Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-23
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Plan to Employ Negro Labor on
the Canal.
FIXING UP THE CONTRACT
Secretaries Root and Taft Working on
the Terms.
STOPPING AT PORTO RICO
President Going to Spend Day at
San Juan-A Banquet on
Foreign Territory.
TOPPING AT PORTO RICO

A strange proposition that the idle. shift
less negro Of the south be set to work dig
ging the Panama canal has been made to
President Roosevelt and Secretary Taft.
The President has been toiu that the
negro problem in the south might be set
tied by such action while the government
is getting the canal built. He listened to
what was told him. but he would like to
see the question presented in a more con-
crete FORM SO that he might give it con-
sideration.
The scheme has been worked out by N.
F. Thompson, editor OF the Tradesman.
the Industrial organ for large portion Of
the south. He had long talk with the
President last night and was directed to
submit his views to Secretary Taft. This
he did this morning, after he had again
visited the President. Mr.. Thompson Is
arranging for the second annual meeting
of the immigration conference, a southern
affair designed to supply the scarcity OF
labor in that section with immigration
The meeting Is to be held next month.
Gov. Cox Of Tennessee presiding. and near
ly all the governors of the south present.
THE great industrial progress of the
SOUTH" said Mr.. Thompson, has left us
badly, both In our factories and on our
farms. We must have immigration OF
better class but the trouble now is that
the best class of immigrants are deferred
from coming south by the crimes COM
mitted by idle and shiftess negroes. 1t
is the idle negro who makes the race issue
In the south. The working negro is re-
spected and encouraged, and We want him
to remain, but we are going to get rid
Of the other class. no matter how 1t is done.
I think they could be sent to Panama and
made to work there. How could it be
done? I have told the President and Sec
Toft %hof haHa fhn ivy,-
migration conference of southern men
could work out a plan by which the va
grant class of negroes arrested in southern
cities could be induced to go to Panama
When these negroes are arrested now they
are passed along from one place to an
other by police judges fining them or giving
them the alternative of leaving town. Thus
they are shifted from one place to another.
Couldn't some sort Of a plan be devised
by which a negro sentenced for vagrancy
could be sent along to Panama. largely
by his own consent? Couldn't the judges
trying these cases cooperate with the fed
eral government and the contractors build
ing the canal in some way so as to rid the
south OF the curse 1t Is now afflicted with?
The negro would be perfectly willing to go.
He would be delighted. as he would be
paid wages in Panama.
THE President and Secretary Taft
could not understand how a plan OF this
kind could be worked out and in no way
committed themselves to it. They said
could be devised by which 1aborers of
a competent class could be secured they
would be glad, as the labor problem was
vexatious one. Some doubt was OK
pressed, however, as to the reliability of
the labor of the southern negro.
"One thing is a fixed certainty The
idle negro in the south is causing a re-
newal Of bitter race feeling. He will
have to be gotten rid of in some way
or no power on earth can prevent MIC ex-
termination in the quickest possible way.
It is awful to contemplate, but the sit
uation Is none the less a real one"
Working on the Contract.
Secretaries Root and Taft were late at
the cabinet meeting today, because they
spent the best part Of the morning work
ing over the terms of the contract tlat
will be made for the construction OF the
Panama canal. They have had a number
of conferences with the President, who
directed it's preparation for consideration
at the cabinet meeting today. The paper
Is understood to be about complete Hav-
ing received treatment at the hands of
the Attorney General and Secretaries
Root and Taft, 1T is supposed to DO all
right legally at least. The principal eff
fort has been to make it as plain as pos
sible, SO that no quibbling could follow
the construction of the various sections.
President Going to Porto Rico.
President Roosevelt will stop at San Juan.
Porto Rico, on his way back from Porto
Rico. He will reach that city. according to
present program. on Tuesday evening. No
vember q. and stay until the following
evening. He will be taken there in the
battleship Louisiana. the vessel that will
escort him to and from Panama.
The President has about decided that he
will not stop in Cuba. Besides being short
in time, he feels that some unfriendly criti-
cism might result In his stopping in a coun-
try that Is not under the flag Of the United
States permanently. although temporari-
ly so.
The President will come to Washington
directly from San Juan. which place he
will leave Friday evening, November %.
He expects to be in Washington the fol-
lowing Tuesday in time to celebrate
Thanksgiving at home.
Thanksgiving Proclamation.
The annual Thanksgiving proclamation
of the President will be made public today.
It has been prepared by the State Depart
ment and submitted to the President for his
signature. He will go over it and append
his signature The 10Th of November is the
date selected. that being the last Thursday.
The usual crop of Thanksgiving turkeys
are being fattened by admirers of the Presi-
dent for his Thanksgiving dinner. The
presidential family is always together on
that day. The boys and girls come from
colleges and schools and the big Thanks
giving turkey adorns the center of the ta-
BILE. Horace Vose. who has contributed a
Thanksgiving turkey to the White House
regularly for thirty-odd years. has a big
gobbler that he is now fattening to send to
the President. 1t will be fed from now I'M
til the end of November on the choicest
foods, including chestnuts, celery and olive
OIL
Banquet on Foreign Territory.
President Roosevelt will do something
while in the isthmian canal region that no
President Of this country ever before did.
He will attend a reception and banquet
rendered him by foreign ruler-President
Amador of Panama The reception will
take place in the palace. which is about a
mile and a half across the line from the
canal zone. which is American territory.
The President felt that he could not go
that near to Panama and not accept the
cordial invitation extended to him by the
President of the little republic.
No Fear Of Fever.
While the President will reach the canal
region at a healthy season Of the year. he
will be subjected to some danger of yell
low fever. but he has no fears, as the zone
Is practically free OF this disease and has