The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-28
REPUBLICAN MENACE
PEACE AND PROSPERITY.

|
men every where when they see the
true purpose of that plank in the Re-
publican platform.
Roosevelt's antics and disgusting as
ISOLATION with a negro as his dinner
guest might we'll be set down by the
Republicans as simply one of the.
Astounding eccentricities of the man,
but when through his dictatorship of
that party, and it's servile obedience to
his nod, it affronts the decency and
the conservatism of the country with
a re-opening of this vexed question, it
is proof positive that it is a matter
that must be dealt with, land vigor-
ously
The white people of this country
recognize the menace to peace and
prosperity bound up in the Republi-
can proposition as contained in its
platform, and made party issue. The
thinking Republicans see in the negro
plank in their platform a brake on
the wheel of their hopes of party sue
cess, a boomerang, which adopted TO
return to smite terror into the ranks
of Republicanism.
The issue has been made by the Re-
publicans. 1t is that party which has
interjected the negro into the political
discussion. The Democracy will meet
it and meet it fairly and squarely and
in the arena of dispassionate debate
will show the menace to progress
made possible by the approval of this
plank by the voters. That the plank
will prove injurious to Republicans cali
not be doubted, and the following let,
ter published in the New York Sun
will give an idea of how this issue
may affect affairs.
To the Editor of The Sun-Sir: An
editorial of recent date in your valued
paper entitled "Was Not Tactical
Error Made at Chicago?" seemed to
the writer to have hit the nail square
ly on the head. To him it seems that
there never was a graVer error made
by any party than the insertion of
the negro plank in the Chicago plat
form.
Two reasons suggest themselves for
Roosevelt's insertion of a plank which
had either Mckinley or Hanna been
alive, would never have appeared
there, and they are these:
First, as you suggested, to secure
the negro vote in the doubtful States
of the North. But what folly to be
striving to obtain that which one al
ready has, especially when by so do
| ing you estrange the many thousands
| of Southern white men now living In
those very States of the North, and
| who but for that plank would have
supported Roosevelt as they did Nc
| l<inley AS an illustration of what L
mean, take the case of my brother,
my cousin and myself, all of us from
| Virginia and now living in New York.
| we could not stand Bryan, and
voted for Mckinley; and we had made
up our minds to support Roosevelt
! in this campaign. But when the plat
| form came out with that negro plank
| in it everything was changed in the
| twinkling of an eye, and now nothing
could induce us to vote for him.
On the contrary, we will not onlM
vote against him. but will do every
| thing in our power to defeat him.
| And, from talks with our friends
and acquaintance from the South
now living here and who in recent
years have voted the Republican tick
ct. we find that they will, almost to a
man. be against Roosevelt this year
on account of his having had that
negro plank inserted.
! Then, too, when you think of the
many business men of the North nv
| ing in those doubtful States and having
business relations with the South M
connection with her railroads, facto-
ries etc. and who, for business rea-
| sons if for nothing else. do not want
| to have the race question agitated
again. and who will do almost any
thing to defeat the man who has
aimed such a blow at the South, you
will see at a glance that he has anena-
ted from him thousands OF this Grass
also And we are firmly convinced
that the votes of those two classe>
IF men living in those doubtful States
Of the North will decide the issue
against Roosevelt.
The second reason ascribed by some
for RoOsevelt's insertion of the negro
plank is that he had it done as pun
ishment to the South for it's audaclty
in daring to treat as it did his attempt
TO bring about social equality between
the races at the time the negro dlnea
with Roosevelt and his fanny dI 'i'@
White House.
Rut whatever the true reason, one
thing is certain, namely, by his action
in inserting this negro plank Roese-
velt has rendered exceedingly doubtful
that which, before this was Qone, Was
almost a certainty--his election 10 the
presidency in November next
He gets the negro vote-he ALREADY
had it-but think of the many tnouS-
ands of white votes he loses by THIS
rash act!
The Republican party never pefor.
this put such a fool plank IN one Oh
it's platforms. w. ~ D.
Brooklyn, July II.
North and South white men will 20
influenced by the same feelings set
forth i'm the above letter. The negro
as he increases in number in North
ern States is teaching the people what
he really is, and these people are
learning to dread him when he has
been made bold by the antics of
Roosevelt and the meanderings of the
Republican platform with its abom:-
nable negro plank.
In the Democratic party the white
man will find not one thing to make
him afraid, for it is the white mans
party. 1t teaches his supremacy and
it bids him have no fear that the day
will come when social equality fads