The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-02-16
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS
Discussed Race Problem at Lin
coin Banquet in New York.
SOUTH NOT ALONE RESPONSIBLE

SOUTH NOT ALONE RESPOhSIBl
Mr.. Roosevelt Praised Crusade Against
Lynchng, and Suggested That the
Backward Race Be Trained For True
Freedom.
New York. Feb. l4.-As the guest
u honor AT the Lincoln dinner Of the
Republican club in this city. President
Roosevelt made a speech on the race
problem Following the president
Senator Deliver. OF Iowa, responded
to the toast Abraham Lincoln:
George A, Knight. of California spoke
on The Republican Party" and James
NJ. Beck. former assistant attorney
general OF the United states. on The
Unity OF Republic"
President Roosevelt said in part:
In his second Inaugural I'm . speech
which Will Dee read ~ long AS the memory
OF Tins nation cndurcs. Abraham Lincoln
closed by saving. with malice toward
none. with charity for an: with drmnes'
iu the right. ~ God gives as TO see the
right let us strive on 10 finish the work
We are iu 10 do an which may
achieve and cherish just and lasting
peace among ourselves. and with all ma
tious
This il the spirit u which mighty Lin
colin sought 10 bind mp the nation i
wounds when H. soul WAS Yet seethng
with fierce hatrrds with wrath. with
raucor. with an the evil and dreadful
passions provoked by civil war. Surely
this is the spirit which all Americans
should show LOW. where there IL 80 little
excuse for malice or rancor or hatred.
when there i- so little OF vital cOnse-
qucucp 10 divide brother from brother.
All good Americans who dwell IN tho
north must because they are good Amer
leans. feel the most earnest friendship
for their fellow -couuirymen who dwell In
the south friendship all the greater
bc,auSe 10 b. in the south that we find In
its most acute phase one Of the gravest
problems before our people: the problem
OF 80 dealing with the man Of one color
as tO Secure him the rights that no one
would grudge him II he We're Of another
color 10 solve this problem II IS. OF
course. necessary 10 educate him to per-
form the duties. q failure 10 perform
which will render him "a curse To himself
and t0 AN around him.
Neither I nor any other man can say
that any given way Of approaching that
problem will present in our time even an
approximately perfect solution. but We
can safely say that there can never be
such solution az all unless W. approach
81 with the EFFORT TO do fair and equal
Justice among all men: and 10 demand
from them in return just and fair treat
meut FOR others. our effort should b. 10
secure 10 each man. whatever his color.
equality Of opportunity. equality OF treat
mrnt before the law
I.azlness and shiftlessness. these. and
above aii. vice and criminality Vi every
Kind. are evils more potent for harm to
the black race than all acts OF oppression
Of white men put together. The ,Olored
man who fails 10 condemn crime In an
other colored man. who fails 10 cooper
ate in AN lawful ways I'm bringing colored
criminals 10 justice. IS the worst enemy
OF his own people AZ well as an enemy
10 nll the people. Law-abiding black men
should. for the sake o. their race be fore
most in relentless and unceasIng warfare
against lIW-breaking black men II The
standards of private morality AMI indus
trial efficiency can be- raised high enough
among the black race then It's future on
this continent Is secure. The stability
and purity OF the home is vital to the
welfare Of the black race. AZ II is TO the
welfare Of every race.
I'm the next place the white man. who.
II only he is willing. can help the col
ored man more than all other white men
put together is tho white man who is
his neighb0r. north or south Each OF us
must DO his whole duty without hinching,
and II that duty is national II must be
done IN accordance with the PRINCIPLES
above laid down. But In endcavOring
each TO be- his brothers keeper II IS wise
TO remember that each can normally do
most for the brother who is his imme-
date neighbor. II We are sincere friends
OF the negro let us each in his own local |
ity show it by his action therein. and let
~ each show It also by unfolding the
hands Of the white man. In whatever To-
calty. who is striving 10 do Justice to the
poor and the helpless. TO be a shield to
those whose need for such a shield is
great.
The heartlcst Acknowledgements are due
to the ministers, the judges and law OFF, |
GERS. the grand iuries. the public men, |
and the great daily newspapers in the
south. who have recently done such efiec-
tive work in leading the crusade against |
lynching I'm the south: and | am glad 10 |
say that during the last three months |
the returns. as far as they can be gath
cred show a smaller number OF lynchings |
than for any other two months during |
the last 20 years.
Let us be steadfast for the right; but |
let MS err on the side OF generosity rather |
than on the side OF vindictiveness toward
these who differ from US as to the meth
cd Of attaining the right. Let M never
forget our duty TO help I'm uplifting the
lowly, to shield from wrong the humble'
and let us likewise act In spirit of the
broadcast and frankest generosity toward
III our brothers. all our fellow-cOuntry-
men, I'm a spirit proceeding not from
weakness but from strength, spirit
which takes no more account OF locality
than II does OF class or OF creed a spirit
which is resolutely bent on seeing that
The Union which Washington founded
and which Lincoln saved from destruo-
ion shall grow nobler and greater
throughout the ages.
The southern states face difficult prob
ems: and 80 do the northern states
Some OF the problems are the same for
he entire country. Others exist In great
r intensity in one section: and yet others
,xist in greater intensity in another sec
ion. But I'm the end they Will all be
,olved for fundamentally our people are
he same throughout the land; the same
n the qualities OF heart and brain and
iand which have made this republic what
{ is in the great today which will make
I what It is TO be in the infinitely greater
omorrow.
HOcH WAS NO ROMEO"