The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1904-11-02
POLICY TOWARD SOUTH
Presidents Plan Outlined Long
Ago Made Careful Study OF
Problem When Governor.
Has Sought Information From Best
People. White and C0Iored.
Fewer Lynchings.


went into the White House with
keener desire To be of real and perma-
nent service TO the former slave states
than Mr. Roosevelt
In the most careful manner the pres
ident has sought information from the
highest type OF both white and colored
people concerning the political desires
and needs of both the black and the
white races and the status and defects
Of their relations To the federal gov
ernment This information was sought
for by the president before he became
president and even before he became
tice president.
The outlpok happens to know that
while Mir Roosevelt was holding the
position of governor of New York he
outlined policy which he would ut
tempt II pursue if he should ever be
called 10 the presidency. The policy
which he then stated he would pursue
WAS one which the daily press of the
south rs well rs the public men OF
the south had long advocated The
Outlool, happens 10 know. further that
the president has pursued and consist
entity followed the policy outlined be
fore he became president as nearly rs
it has been possible for any human be
ing To do,
To begin With. In Mississippi the
president While not seeking to over
throw or ignore the old political ma.
chine. Went straight TO the heart of
conditions and selected for his adviser
f. ) Wilson, ii gold Democrat, the
former secretary 10 l.. q. c. Lamar the
Mississippi correspondent of the New
{ .euE Picayune and the brother-in.
law of Governor Longino 1t would at
least seem that this man had the CON
tldcnee and respect of the south. and
of Mississippi people especially. From
the day of his appointment by the
president this gentleman has been one
OF the presidents southern advisers.
In seeking his advice upon southern
politics the president insisted upon one
limitation, ana only one. His adviser
was To recommend none but clean men
to him for appointment, giving Re
publicans the first consideration, but
where clean Republicans could not be
found. then Democrats of good and
proved character The result is that
the United States district attorney is
a white Democrat, and the same is
true of the register Of the United States
land office and the United States mar
shalship. These are native southern
white men who stand high in the es-
timation Of their nelghbors. and these
are but examples of what has been
done IN dozens of other cases in Mis-
sissippi alone.
Now, as TO the negro oflicehoIder In
the south The complaint that has
been made against every Republican
president since the civil war hus been
that many offices We're filled by horde
of ignorant and ehnracterless colored
politicians How did President Roosc-
welt meet this situation? lie has APP
pointed to Office in the south fewer
colorcd men than any other president,
and in doing so has not only decreased
the quantity, but improved the quality.
He has not only tried to do So but has
actually done It,
To how many of our readers has 1t
ever occurred that Notwithstanding all
the discussion that has taken place
regarding Mr. Roosevelt and the south,
practically no criticism has been made
upon the character of the men holding
office under him, white and black alike?
Fault has been found In Il few cases
because of their color but not with
their character Not only has the class
of white and cnlored men appointed TO
Office In the south been Of such high
character as to escape criticism, but
Mr. Roosevelt has done what no other
president has done. and what the south
has all along claimed should he done
He has appointed colorcd men living In
the north to important positions In that
section, as, for example. William III.
LOWS, appointed 10 the place Of assist
ant United States district attorney for
Massachusetts
What the president has done in Mis-
sissIppi in lifting up and purifying the
public service has been done in Il lar
ger or smaller degree In every southern
state. Special examples were the
throwing over Of the old and corrupt
gang in Louisiana and the appointment
Of former Governor Thomas g. Jones
and Judge Roulhac native white south
erners, t. important positions In Ala
bama.
The main thing. however, that the
public ought to know about Is that in
failing 10 be controlled by old and cor
rupt political organizations, In going
outside of his party to select men of
high character for Office, the president
was running political risk which re-
quired the very highest degree of NOR
al courage and devotion to public duty
to perform. He was taking a chance.
as far as his political fortunes were
concerned, which no other president
had ever taken. Time and time again
Mr.. Roosevelt was warned Of the po-
litcal risk he was taking. but not once
did he change his policy in the slight
est degree, and On more than one occa-
sion replied TO friends that he would
rnther be defeated for the presidential
nomination than secure it by yielding
to the vicious element of the south, Re
publican or Democratic.
over and over again it has been as
serted by those who have not taken the
time or the pains to investigate the
real facts in the matter that President
Rooseyelt's southern policy has caused
an increase of lawlessness at the south,
as indicated by lynchings, burnings,
etc What is the truth? Lynehings in
this country reached the highest num-
Der in 1892, when Benjamin Harrison
was president, the number of lynch
Ings for that year being 236. The next