Of 1850, when we went to war. The
South was solid then. 1t is solid now. Our
solidity may have something to do with
having a united North against US.
AS citizens OF the South we should not aci
in such a way as TO cut ourselves of from all
the rights and benefits of being citizens Of
the Republic.
Speaking for South Carolina, without au.
thority from anybody, we are sorry for the
appointment Of q negro to the collectcrship
Of the port OF Charleston. We are sorry for
the fuss which Charleston raised about what
seems to us q small matter. We are sorry
that the President persists In making the ap-
pointment. The whole protest or objection
to Crum. seems unworthy Of the good people
Of Charleston. The Presidents determine.
tion to appoint him Is hardly neighborly,
and lacks Difference to the South Carolina
Senators and Representatives.
Both the people Of Charleston and the
President are placing themselves before the
South In a wrong light.
On the other hand, when we remember
that there are seven or eight million negroes,
and that Mr.. Roosevelt is President OF all the
people, 1t would seem that he is morally
bound to recognize the claims of these mil
lions Of people. Under the circumstances.
the President has a difficult problem before
him.