The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1908-06-20
AevvooY ron cAssNEr JOBS *,
Ger A NEGRO.

tive. ssate or national. to a political
position Of any considerable prOmi-
nencc or power. would be an act
which ought 70 call forth earnest pro
test from law-abiding members o.
that party. Any such appointment.
no maj 81 By whom made, should
elicit stroug condemnation from Ne
groes, regardless Of political afalia-
ton. Those who paid much attention
to the early history Of the Philippine
archipelago as an American colony
WIN have no dihiculty in recalling the
fact that this same fellow was guilty
OF spreading vile and ignoble Ameri-
can prejudice on the land which he 50
abomnably misgoverned. 50 that the
president was soon forced to rid the
orient OF such q worse than worthless
character. The latest authentic and
! semiofcial news from the White
House regarding q successor to Taft,
Is to the effect that the present secre-
/ tary Of war is to be succeeded by this
same Luke Wright. How fitting eli
max 70 Roosevelt's unfair racial poi
/ icy!
Roosevelt made much of his dispo-
sition to have a broad-guaged cabinet,
not restricted to any one element in
our country's population, at the time
he appointed Mr.. Straus as member
Of his ofacial advisory board. With
the good VIII which so widely and so
rightly marks reciprocally the rela-
lions In life Of the Jew and the Negro.
the latter was glad enough to see this
consideration paid his Hebrew friends.
But without assailing or being in the
least disposed to assail the Jew, We
ask. Why could not Roosevelt have
given a cabinet position to a Negro IS
well as one to a Jew? While the
Semiteic element Is wen worthy Of
such distinguished recognition, the
African element is also wei worthy
Of such recognition. 1t was eminent
ly proper and right for Roosevelt TO
show his respect to the Jewish ele-
ment by according him representation
In his cabinet; it was eminently Inn
proper and wrong for Roosevelt to
ignore the Negro element at the time
of planning such apportioument of
representation. Such ignoring was
peculiarly censurable in Roosevelt, in
view Of the fact that his party is far
more deeply obligated to the Negro
than any other element in the popu'
lation, while the military reputation
to which Roosevelt so largely owes
his advancement towards the Dresi-
dency would most certainly have been
killed, and Roosevelt himself would
probably have been killed at the same
time. had II not been for the Negro's
representation on the Cuban battle
fields.
i But Roosevelt's ingratitude to the
Negro is not mitigated even by q
decent regard for fairness towards the
race in his selection Of white men for
political positions or government
places Of any kind. The fact that q
white man is VIGOROUSLY the enemy
Of an egregiously preiudiced against
the Negro by no means tends to dis
qualify that Caucasian from recieving
political appointment from or from
being designated TO exercise author
Ity by Roosevelt. Did not Roosevelt
say that be would as quickly take
Garllngton's word as he would the
word Of the fairest-minded northern
oaieor In the army? And did not Carl
ington swear. before the senate IN
yestigating committee. that he would
not believe any Negro, even under
oath? And now Luke Wright who
proved his groveling prejudice 50
brazenly while in the Philippines, il
to become Rooseyeltis chief minion in
meeting out injustice to the Negroes
serving in the United Safes army. In
going from TAFT. who refrains from
coming out in q direct. unequivocal
denuneiation Of Negro disfrapehise
ment, 70 Luke Wright. who has made
himself notorious by his active preiu,
dice, Roosevelt is most certainly driy
ing the condition OF the country'l
black defenders from bad TO worse.
what are We Negroes going to dc
about this latest prospective insults
Are We tamely to submit to Wright's
appointment? Has Roosevelt not al
ready used the military department q
the g0yernnent enough as a tool fol
uniustiy offending the Eegroi Roose
velt's original outrage In this lins
caused the race 70 utter q cry Of pro
test which rings from ocean to ocean
ana which. far from weakening
grows louder ana louder as time gOe'
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