The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-16
NO MORE TO SAY.
Taft Declines to Continue Newspaper
Controversy With Bryan.

Cincinnati. O., Sept. 16.-Candidate
w H. Taft has declined to go farther
with Mr.. Bryan in a newspaper con-
troversy over the issues of the cam
paign.
There is nothing in Mr.. Bryan's
statement which seems to require an
answer. Should it appear so later, 1
will take up the subject in my public
speeches"
This was Mr.. Taft's ultimatum, as
he expressed Willingness that Mr..
Bryan should have the last word of
comment on President Roosevelts
Taft letter
He delivered an address last night
to an audience of ministers composing
the Ohio conference of the African
Methodist Episcopal church, the first
speech of his campaign to negroes.
The address was not political, but gave
a clear outline of the sympathetic un-
Outstanding and feeling entertained
for the struggles of the race possessed
by the candidate.
The candidate was escorted from the
Taft residence to Allen Temple in the
evening by a party of the clergymen-
He began his address by commenting
on his familiarity with the temple
and the congregation. He was there,
he said. for the purpose of expressing
his sympathy with the negro race in
its struggle for better things.
"A sympathy" he said, (which !
have had from the time was a small
boy. for 1 inherited it from my father.
Alonzo Taft, than whom the colored
race never had a better friend"
This interest, Mr.. Taft said, had
been stimulated through his expert
ence in the Philippines. He reviewed
the struggle of the race from the time
of slavery 1t had made the most
progress in agricultural pursuits and
it was in this line he believed they
should continue, although he spent
Ill in h
the value of education, which, he said.
had increased from 5 to SO per cent
in the past 40 years. The education
to be most sought for by the negro
race, he said, was primarily the rudl-
ments of knowledge combined with in
dustrial training. This should be sup
plemented by higher education for a
more limited number to furnish well
rounded ministers, doctors. teachers
and lawyers.
ct will be greatly easier for him
(the negro) to secure his civil and
political rights when he becomes use
full to the community and source of
profit to many members of It
Prejudice against the race fades away
most rapidly when there are
pecuniary reasons for its disappear
ance."
The candidate said he had not al
ways been in favor of higher educa-
ton for members of the negro race,
needs of the race, 1 am convinced
was in error
On the subject of race prejudice
and mob violence, Mr.. Taft said:
"I don't know that the race bitter
ness is any stronger today than 1t
it seems to be altogether abated, then
there will be an outbreak, a mob
will be formed developing the most
fiendish cruelty, manifesting itself in
the blindest and most unreasonable
assault upon perfectly innocent peo-
Pile, simply because of their color. 1t
is only fair to say that such british
exhibitions are not confined to any
one section.
''It is impossible to read accounts
of this sort without having ones
blood boil with indignation that there
can reside in the human breast such
a savage and beastly impulse.
THE best remedy and the neces-
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.
II can not too strongly condemn
the attitude of those public men who
in their discussion of the negro ques-
ton use language calculated to arouse
in the ignorant a deep contempt for
the negro race, and an altogether I'M
friendly attitude toward it. They
must be held responsible for much of
the feeling that manifests itself in
the contumely heaped upon the negro
and the cruelty exhibited toward him.
1 believe sincerely that all through
the south a very much better feeling
is growing among many classes of
citizens toward the negroes"
Mr.. Taft said he realized the heart
throbs of the negroes, but in spite
of all he should be of good cheer
the future is brighter for him, and
is more in his hands than ever
while the negro is the ward of the
nation, in the sense that the nation
brought him here against his will,
and must now deal with the prob
lens that his presence presents and
solve them justly. fairly and
charitably, he is not thereby re-
lieved from the burden of respon-
sibility that he must assume to win
his way in the community by in
dustry and thrift, to a place in which
he becomes too valuable a part of
society for his depreciators to ignore
his rights and we'll earned position"
Mr.. Taft's speech was warmly re-
ceived and many of his periods
roundly applauded.
LINCOLN AND DOUGLAS MARKER