Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-02-22
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH
He Talks of Ruce Question at
Lincoln Dinner

He Talks of Ruce Question at
Lincoln Dinner
President Roosevelt made . not
able address before the Republican
Club of New York Monday evening,
February Is, 1905, on the occasion
of the observance Of Lincoln Day
at u banquet held at the Waldorf
Astoria Hotel of that city. The
President discussed the race prob
lem and appealed to the North TO
make its friendship for the South
all the greater, because OF the
"embarrassments Of conditions for
which she is not alone respon-
sible". Among otLer things be
said:
"1'he great civil war, in which
Lincoln lowered ss tho loftiest
figure, left US not only a reunited
country, but country which has
the proud right to claim as it's own
the glory won alike by those who
wore the blue and those who
wore the grey, by those who fol-
lowed Grant and by those who fol-
lowed Lee; for both fought with
equal bravery and with equal sin
certify of conviction, each striving
for the light as it was given him
20 see the light; though it is now
clear to all that the triumph Of the
cause of freedom and of the union
was essential to the welfare Of
N ankind. We are now one people,
a people with failings which we
must not blink, but people with
great qualities in which we have
the right to feel just pride.
"All good Americans who dwell
in the North must, because they
are good Americans, feel the most
earnest friendship for their fel.
low-countrymen who dwell in the
South, friendship ali the greater
because IL is in the South that we
find in its most acute phase one OF
the gravest problems before our
peCple---ths pre- blem of so dealing
with the man Of one color as to
secure him the right that no one
would grudge him il he were of
another color.
"To solve this problem it is, Of
course, necessary to educate him
to perform the duties, failure to
perform which will render him a
curse to himself and to all around
him.
"Most certainly all clear-sight-
ed and generous men in the
North appreciate the difficulty
and perplexity of this problem,
sympathize with the South in the
Embarrassment Of conditions for
which she is not alone responsible,
feel an honest wish to help her
where help is practicable, and
have the heartiest respect for
those brave and earnest men of
the South who, in the face Of fear
full difficulties, are doing all that
men can do for the betterment
alike of white and of black.
every vicious, venal or igno-
rant colored man is an even
greater foe to his own race than
to the community as whole. The
colored mans self-respect entities
him to do that share in the politi.
cal work of the country which is
warranted by his individual ability
and integrity and the position he |
has won for himself. But the
prime requisite of the race is
moral and industrial uplifting.
"Laziness ana shiftlessness,
these, and, above oil, vice and
criminality OF every kind,ar evils
more potent for harm TO the black
race than all acts of oppression of
white men put together. The
colored man who tails to condemn
crime in another colored man, who
fails to cooperate in all lawful
ways in bringing colored criminals
to justice, is the worst enemy Of
his own people, as well as an enemy
to all the people.
"Law-abiding black men should,
for the sake Of their race, be fore
most in relentless and unceasing
against law-breakipg
black men. If the standards of
private morality and industrial
efficiency can be raised high
enough among the black race, then
its future on this continent is Sc.
cure. The stability and purity of
the home is vital 10 the welfare of
the black race. as 1t IL TO the vel
fare Of every race.
81 admire and respect and be-
ieve in and have faith in the men
md women of the South as ! ad-
nire and respect and believe in
md have faith In the men and
women OF the North. All OF US
like, Northerners and Southerners,
and Westsrners, can best
prove cur fealty to the nations
,ast by the way In which We do
he nations work in the present
or only thus can We be sure that
,ur children's children shall in
ierit Abraham Lincoln's single
devotion to the grea. un-
creed that righteousness
q nation.
81 believe in the Southerner as
haliava in thu NOrtherner. III