Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-02-22

welt are furious over the violation OF
the law relative to the giving OF re-
bates by the railroads or the con-
tributing to the campaign funds OF
political parties by the corporations
or the cornering OF grain and wheat
in Chicago or the alleged shooting
up OF Mexic2ns and Texans in Browns
vile. where no one was killed. they
are ominously silent concerning the
lynchings in the Southland. the kill
ing and iRtimidating OF Office holders
of color in the same section and the
lopen defiance of the constitutional
provisions, which guarantee a free
/ ballot and fair count TO every man.
who is qualified to exercise the rights
OF citizenship in this country.
That Secretary Tart is especially
weak upon this phase Of the ques-
ton will be evident to every one
who read extracts from his speech,
delivered lin the heart of the North"
at Grand Rapids. Michigan. February
/ 10, 1908. Lincoln Day" before the
Lincoln Club OF that city. Not con-
tent with concluding what he would
DO relative TO the Philippines. he pro-
coeded to discuss what Lincoln would
do to-day.
The meaning OF all Of his disser-
tation was that Lincoln would do
just what be and President Roose-
welt would do. To will be interest
ing information to have placed be-
/ fore ms just what he believed Lincoln
would do relative TO the citizens OF
color I'm this country.
He is quoted as follows:
Where would he stand in respect
/ TO our Philippine policy and eXpan-
sion? Would ne as the anti-imper-
iallsts. take the position. were he
living to-day, that the Republican
party. in its action i'm respect to
Porto Rico. Cuba. and the Philip
pines had departed from the princi-
pies that actuatcd him.
"Mr. Lincoln relied greatly in his
discussions ON the slavery question.
upon the terms Of the Declaration Of
Independence. He dwelt upon the
postulate set forth fin that instru-
ment that an men are created free
and equal. and ne insisted that in
$50 far as legislation recognized sla-
very. and that I'm so far as slavery
was an institution of our government
b. was a departure from the Decla-
ration of Independence. and 10 is pos
siblo 20 quote from his writings and
speeches sentences which. taken from
their text and made applicable 90 the
Republican policy iu the Philippines.
would seem 20 Doe at variance with
f.
The above is quite an admission
and yet Secretary Taft attempted 20
"dove-tal" this fact that Lincoln's
policy would have been antagonistic
20 the Taft policy by minimizing the
issue and palliating the methods en-
ployed
Here IS what he said:
But when We understand what it
was that 6ir. Lincoln was attacking
and compare no. with what 40 is that
we have done and are doing in the
Philippines. &C. viii DE seen that the
two things are so different that 10 is
utterly unsafe 20 assume that his at
utude toward the policy OF expansion
and our Philippine policy would be
the same as his attitude toward the
institution OF human slavery"
lie further qualified his words as
follows.
Gle maintained that the words
All men are created free and equal
included the colored as well as the
white man but affirmed with great
emphasis that he did not mean that
the men who were thus declared
equal were necessarily stted at once
20 be voters or 20 take part in the
government. What he contended
was that they were at once entitled
20 the bread they earned and should
be given the right OF life. liberty,
and the pursuit OF happiness"
IL viii be seen then that the ac-,
ton of the Southern States in dis
franchising the Negro laborers and
Droperty-owners is cordially APPROX
ed by Mr.. Taft himself, If we are TO
judge by his emphatic references to
President Lincoln. He emphasizes
his position in this matter When he
says:
Lincoln. in his debates with Doug
lass. did not insist that the colored
men, as they then were. should take
part in the government as voters,
but ne evidently treated the postu-
late in the Declaration OF Indepen-
dence as the ideal toward which all
government should WORK. He would
have been the last man 70 affirm that
IL was the duty of Mckinley and the
Republican party, responsible for ad-
10 have turned those is
lands over to people of seven mil
lions, with so per cent. having a
density of ignorance hard for us to
understand, and with 10 per cent.
though somewhat educated and in
telligent, yet without the slightest
experience In the exercise of political
and governmental control"