The Washington bee., 1907-02-09
OPEN LETTER
To Theodore Roosevelt, President oi
the United States:

manner that becomes the dignity of the
high office to which the American peo-
pie have elected you. Notwithstanding
the fact that you are president of the
United States you are not infallible and
neither are you perfect any more so than
any other public servant. The office you
hold does not immune you from public
criticism any more than any other pub
lie official. You now threaten to ap-
point Ohio cOlOred men to Office in the
district that is represented by the dis
tinguished Senator from Ohio, Senator
J. 3. Foraker. | want 10 tell you that
no matter how many colOred men you
appoint to office in the North, they will
not change the opinion the COlOred
Americans toawrds you. You have de
calred that all coons look alike to you,
hence the appointment Of any will not
change the sentiment of those who have
already formed or expressed an opin-
ion Of YOU The colOred Americans
will regard any future act of yours as
being actuatcd by malice and resent
ment against the man whom they re-
gard as their friend, and such appoint
ments will only tend to create strife
against a people who have been loyal
To a republic whose emblem IS Equality
of Citizenship.
/ he future acts OF the coiorcd Amer
lean voters will be guided by future
conditions. If man in the Republican
aprty Is nominated acceptable TO them
they will Loyalty support and vote for
that man. You cannot convince the
colored voters that you are their friend
by insulting their friend They know
that Senator Foraker has defended them
against your unwarrantable attacks.
They also know that this sudden change
of front has no real foundation 10 it,
Why did you not do this before? Why
did you wait until Senator Foraker took
up the cause of the soldier? Now, Mr.
President, if you were anxious to show
your friendship for the colored Ameri-
cans. why didn't you take up their cause
when you toured the South last year?
Why didn't you tell the South of the
revised constitutions that disfranchised
SO many thousands of your fellow citi-
zens? What benefit are two or three
public officers to them? While you are
caring for three colored men by ap-
pointing gthem to Office, simply to show
the race that you are not prejudiced,
permitting thousands to be disfranchised
will he no incentive to restore conf
dence The time for you to show your
was when the Southern States
those who stood by you
Do YOU think now that the colored
Americans would desert Senator Fora
ker? What would you think of their
gratitude? Your Democratic friend,
from Tennessee, Senator Carmack,
would have the colored race to call you
blessed because you invited Mr.. Wash
ington to the White House. Do you
expect the colored race to live alone
OH that? Do you think that the col
ored man should overlook all of your
faults, attacks and determinations
against him for this one social act on
your part? What the colored man
wants IS protection of his civil and po-
litical rights. He doesn't want you to
presume that he is easily satisfied by
promises and hOneyed words.
Why did you come to such a sudden
halt OH the door Of hope" policy? The
Indian colored voters have had no rec
ognition. The colored Republicans in
Pennsylvania have been ignored. What
have you done for the Maryland colored
voters' You have ignored the State
Of Illinois. All of these things the col
ored voters are considering. You can't
undo what you have done In the Dis
trict of Columbia you have completely
ignored the colored Republicans. You
permit the gravest discrimination in
the departments under your supervision.
Why are these determinations permit
ted to exist; Why do you permit col
ored employees TO be Disseminated
against in the Bureau of Engrav-
ing and Printing? The most fragrant
acts Of discrimination exist in the Cen
sus Office Former administrations did
not permit this. | shall be glad when
the day comes that the color of a mans
skin will not be a bar to his admission
in the departments of the general gov
ernment. What right has the govern
ment to discriminate against its fellow
citizens? l see that you are about to
have war with Japan. You are taking
more interest in the japanese school
question than you are in the entire col
ored race If the colored Americans
know how to pray like the Japanese,
conditions would be different, wouldn't
they? The japanese take whatever is
in sight and the Americans will not at