Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-04-20
MIR. RoosEvELrs DEMOCRACY.

evident. Tt is a blind man indeed,
who cannot see that President Roose
welt has shifted his position so TO
speak. has left the platform and prin-
ciples OF the Republican Party and
that he has proceeded to build a
structure made up of his own u
niQue personality braced and bound
by The Bryan principles of the Dem
. ocratic Party.
The first significant movement is
the action of the citizens of Browns
Vile. Texas as shown by the follow
ing report:
/ Brownsville. Texas. April 13.-In
appreciation for the stand me has ta6
cn in disCnarging the Ncgro soldiers
President Roosevelt is to DE present
ed with a ieweled "big stick" by the
citizens of Brownsville. The large
walking cane is made of Mexican cof-
fee wood. oXquisitely carved and
mounted with Texas silver.
An ougrayer has been working on
the cmhlematic figures for over six
months. and the cane is pronounced
the finest piece of workmanship ever
dcsi-ned for % stick. DO weighs four
and thrco-Quarter pounds. 10 Wild
Doe forwarded TO the President ina q
few days. with petition That ne
use 30 on The Senate Committee iD
the name of Justice and the honor
OF Brownsville citizenship
! Here is the case where The punish
ing of an entire battalion for the
i alleged action OF from seven TO
twelve of them is taken as the exc
( cuse for praising this distinguished
Z citizen of New York. 1t has Since
been demonstrated by evidence that
/ is practically conclusive that colored
soldiers did not shoot mp Brownsville
/ This then leaves the President i'm a
most embarrassing position. VIII
he accept this "big stick" and ~
/ accepted. viii he continue TO WELD it
on the heads of the devoted black
men I'm the army? Tn an that calls
forth vulgar southern applause Pres
/ ideut Roosevelt has excellod and 10
may be that John Temple Graves
| startling appeal Co the Democracy Of
the country may receive more than
Ia passing notice at the banquet
. rendered to Hon. William J.. Bryan
/ Wednesday night. April 10th. ne D.
quoted as follows:
"Mr. Graves then touched upon
The aims, purposes. and work of
I President Roosevelt. terming him an
/ unexpected and potential convert
Co the crecds and theories OF De-
moCrocy.' saying Mr.. Roosevelt "has
learned his Democratic lesson we'll"
Speaking here deliberately FOR
myself, and in my fair Judgment of
the great majority of the plain and
honest Democrats OF the Empire
4 Southern state. from which ] came
J ! believe that we should nut the par.
ty then below the people. the prin.
ciplc above the man. We should re.
buke the spirit OF spells and the
hunger OF faction. He should affirm
our principles. confess our faith. re.
cite the necessity of the reform of
corporate capital as the supreme and
tronscendant issue of the times. pay
& tribute to the great and typical a.
/ merican who has proved himself the
dauntless and conquering captain OF
the peoples cause, and then and
there In that great convention Of our
own, William J. Bryan, the one un.
matched and Incompatible evange
OF our faith, speaking for a pure de.
mocracy and speaking for the whole
plain people of this republic. should
put in nomination Theodore Roose-
welt for one more undisputed term
OF power TO finish the work that nc
has so gloriously begun"
Mr.. Bryan was unwilling to pledge
himself to comply with Mr.. Graves
wishes, but he was careful not tc
offend him or those who entertained
\ a similar idea. He diplomaticall,
showed that such a thing was i'm
possible "as at present advised. .
Still at the rate OF progress ne !.
now making towards Bryan Demo
cracy, it is evident that il will no
be long before Mr.. Roosevelt will
be boots and baggage" over in Mr.
Bryan's political barn-yard.
The Republican Party will put nj
a platform at its next meeting tina
VIII not hold even one foot Of Mr.
Roosevelt and If ne shall not hav,
completed the organization of tn,
Roosevelt organization. he will be
man without a party"
For our part. we cannot see an
hope for the citizen OF color in Ia
Roosevelt organization. Il is
thing purely political and hopes {
ride into power by the support O
The masses, in an attempt to estah
lisn a utopian condition of affair
that is impossible.
We should not object to seeing NJ,
Roosevelt, the candidate of the Dem
ocratic Party with Mr.. Bryan sur
porting him. The reversal of tn
majority that was for him woul
form one Of the most remarkabl
events in the history Of this or an
\ a.aNa