The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-08-28
TAFT ON NEGRO QUESTION.
ROOSEVELT's CANDIDATE OPENS
KENTUCKY REPUBLICAN
CAMPAIGN.
Wants the Southern Democrats to
Forget the Negro and Join the Re-
publican Ranks--Belieyes Disfran-
chisement Laws Right

Lexington, KY, Aug. 22.-Secretary
of War Taft today opened the Repub-
lican State Campaign with a discus
sion of the race problem, general po-
litical issues from the southern stand
point and an appeal to Kentuckians
to aid the Republican party in support
of those principles. Calling attention
to what he called the south's lack of
representation in the councils of the
nation, he declared that this was "be-
cause one single issue has made it
the perpetual tail Of the Democratic
party, so that however small the
northern head, it wags that tail. The
south has permitted the, shadow Of
an issue that circumstances ought long
ago to have removed to bind it to the
Democratic party no matter what
principles or candidate that party
ADOPTS
He called attention to the prosperi-
ty of Kentucky's industries and agri-
culture and expressed the belief that
many Kentuckians who favored a
protective tariff had blindly voted the
Democratic ticket because Of feeling
on the race issue.
Then taking up the race question,
he said:
81 know that the discussion by a
northern man Of the question is apt
to rouse from the southern Democrat
the objection that he does not under
stand the question; that he does not
know the difficulties of it, and that if
he cannot take it up with sympathy
with the attitude Of the white man of
the south, he had better not take it
up atSalL On the other hand, he is
liabIesto encounter the criticism Of
the colored man, who, with natural
sensitiyeness, remembering the wrongs
and oppression to which their race
has been subjected, resents any atti-
tude which does rot involve condem-
nation Of the southern white man or
which manifests the slightest consid-
Grafton for his view. I am not pessi-
mistic with respect to race question.
7 am convinced that it is working it.
self out and am convinced that
nothing has so much contributed to
its gradual solution as the thirteenth,
fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments.''
Criminal Class of Negroes Small.
He continued:
81 shall not stop to give you the sta
tistics showing the great progress
that has been made by TIE negro race
in the south. We are apt to forget
this real Improvement in the diatrloes
that we occasionally hear from the
men who lack sympathy with the
progress Of the colored race and who
denounce the entire race on account
of comparatively small criminal
class that forms the dregs Of the
southern population
After mentioning the various
means of disfranchising voters and
declaring that such laws are proper
if applied with equal fairness to both
white and black, he expressed the
hope that as the colored citizens, ur-
der the leadership of such men as
| Booker T. Washington, would be
come respected business members OF
the communities in which they live
and whea they exercise independence
of Judgment in respect to political is
sues. we may be sure that gradually
the right to vote Will be accorded
then. and they will exercise far
more useful influence as intelligent
ara solid members of the community
than the ignorant members Of their
race would have exercised, had they
| been allowed to vote.
Negro is Necessary to the South
IN this way, through devious ways
which cannot be justified or approved,
We may still reach result that Will
square with the requirements OF the
federal constitution and Will give 10
| the negro every political and econom-
ic right The negro is necessary to
the south as laborer-skilled ana
unskilled. The world over today there
| is, demand for labor and were the
negro TO be withdrawn from the
south the difficulties under which ag-
r:culture would labor can hardly be
overssated.
The negro is an American. He has
20 oeher country than this, and called
upon to defend it. he lays down his
life With the same freedom that the
White man sacrifices his. Ours is the
flag he loves-the only one he knows
coo tn that his