The Washington herald., 1907-09-02

people 20 q much greater advantage 8
/ he would use his prestige and infiuenc,
\ 10 induce the colored man to exercise III,
I qualities that he is criticising in President
/ Roosevelt, viz the inclination 70 tax,
/ life seriously; 10 feel that every man IL
+ the world has mission. and one of IN,
greatest IS 20 do his duty That "superia-
/ tive passion 20 bring things about" need.
/ 20 be inspired in the negro.
/ The average c0lOred man shirks re.
s1onsibiliJy. and IS too well satisfied
+ knowing nothiHs and possessing nothing
Whenever the initiative is lacking. there
is drifting and no progress.
Although arranged with erud!te cum
ming. some portions Of the article seem
10 oe maliciously conceived. After a few
glittering geueralities. one paragraph
mentions the domestic affairs Of wom-
en-, the reform in photography Of the
English language" and THE criticism
concerning the habits Of wild animals. -
as examples 10 illustrate the President S
various labOrs. In another place. the
Schley and Gen Miles incidents are
touched upon, as though he thought some
benefit would come 20 the colored man BIZ
his reference 70 the old contentious. As a
matter Of fact. the masses Of colored PEG
pie do not know that they ever happened.
But when they did take place. they were
differences solely among white people.
with which negroes were not concerned.
Ii would be mighty good thing If
colored men could learn TO let the trou-
hies of white people alone. as there is
plenty OF il among their own people 90
look after. The whites not only seldom
seek our assistance. but often sDub Il
when our "dumbness" offers il to them
unsought. After an. the red-hot resoIu-
tons and enthusiasm OF colored people
over the country acclaiming Senator
FORAKER as their hero, yet. right in the
Senator's own State. recently at a meeting
OF white state delegates. a big lot OF
colored enthusiasm was turned down"
and choked of
Let it be said with justice and truth
that while the President is college bred.
he knows that the world is not made bet
ter. and neither can man do his duty.
While advancing idle impractical theo-
ries- He Is believer in and a doer of
useful things. But he is liable 10 an occa-
Sionai mistake Just a 5 any other human.
Let it also be understood with equal
emphasis that while some have criticised
the spectacular features Of the Presidents
administration. yet he is the first Execu-
tive in recent years 10 inaugurate a gen
eral reform in the Improvement of con-
Quoting the dry daily routine business
OF the government As an authority We
quote The Washington Herald:
While public attention has been con-
centrated on the more spectacular fea-
lures of the administration. there Is 60
ing on a renovation Of departmental rou-
tine. and bracing up of the Federal serv-
Ice that are likely to have the most
beneficial results. 1t is one of President
Roosevelts most useful qualities as an
executive. that he does not suffer the
wcightier matters Of national policy TO
eclipse the less obtrusive though vitality
important duties Of national administra-
ton"
Considering how helpless. how very far
behind the masses of our people are. it is
somewhat surprising to find a man OF
Prof MilIer's training and experience, 4
something that furnishes no
help at all for his people. and Criticising
he qualities which he ought to be trying /
10 instill in them, and Of which they are |
so badly in need.
WILL LACKEY. |
$3.50 X street northwest.