Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-04-18
announced attitude towards the Ne
groes of this country. She says:

" First. That be is absolutely op-
posed 10 the Southern policy of dis
franchisement. That if the South
4 imposes an educational qualification
for its voters it is nothing less than
! fraud TO so administer the law as
TO let every white man register sim
/ ply because he is white, aud reject
a cOlored citizen, however intelligent
4 and for no other reason than be-
cause he is not white.
Yes, we know that for ne told the
oolored folks that same thing at
Brooklyn, New York. She contin-
ues:
second. The Southern States
must not expect to prosper and gain
ascendancy among the common
( wealths Of States If the methods by
which competent colored men are de-
prived Of their franchise, are to con-
tinue."
We know that too. Mrs. Williams.
fer he told the colored folks about
the same thing at Brooklyn, New
York. She says further:
Third. That he. the Secretary,
/ had been greatly wrOnged by people
wnO had read only disconnected por-
! lions of his address on the race prob
/ lem and from such disconnected por-
| tions TO make It appear that he was
/ opposed to the Negro franchise. He
! gave frank and emphatic assurances
/ that he is now and always would be
/ in favor Of equal justice 20 all men
| regardless Of race or color. He ASKS
| that his policy in the Philippine Is
! lands be taken as an indication OF
/ his true feeling and attitude OF
mind"
Well, we hope We had no part In
the wronglng OF him. Our com
ment was based upon the newspaper
reports and we have seen no denial
Of any utterances accredited to him.
II he vii publish the stenographic
report OF IL in pamphlet form, we
viii give allopathic doses Of # TO our
readers.
We have a great desire too to read
! again his report TO Congress on the
Brownsville affair and then We and
our people will be able 20 see II his
words OF to-day square with his ac-
lions OF yesterday.
We hope too that he will read the
report OF the Taft Republican Con-
vention held 40 Lynchburg recently.
We recently met a Roosevelt colored
man at Staunton. who stated to us
hat he did not attend the 'Ily-white"
convention for the reason that his
credentials never arrived. He is
waiting for them yet.
The only safe way TO gauge public
men is TO study their words and
watch their actions II both agree.
then they are all right. But n there
is any variation between the two or
any seeming Inconsistency. you have
found an individual that IL will pay
you 20 watch. We DO not mean any
reflection upon the distinguished
Secretary OF War. but il seemed that
all of the members Of that confer
ence had chronic case OF lock-jaw,
when IL came TO asking him about
the Brownsville affair. We want to
know his position upon the propo-
sition that man accused OF crime.
must be presumed guilty. until he
proves himself innocent.
We cannot see how Secretary Taft
could be so unfortunate as to refer
to Filippinos, when speaking of col
ored people. It is this very refer
ence that We resent, for he has done
more TO advance the Official interests
OF the Philippines. who are aliens un-
der the decision OF the United States
Supreme Court than he has for the
Negroes of this country, who are
citizens and Ito the manner born. "
The colored people made the pros
perity OF the Southland what IL is.
They fought in the Revolutionary
War, War Of 1912, the Mexican War
and in the late Civil War. Their
blood is mixed with the soil and they
gave their lives as a willing sacrifice
that the government at Washington
should not perish from the earth.
Yet Secretary Taft points to his
support of the Filippinos, who fought
against the government as an indi-
cation Of what he viii do for tho
Negroes who fought for It. But in
looking behind Secretary Taft, we
see 167 colored soldiers with the
print Of Mr.. Taft's shoes on the seat
OF their breeches. From the size OF
the indentation, we conclude that
both he and President Roosevelt
must have placed their walking ap-
pendages in about the same place.
1t comes with poor grace then fol-
him TO talk about his solicitude fol-
} the brother in black" II you love
us. Judge Taft, you must do some
thing else besides telling us so. You
know the distinguished occupant o.
= the White House. then why don't you
use your influence and speak the
word that will give the relief asked
r for our soldiers?
= II SCENE To no that co,,o c,o Z,