The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-16
PUT IN HIS TIME.
Spight Discusses Negro Ques-
tiOn Instead of r. O. Bill.

Washington, March 16-When the
house met today consideration of the
postof1lce appropriation bill was resum-
ed. Mr.. Spight (Miss.l discussed the
negro question in the south and said
he desired to Vindicate that section
from the charge of barbarisn.
In the south, he said the negro had
been denied the right to vote and to
hold office, but not the right to work
for an honest living as had been done
in the northern states.
I'VE sometimes kill them for out
rageous crimes" he said. but never
because they want to work
As for lynching he said that some
times they have unnecessarily occurred
in the south. He referred to the VIII
mington, Del, lynching last year and
to the subsequent attacks on the ne
gro settlement. This never occurred in
the south, he said When the guilty
wretch has paid the penalty of his aw-
full crime, that is an end of it.
The mob is satisfied and does not
wreak indiscriminate vengeance upon
the innocent because they belong to
the some race as the criminal. He said
that unlike the people of the north, the
people of the south do not go out Wtth
a torch in one hand and gun in the
other and pointing the gun at defense
less women and children, shoot them as
they fee for their lives.
He said this had taken place in New
York city in 1900 and he referred to a
number of lynchings which had taken
place in the north including those at
Danville, ILL.,, and Springfield, o., and
said "Such race prejudice finds no place
in southern hearts"
Mr.. Spight spoke of the attempt of
certain white persons to put the negro
on a social equality with themselves
and referring to the occasion when
Booker T. Washington dined at the
White House with President Roosevelt,
said that this one incident has done
more to infiame the passions of the
negro and give him a perverted idea of
his importance and his near approach
to social equality than anything that
has been done for the last ten years. "
He said Booker Washington had sat
down to dirner with the president as
gracious as if he had been the COVER
nor of New York He was, he con-
tinued, sorry that Mr. washington dld
not have more sense and self-respect
than to accept the invitation. It would
have been Infinitely to his credit had
he declined.
1.-The more the negroes are put on a
social equality" he vigorously assert
ed, 'stFe more dangerous becomes their
position and the surer death by vio-
lence will overtake them sooner or
IN THE SENATE.
Washington March 16-In his invoca-
ton at the beginning of todays session
of the senate. Chaplain Hale prayed
s'that there may be peace among the
nations and this nation may show the
way
The senate passed without discussion
the Joint resolution authorizing the
president to negotiate with the gov
ernment of Great Britain to secure a
review of the regulations foTAthe catch
ing of fur bearing seals in Alaska so
as to obtain an abatement of the kill
ing of female seals and thus preserve
the seal industry.
The following bills also were passed:
Appropriating $40, 900 towards the
erection of a memorial of the landing of
the pilgrims at Provincetown, Mass.
Authorizing the establishment of a
fish culture station on Blacks fork of
Green river. Wyo. The senate then
went into executive session.
When the senate went into execu-
tive session Senator Blackburn resum-
ed his speech in opposition to the con-
firmation of General Leonard Wood.