Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-02-23
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY %, 1905.
THAT LINCOLN DINNER SPEECH


the city of New York. The magnificent |
speech he delivered on that occasion has
met With almost universal approval; and |
no part of it has been more generally and
heartily approved than that which re-
ferred to the negro question. Even South
. ern Democratic papers, with few excep'
tons, give full endorsement to the views
expressed by the President in his New
York speech. The Richmond Times. Dis
patch says:
president Roosevelt now sees the race
question though Southern eyes, if we are
to Judge by his Lincoln Day address. His
hearty approval of Bishop Strange's views
is all that could be desired, and if the
President will be guided by that sentiment,
he will not give cffense to the South in
dealing With the negro question"
The Roanoke Times, in an editorial re-
view of the Presidents speech with refer
ence to the negro question, speaks of the
reports that have been circulated that MIR.
Roosevelt "desires to cultivate friendly re-
lations with the Southern people and to
show that their conception of bis attitude
upon the racial and sociological problems
with which the South is beset, by no
means reflected his real views, but that
per contra he desired to cooperate with
the best Southern thought concerning
these questions and to contribute towards
their solution along lines that would
iavorably appeal to the highest citizen
Ship" Our Roanoke contemporary then
says:
at bears saying that Mr.. Roosevelt's
Lincoln dinner speech seems entirely in
accord with this idea. The spirit per-
meating it is at once of more tolerant and
catholic trend than has characterized any
If his previous utterances on the negro
problem, and eloquently responsive to the
text from which he spoke-the broad and
generous creed of Abraham Lincoln.
50, when the President breaks his
pos.-electon silence upon the negro ques-
ton by saying in effect that Lincoln's
views thereon will constitute the inspira-
lion and guide to his future con-
due, there is abundant cause furnished
foi Southerners to look forward hopefully
TO the next four years of bis admini.tra-
ton"
We we'll remember that Mr.. Linco'n's
views on the negro question and all other
questions were not appreciated and re-
vered by the South until after he Was
dead. Ir fact, it is only in recent years
that Southern newspapers and Democratic
leaders became such ardent admirers of
Mr.. Lincoln as to quote him approvingly.
The same may be said OF President
Mckinley Fortunately, MIR. Roosevelt
has not been forced to die the death Of a
martyr to produce change in the senti-
ments off the Southern Democratic press
toward him. Those who during the late
Presidential campaign were the IN )st
violent denunciators of Roosevelt are now
the most willing to pronounce him honest,
brave, brainy and patriotic. Some Of our
contemporaries seem to think that they
have discovered radical change in the
views of the President on the race ques-
ton and a wonderful alteration of his
feelings toward the South. We confess
that we have been unable to see any diff
ference in the Presidents ante-election
and post-election utterances on the negro
problem, or as to his sentiment toward the
Southern people. In his Lincoln day
speech the President said:
"Our effort should be to secure to each
man, whatever bis color, equality of OPP
portunity, equality of treatment before the
law. As q people striving to shape our
actions in accordance with the great law
of righteousness we can not afford to take
part in or be Indifferent to the oppression
or maltreatment of any man who, against
crushing disadvantages, has by his own in
dustry, energy selfrespect and persever
ance struggled upward to position which
would entitle HIM to the respect of bis fell
lows, if only his skin were of different
hue. "FulI Recognition of the fIlnda-
mental fact that all meD should stand on an
equal footing, as regards civil privileges,
in no way interferes with recognition of
the further fact that all rejecting men of
both races are united in feeling that race
purity must be maintained.
Preceding the last above quoted clause
the President, speaking to the question of
social equality, or the social intermingliDg
Of The races, declared that it is:
GA question which must, of course, be
left to the people of each community to
settle for themselves, as in such matter
M one community-and indeed no one
iodiyidual--can dictate to any other;
always provided that in each locality men
keep in mind the fact that there must be
no confusing OF civil privileges with social
intercourse. Civil law Cannot regulate
social practices. Society, as such, is law
unto itself, and will always regulate its
own practices and habits"
we would like for our Virginia contem-