The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-04-15

Washington, April 12.-The race
question again was injected into the
proceedings of the House of Repre-
Ssentatives to-day, when Mr.. Scott, of
Kansas. delivered a long address, in
which he referred to his previous
statement, that it was current in Kan
sas that eX-President Cleveland had
dined G. H. J. Taylor, a Kansas egr
politician. He read several letters from
Kansas citizens hat it had been Tay-
lor's boast that he had received such
social attention from Mr.. Cleveland.
Mr.. BarthoIdt, of Missouri, spoke of
the fact that Thomas Jefferson had
honored a negro with a formal invi-
tatiOn to dinner at his family table.
The only reason that ract is not gen.
orally known, he said, was because no
body thought anything of it, and no
one saw fit to criticise Mr.. Jefferson
for IT.
Mr.. Barthoidt said that, if in the
judgment of the Democrats. President
Roosevelt had made a mistake in in
viting Mr.. Washington to line with
him, then what Thomas Jefferson did
must, from n Democratic standpoint,
be an objectionable social sin. The
Presidents luncheon to Washington,
he said, was a hurried, improvised af-
fair, while in the case of Jefferson it
was a well arranged. we'll prepared
banquet. He concluded by saying
there was but one alternative the
Presidents critics have-either con-
denim Thomas Jefferson or apologize
DO President Roosevelt.
Mr.. Scott sent to the desk and had
read the laws of New York, signed
by Mr.. Cleveland while governor, pro-
vidinS for mixed schools. Although
Mr.. Cleveland had denied this, he said,
it was Easy for a man to forget u
matter of twenty years ago. He also
referred to the denials Of Mr.. Cleve-
land of charges by Thomas Watson. of
Georgia, that n eS-PreSfdent a
nominated a negro, Charles H. j. Tay-
Tor, as minister to a South African re-
public. Mr. Watson. ne said, I'M
doubtedIy meant South American re
public, because in 1898 Mr.. Cleveland
had nominated Taylor minister to
Bolivia
He inquired of the Democrats If
they did not wish to make an issue
of the negro question, why did they
initiate discussion OF it. He did not
understand why some gentlemen
should hold up the bugaboo Of negro
domination. Are you really afraid"
he inquired, "or are you only pretend
ing to be afraid"
If there was no politics in the ques-
ton. he asked the Democrats, what
was there in it. will you tel us" he
asked, that but for this cry the South
would still be the solid South?"
A vigorous defense Of the South for
it's attitude on the negro question was
made by Mr.. Williams, of Mississippi,
who said these statements from the
Republicans were a sharp game. 1T
r-A,I4, :, he Cai1 sha inrQrPStinU TO
know whether or not he word vas
passed down from the Republican
leader on this floor to play the game.
It was also an old game, known a lon
time to those who know anything
about American politics, that when the
Republican party found itself faced
with issues that threatened its Su-
premacy, it began to wave the bloody
shirt one way or another. He SAID,
however, there was n thing neither
the Republican party nor the entire
world could do, and that was TO
make the South consent to regard so
cha equality as a thing to be desired
Nor could they make the South con-
sent to the proposition that the right
of the negro consists in giving him
power to govern the white men Of the
South.
He declared as absolutely false that
the negroes rights in the South are
not recognized much more abundantEy
than any where else, his God-given,
ina1ienabIe horn right to earn his hv-
ing in the sweat of his brow, and the
right to a fair trial." No man, how
ever. he said. not competent to exer-
else the right of suffrage should be
armed with it. The Republican party
cannot persuade southern white men
that il is not a good or humane thing
70 pvrifv in the South the white mans
civilization and to perpetuate there
the two things upon which, he said,
If was founded-the white mans code
Of ethics and the sanctity Of the white
mans family All the world knows,
he sad, that social equality cad fl
naIfy to the Lack of racial integrity and
purity.
Mr.. Williams, referring to Mr.. Bart
hoIdt's statement, that President JEFF
ferson had dined a negro. provoked
laughter and applause when he said
that ''every man knows that, if the
niger ate at Monticello. he ate in JEFF
ferson's kitchen and not at Jeferson's
family table"
Unless the negro race was lifted up,
Mr.. Williams said, the entire race
would go down. The people of the
South appreciate that fact. 1t was
going to lift this race, gently, sanely
and in the proper way. 1t had the
kind'iest feeling for the negro. Per
sonally, Mr.. Williams said he had this
feeling, and IT am a man who is pop
uFar with the negro"
You can't defect us from live,
pending issues" concluded Mr.. Will
ifams. I'VE r going to treat the
colored mar in this country in the
very best way he should be treated.
"Ged." he said, had given the COL