The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-02-11
0k|ahoman Campdgners Promised
But.
7. ROOSEVELT IS To Be TESTED
DEMOCRATS TRY TO REPUDIATE
PLEDGES MADE BEFORE
ELECTION TIME.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11.,-Presi-
dent Roosevelt received a message
(; from the chairman OF the judiciary
committee of the Oklahoma cOnsti
I! tutional convention containing the text
| OF the Jim Crow" clause of the con-
stitution now pending before the con
vention and asked if he would approve
the constitution if the lin crow
provision were made part of it.
The president has made no reply
yet. Whether he will ignore the ques-
ton, or answer, or evade it, is causing
some speculation. The democratic
leaders here want him to answer
Eyes" or mo" The republican leaders
believe he should either ignore it en-
tirely or simply reply that he is not
engaged in writing a constitution for
Oklahoma, but would have his say
when the instrument reached him for
approval.
The president heard a few days ago
that the democrats of Oklahoma would
likely check the matter up to him.
They promised '.jim crow" cars dur
ing the campaign. Now they are try
ing to repudiate their pledge in that
respect and want to shift the respon-
sibility on to the republicans. If
they can do that then they will make
Jim crow" cars their paramount is
sue for the election of the first leg
islature. The only way they can shift
responsibility is to get declaration
from the president that he will dis
approve a constitution containing a
lin crow" provision The president
understands this fully The matter
was the subject of a White House
conference the other day. At that
time the president said he would
ignore any question covering the mat
ter put up to him by the Oklahoma
democrats. Republican leaders hope
he will stand on that declaration. He
understands that it is simply an at
tempt of Oklahoma democrats to have
him pull chestnuts out of the fire
for them. and if he replies for them
and his reply if he makes one, may
be based on that proposition.
Furnishes the President.
The democrats point out that it
furnishes the president a fine oppor-
tunity to square himself with the ne
groes of the country over the Browns
vile affair, and that he cannot afford
to let ii. pass, even though his de-
claration would hurt the republican
party in Oklahoma.
Democratic leaders here have work
ed every conceivable scheme to get
the president to say something Sew
eral have called upon him and tried
to draw him out Ex-senator Jones,
of Arkansas, former chairman of the
democratic national committee, was
the last to apply the pump. But all
efforts in that direction have failed.
AS last resort the text of the Tim
crow" provision has been thrown in
his teeth with a demand that he an
swer.
Republican leaders who have dis
cussed the matter with him believe
that he will not step into the demo-
cratic trap. When congress is in
doubt as to what the president will
do about certain section, of a pend
ing measure they do not adopt that
one section and send it up to the
White House to see how the president
takes it, and defer action on the rest
OF the bill until they get a reply.
They shove the bill through and check
the whole thing up to him. This is the
position republican leaders believe the
president will take on the Oklahoma
matter
Several democratic leaders, includ-
ing Stone and Lloyd, of Missouri. have
wired Oklahoma democrats not to in
sert the "jim crow" provision, be-
cause they believe the president would
disapprove the constitution But they
have not been able to quote the presi-
dent, because he has given them no
license to say anything for him on
the matter. Democrats are hoping
he will break his silence and answer
today's telegram.