Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-29
DEBATE ON |HE negro
Representative Gillett Con-
dennis Mr.. spight's Recent
Utterances
CANNOT REMAIN STATIONARY
Aa...I L L.. a =
CANNOT REMAIN STATIONARY
The Negro Race Must Either Go Up or
Down-Question of Their Partic-
patton In the Government Sore
Point-comparison of Conditions In
the South With Northern Attitude.

Washington, March 29.-The house
after disposing of some committee
changes went into committee of the
whole for further consideration of the
sundry appropriation bills.
Mr.. Gillett, of Massachusetts, refer
ring to the recent utterances in the
house of Mr.. Spight on the negro ques :
ton, said that Mr. Smghts statements
were SO surprising and so discourag-
ing it was necessary for some one to
dissent from the extraordinary propo-
sitions he expressed.
Mr. Gillett said he did not believe It
fair or wise for the democrats of the
south to say that they intend forever
to prevent the negro from participation
in government. There are ten million
negroes in the south he said. who can
not stay as they are, who either have
got to go up or down. Nobody. he de-
clared, wants the south to submit to
negro domination but the outrageous
thing was that they say the negroes
cannot be developed into the faculty
Of voting or becoming citizens. He WAS
surprised. he said, that no one on the
democratic side had denounced lynch
ing. The overwhelming proportion of
lynchings, he asserted, occurred In the
south. Some occur in the north, too,
he said. In the north. however, it was
the disorderiy element which conducted
the lynchings. but the great mass of
the people openly disavow it. whereas,
in the south, he said, they did not.
Answering a question by Mr.. Claude
Kitchin of North Carolina, Mr.. Gillett
declared that he condemned lynching
on any terms.
Mr. Richardson, of Alabama, inter-
rupted to say that whenever the ne
groes cease committing the crime of
rape, the lynchings and burnings will
cease with it.
Mr.. Gillett declared that the feeling
in the north toward the negro is
stronger than it is in the south. In the
north. he said, there is growing nat
ural repugnance toward the negro. AT
the same time, he said, the people Of
the north don't recognize this prepbs-
ferrous talk of social equality and in
equality He supposed, he said, there
were no social grades in this country.
Every man, he said, can choose his own
friends and can associate with whoG.-
soever he pleases. All classes socially
are equal, he said, but that don't mean
we are all going to associate together.
Every man, he continued. selects for
his associates those most in sympathy
with himself. He spoke of the Booker
Washington incident of the white
house. and said no one had the righ,
to say it was a disgrace to invite
Booker Washington to the white house.
Mr. Gillett was asked by Mr.. Claude
Kitchin If he had ever invited negro
to his table. Upon Mr.. Gilletts an
swering that he had not, Mr.. Kifchin
remarked: Il want you to practice
what you preach
statement by Gillett that 1t is not
blood that makes caste brought Mr..
Slayden. of Texas. to his feet. who in
sisted that it does make caste in this
country.
1T does in some parts of the coun-
try" retorted Mr.. Gillett.
You are apologiZing for the presi-
cent remarked Mr.. Slayden.
Mr.. Gillett said he admired the presi-
dent for what he had done. 1T was
he said IAN evidence Of n big heart
and done by a man who had birth,
breeding and cultivation"
The Booker Washington affair, he
said, no doubt was an accident, but
yet from that accident apparently has
sprung great consequences. Mr.. Gillett
drew the fire of many of the southern
representatives. who piled him with
questions regarding social equality.
Mr.. Burgess. of Texas, denied that it
is the purpose of the south to use the
negro question for political purposes.
He declared that the republican party
considers the negro as an asset and
said the less said about the matter the
better, especially by those who don't
live among the negroes and who don't
know of what they speak.
Mr.. Reeder, of Kansas, in defense of
Booker Washington, said there is not
a person In his section who would not
feel it an honor to invite Mr.. Wash
ington to his table.
Mr. DeArmond, of Missouri. criticised
the failure of the republicans to order
an investigation of the postoffice de-
partment and likened it to the mob rule
spoken of by Mr.. Gillett. In his opin-
ion those on the republican side showed
Little regard for law or right when
party interest is in the balance
EiIPTHN 9TH A CENATnR