The Saint Paul globe., 1905-02-27
ROOSEVELT SPEECH
STIRS THE NEGROES
CoIOred Attorney McGhee Picks
Presidents Remarks to
Pieces

Frederick L. McGhee, the colored at
tOrney, in an address delivered at the
Colored Mems Sunday club yesterday.
vigorously attacked President Roose-
welt for certain portions of his address
on Abraham Lincoln delivered in New
York Feb 10.
Quoting from President Roosevelts
address, THAT the backward race be
trained so that 1t may enter into the
possession of true freedom, while the
forward race is enabled to preserve
unharmed the high civilization wrought
by its forefathers," Mr.. McGhee said:
ITO my mind the president went too
far. Is the negro race backward
race? 1t is akin to the thought of
many people that we are child race,
and that we cannot measure up to the
responsibilities of the white people. 1t
is the same thought that the South has
always based it's arguments for the
subserviency of the negroes. If the
president meant by backward that we
are inferior. and he is right, then we
have no cause to complain of our treat
ment in the South. For certainly if
the coIored population of this country
is a child race they are not entitled to
equal rights with what the president
calls the forward race
Is the Negro Backward
But do the facts regarding the de-
Velopment of the negro since emancipa
tion bear out the theory that they are
backward. Statistics show that in the
Southern states the percentage of IL
literacy among the negroes has been
reduced 80 per cent since the civil war.
while in the same states illiteracy
among the white people has been re-
duced much less than half that.
The president is giving too much
consolation to the people of the South,
however good mis- intentions are re-
Gardihg the negroes"
In this strain Mr.. McGhee insisted
that, many portions Of the presidents
address, while apparently friendly to
the colored race, were, as a matter Of
fact, nothing but an Endorsement of the
stand taken by Southern white peo-
PIE.
Commenting on that portion of it
containing a quotation from an address
by Bishop Robert Strange, of North
Car0lipaewhich reads FINALLY the best
white men of the South should have
frequent conferences with the best col
Ored men, where, in frank, earnest and
sympathetic discussion, they might un-
derstand each other better" Mr.. Nc
Ghee stated that that was but an ap-
peal from the president, asking the
negroes to have confidence in people
who had deprived the negroes of the
South OF their constitutional privileges.
What President Should Do
1t was the opinion Of the speaker
that the president should, instead Of
advising patience on the part of the |
negroes demand of the South that ne
groes be given the rights guaranteed |
them by the fourteenth amendment to |
the constitution.
There has already been too much |
delay intimated Mr.. McGhee, "in deal !
ing. with the negro problem. Presi- |
dent Roosevelt has counseled forbear- |
ance on the part of both the negro and |
the whites, which is well. But the |
colored people of the South demand
that the fourteenth amendment to the |
constitution be enforced. !
In advising the negroes of the South |
to fraternize and exchange condolences |
with the white people and believe in |
them, Mr. Roosevelt does not seem to |
realize that he is strengthening the |
Democratic party"
In reviewing other portions of the |
presidents speech, Mr.. McGhee eX- |
pressed the greatest satisfaction.
In many respects President Roose- |
velts attitude toward the negro prob |
lem is the same as Lincoln'S. He has |
tried to satisfy both the people of the |
North and South. In acquainting HIM |
self with the conditions Of the South |
ern negro he has called In the most in |
telligent and best men of the South"
Regarding the social question, Mr. |
McGhee allowed the perfect right of !
every man to invite to his table whom |
he pleased, and refrain from sitting |
down with any man. He saw no oc- |
casion for any remark If the president |
saw mt to invite colored man to dine
at the White house.
AT the conclusion of Mr. McGhee's |
address several members of the club |
were called upon to discuss the stand |
taken by the speaker, or to point out |
any other portion of the presidents |
speech to which exception could be |
taken.