Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-03-28
SECRETARY TAFT AND THE Ne.
GRO.

SECRETARY TAFT AND THE Ne.
GRO.
Only the actions Of the just
Smell sweet and blossom in the dust q"
j. Shirley.
We have read with no little in
terest the rather remarkable address
'of Hon. William II. Taft, Secretary
of War at the Plymouth Church.
Brooklyn. New York. Monday night.
March 10. 1905 We felt at one time
that we had said enough concerning
the position of this distinguished
member or President Roosevelt's
cabinet. But after mature consider
alton. we felt that it was due to our
readers 20 comment upon some Of
the things that he was kind enough
TO say. That he is endeavoring TO
correct the uniavorable opinion OF
him entertained by a large majority
.ot our people In this country goes
without saying That he has the cor
dial. If not enthusiastic support of
that distinguished educator and e.
economist is also a self-evident pro-
position il we read the signs OF the
times Alright.
The report as published IN the
New York Sun is now before us. He
is quoted as follows.
The point which Mr.. Taft seemed
% desire To make was that while AL
doubtless was true that the educa-
uonal and property qualifications
were intended 20 be enforced only A.
gainst the Negroes and not against
the whites yet no one under the
Constitution could object 10 such
qualifications where there was 4 large
hlterate population. What the Ne
groes had right 90 object to. he
SAID, was the partial enforcement of
suc5 law as TO the ignorant Ne
groes and not as 20 ignorant whiteI
persons. Mr.. Taft declared that all
the signs IN TIE South pointed TO an
ameiioration OF the conditions that
had brought this about and TO n
more Impartial enforcement of these
laws because political and economic
wisdom demanded IL.
Let the Negro make himself in
dispensable 20 the business prospor-
lJy OF the South and his political in
huence will take care OF Itself"
Secretary Taft Is correct I'm his no.
sition We pause to paraphrase his
remarks; Let the Negro make him
self indispensable to the political sue
cess OF the Republican Party in t5e
doubtful States and his political In
huence in the Brownsville matter in
the United States Senate will take
care II itself" But to the discussion
Secretary Taft said further:
As far back as / can remember
which carries me into the middle az
the civil war. my ideal of uatriotic
ieeIihg-derived from the political at
utude OF my father and mother as
/ understand twas closely associa-
ted with the hatred OF slavery and
SYN psthy with the Negro race. Sub
sequently under Republican tutelage
'hat sympathy diffused itself into "a
s1rohg political bias in favor OF tho
ma htenance Of the political rights OF
lhe Negro in the South. intensified
perhaps rather by a desire for Re
pa olican victory than for specific ben
eht TO the Negro race"
The above is a frank admission
lie states plainly that his desire was
for Republican success rather than
the supremacy of great principles and
the according to n down-troddan
people all of their rights under the
law While this admission could be
used In a political contest to his de-
triment, we are disposed to regard
II IN his favor, showing a disposition
TO deal fairly and squarely with a
people that his recent official action
mas so deeply wounded and injured
IN the eyes OF a civilized world
For the first time we have an in
sight into why the distinguished
statesman has departed from the in
struetions of his parents and reached
the plane of reasoning where he
regards the Negro as an alien along
side Of the Filippinos. He said:
It fell to my lot thereafter to ex-
erclse judicial Jurisdiction I'm two
states OF the South and to come
more or less intimately face TO face
, MIN the social and political problems
men presented and to learn more
ana 70 understand better than ever
I ala before the real attitude of both
sioes upon the race issue In $50
southern States. This quickened INV
interest in the whole question ana
gave me new light upon it
IL Is the new light upon the
race question that has produced the
change of heart in the distin guis,ad
secretary of War II is the new
hsht as flashed by the brilliant
Thomas Nelson Page and the Hon
william Fl. Taft that has caused The
odore Roosevelt TO be one man nc
Governor of New York on the Negro