The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-07-30
WESTMINSTER. MD.
Democratic National Ticket.
Negro Aggressiveness.

The passage of the Jim Crow law seems
to have aroused all the hatred in the negro
race toward the whites in this State. Negro
lawlessness on the street cars of Baltimore is
of daily occurrence. Negro women have set
themselves down in the laps of white women;
negro men have jostled white passengers and
made themselves generally disagreeable, and
on the streets negro men have been particu-
larry insulting to white women.
The ''Jim Crow law does not apply to
electric railways but the passage OF the law
has begotten a bitter resentment among a
large class of negroes. The negro preachers
and the better element of the colored people
could do much to restrain lawlessness of the
inferior class by explaining the real scope of
the Jim Grow" law. That act simply sep
arates the races on steam railroads and steam
boats and provides that the accommodations
for the races shall be equal in all respects.
The law was passed to prevent clashes between
whites and blacks, and to save ladies aud
children from witnessing the disorderly con
duct of negroes and hearing their profanity,
especially on trains on the Eastern Shore aud
those in and near Washington, where many
negroes take bottle and razor as necessary
articles for good time when they go on an
excursion.
The preachers and better element of the
negro race d. not seem to be lending th cir
voices and counsel in the interest of peace
and concord On July Il, negro preacher
in Baltimore, who had announced in advance
a sermon on race antagonisms, gave no advice
against lawlessness, but preached on the faith
erhood of God and the brotherhood of man,
and tried to inculcate the idea of social as well
as legal equality This is the teaching Of
Roosevelt, by acts, and the President is large
ly responsible for the aggressiveness of the
negro race. There has been marked differ
enee in the conduct of colored people ever
since President Roosevelt entertained The
negro, Booker T. Washington, at luncheon at
the White House. Negro aggression has been
further stimulated by the Presidents persist
enee in keeping the negro, Crum, as Coliee-
tor of Customs at Charleston, South Carolina,
against the protest of the business men Of
ate, overwhelmingly Republican, has for two
sessions declined TO act upon the nomination
Should the unfortunate occur, aud Roose-
welt be elected, he will construe the verdict
at the polls to mean an endorsement Of his
efforts az bringing about social equality be-
tween blacks aud whites, his entertainment Of
Booker T. Washington and the forcing Of
Crum upon the people Of Charleston. Roose-
welt, then, will go further in his efforts to
place the negro upon the same plane with the
white man, and be is just IS liable TO put
negro in his Cabinet as not. But whether be
does this or not, his election would meaa
more aggressiveness of the eolored race, that
will end in disorder and harm to the negroes
The Presidents course is not helping the ne
gro. II is hindering him, and if persisted in
will result in race clashes and laws to further
limit the elective franchise and bold 10 slrieier
check the unruly inclined negro.