Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-09-19


sary one is an improvement in the
administration of our criminal laws
and the holding to strict account the
officers OF the law who do not use
all possible means TO prevent and
suppress such outbreaks"
This language rings true and II
shows that this able jurist and states
man is awakening, not only to his
own shortcomings. relative TO the
Negro. but to the incapacity of thous-
ands OF white officials sworn to do
duty that they are 10th to perform.
Mr.. Taft's remedy is the proper one
and his outspoken utterances along
these lines cannot fail to make a
deep impression upon those colored
Americans. who have viewed with a.
larm the Indifference of leading Re
publican statesmen to the evils that
he now portrays. Mr. Taft says fur
Their:
'I cannot too strongly condemn
the attitude Of these public men,
who, in their discussions OF the Ne
gro question, use language calculat-
ed to arouse in the ignorant con-
tempt for the Negro race and an al
together unfriendly attitude toward
| IL. I believe sincerely that all
through the South a very much bet
ter feeling is growing among many
4 classes of citizens toward the Negro.
I'm the above language. Mr. Taft.
unintenuonaily raps the distinguish
ed occupant OF the White House.
whose attitude along this line has
done more 20 create this feeling Of
antipathy towards us than ten thous-
and Neero-haters of the smaller
stripe could have done. Mr.. Taft
condemns the fendish cruelty and
hlindest and most unreasonable as
sault upon perfectly innocent peo-
pie. forgetful OF the fact that these
words apply with equal force TO the
action of President Roosevelt and
the War Department in discharging
without honor 1G7 colorcd soldiers.
many of whom had barred their
breasts 20 the enemy i'm the defense
of the nations honor. Notably a.
mong these IS Miugo Sanders. VINO
to-day fin his far-away Southern home
with barred head and watery eyes
waits in vain for that justice which
the gentleman at Washington heart
lessly denies 10 him.
Be may be that Mr.. Taft even now
feels the force and effect OF mis-
Chiefs blunder and it may be that
ne vainly hopes and longs for the
time that permission viii be given
TO him 60 express that feeling and
make fun atonement for the injury
chat he has done one of the kind
Hest races of people on the face Of
the globe.
Judge Taft. from the Atlantic 20
the Pacific. from Canada to the Gulf.
the innocent colored people have been
made 20 bear the odium OF that cell
ebrated but cruel order that IS un-
Questlonably without a parallel in
the history of this nation. IL is
well that you should now make an
effort 10y word az least TO undo the
fearful wrong hat you have done to
us by way of President Roosevelt I'm
the White House. Mr.. Taft is quo
ted in conclusion:
Saying he realized the heart throbs
| OF the Negro. he added.
while the Negro is the ward of
the nation. In the sense that the ma
ton. brought him here against his
viii. and must now deal with the
problems that his presence presents,
and solve them justly. fairly and
charitably he is not thereby relieved
of the burden of responsibility that
he must assume 90 win his way I'm
the community by industry and thrift
TO place i'm which ne becomes too
valuable a part of society for his de-
preciators 90 ignore his rights and
well-earned position
This plea should be circulated all
over the country by able colored men
of prominence and oratorical power.
The Negroes rights we're not only
ignored. but butchered i'm the Browns
Vile affair, and every word used in
the above extract finds a target in the
breast of President Roosevelt. who
in his blind anxiety and ceaseless
energy in behalf of commercialism
and the rights of the shipper has
minimized human rights and led jus
tice a chase throughout ali OF this
land
We hope that Mr. Taft will con-
tinue to make "non-political" speech
es to colored folks. They will do
good, and while not so intended, ev-
cry blow that he strikes for human
rights viii find at least a partial rest
ing place in the sinewy anatomy OF
Theodore Roosevelt. President of the
United States and the most spectac-
ular public official that this nation
has ever produced