The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-17
Sensational Speech in the House by
Representative Spight, OF
Mississippi.
SOUTH is DEFENDED
And the North Accused of Follow
ing Lynchings with War on
DefenSeleSS Women.
ROOSEVELT IS SCORED
Charged with Infiaming the Negro
by Treating Booker Washington
as an Equal.

d dll I<ludl.
WASHINGTON. March l6-In the House
to-day, during the discussion OF the post
Office appropriation bill. NJ. Spight. OF Mis-
sissippi discussed the negro question and
declared unjust the attacks on the people
of the South who had been charged with
cruelty and barbarism toward the colored
race Comparing the lynchings and burn
ings at the stake which had occurred in
the South with those i'm the North he said
the people of the South in melting out pun
ishment TO negro who had committed n
fendish crime never followed il up with
violence toward defenseless women and
children as had been done in the North.
He declared that President Roosevelt. by
inviting Booker Washington TO dine at the
White House. had done more TO inhamc
the negro and give him perverted idea Of
his importance and his near approach 10
social equality than anything that had been
done for the last ten years.
In the South he said, the negro had been
denied the right to vote and hold Office.
but not the right TO work for an honest
living had been done in the Northern
States. I'VE sometimes kill them for out
rageous crimes" he said. but never be-
cause they want to work.
As for lynchings he said that sometimes
they have unnecessarily occurred in the
South. He referred TO the Wilmington.
Del. lynching last year and TO the subse-
quent attacks on the negro settlement. This
never occurred i'm the South. he said.
when the guilty wretch has paid the per-
atty of his awful crime. that Is an end OF
it," he continued. THE mob is satisfied
and does not wreak indscriminate venge-
ance upon the innocent because they be-
long TO the same race as the criminal" lie
said that unlike the people of the North,
the people of the South don't go out with
a torch in one hand and gun in the other,
and pointing the gun at defenseless women
and children. and shoot as they flee for
their lives.
city i'm 1900 ard he referred To "a number OF
lynchings which had occurred in the North,
including those at Danville, H.. and Spring.
field, o., and said: Such race prejudice
finds no place in Southern hearts.
WHEN LYNCHING is JUSTIFIED.
MIR Spight continued: so far as l am
concerned / am opposed to mob violence as
a general proposition. 1 do not think that
lynchings for any other crime than the
nameless one against womanhood ought
ever TO occur In all others the courts of
the country are ample and generally. with
us, swift to punish. But in the one class
of crimes so brutal and destructive Of all
that is dear TO an enlightened people, no
one with spark of manhood in him can
doubt that instant death 10 the perpetrator
should follow upon the ascertainment OF
the guilty facts. The poor suffering woman
who has been the victim OF the devilish
lust of "a brute. white black should not
be compelled to appear ia court and re-
peat before a jury the horrible details of
the outrage. Mr.. Spight reeited that the
burning at the stake Of such brutes was
not confined TO the South, but had occurred
in the North as well.
Mr.. Spight then spoke of the attempt OF
certain white persons TO put the negro on
a social equality with themselves, and re-
ferIing to the occasion when Booker WASH
ington dined at the White House with
President Roosevelt, said that this one
incident had done more To infiame the pas
sionS OF the negro and give him perverted
idea of his Importance, and his near ap-
proach TO social equality, than anything
that had been done for ten years. He
said Booker Washington had sat down 10
dinner with the President 'as graciously5
if he had been the Governor OF New
York. He was, he continued sorry that
Mr. Washington did not have more sense
and self-respect than 10 accept the invita-
ton. 1t would have been Infinitely TO his
credit had he declined. THE more the ne
groes are put on a social equality" no
vigorously asserted, THE more dangerous
becomes their position and the surer death
by violence will overtake them sooner or
later"
INDIANIANs SPEAK
Subsidies TO railroads for special mail
facilities came in for considerable criticism
by Mr.. Robinson, of Indiana. and Mr..
Gaines, of Tennessee, the latter character
izing them 5 a '1egalized steal Rural
mail carriers found many friends on the
floor. who advocated Increased pay for them
and the privilege of acting as agents for
newspapers and trades people
Mr.. Robinson said the Postofrice Depart
ment was against the subsidy and congress
sional influence was perpetuating ii. The
trend OF events, he said, was ia favor Of
honesty and clean administration in the
Postoffice Department. but he said when
members put themselves on record against
the postmaster general in this matter how
do they stand in view of his report against
themseives? The House had been agi-
tated. he said. and the country disturbed
by the report sent in reiecting on MEM
bers, but, he said, speaking with much
vigor, here Il a real scandal, scandal
that you are forcing upon the postmaster
general and his department" He closed
amid Democratic applause by asking IL the
House was gcine 10 stand for II.
Mr. Sibley contended that 10 deny the
subsidy would be doing manifest injus-
tice 10 the interests of the South.
A heated discussion followed. which was
participated in by Messrs. Lamb. OF Nir-
ginia. Holiday, OF Indiana, and Gaines.
r.
with being responsible for the subsidy.
which brought from Mr.. Lamb empha rc
protest saying there were good Demo-
Gratis in the House as Mr.. Robinson who
would support the proposition.
Mr. Crumpacker. OF indara, entertained
the view that General Bristow did not pre-
tend TO say that any member OF the
House made improper requests OF Beavers.
and he said Beavers had granted requests
without regard 10 the merits Of the cases.
He contended that the members had put
an undue Interpretation upon the report.
because there nothing IN il To fmpute
illegality or dishonesty In the conduct OF a
single member OF the House. tie then
special mail facilities granted certain rail-
roads and said they were nothing short Of
a mere gratuity.< The rural free delivery
service he strongly favored
Mr.. Flood. OF Virginia. denied that Perry
s. Heath was entitled TO credit for in
auguratsng rural free delivery. he said
Heath made the claim. Notwithstanding
the fact that ne had not yet emerged from