Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-02-20

AFTER ne has been duly installed In
the White House at Washington.
He is quoted as follows:
My fellow colored citizens, thank
the committee of arrangements. OF
which, Mr.. Werlich is one OF the
chiefs and who has already address
ed you. for giving me the opportunity
of meeting YOU this morning.
should not feel that had performed
my duty IN coming into a community
in which the colored people play such
la prominent part unless had the op-
portunity of meeting and speaking TO
you. / wish in the first place TO
apologize for my hardness. To be
prompt is one of the small virtues
which count very largely in a man
reaching success, and 7 don't wish to
set a bad example. but I am certain
! that II you were in the hands OF Pro-
gressive Union committee and were
arranging cabinet and preparing an
! inaugural address and staying up
late enjoying New Orleans hospitality
you would find It very easy to forgive
me Tor being late.
It is needless TO say that he was
forgiven. He said further:
am going to make a non-politicai
speech; / am going 70 be the Presi-
dent OF all the people. Comments Of
That's right" and "Amen:'D
You are Americans. and as a part
Of the American people you are
/ happy and contented. ] heard the
/ Rev. Mr.. Walker, member Of your
race in Augusta, express the feelings
/ of all OF you when he said that you
know Of no better place than the
South this side of Glory. ovid ap-
! plause)
He had that right. still we hope
Mr.. Taft did not interpret that state
ment Of the distinguished colored or
ator to mean that the South is all
right It is the best place for the
Negroes of the country as compared
with any other place for the reason
that the Negroes are used not only
TO the section, but TO the most OF
the people of that section as we'll
There are two classes of white people
in the Southland. one warning agains
the other and the colored people
are frequently the bones OF conten
ton between them. Mr.. Taft said
The salvation of the colored people
Will lie in thrift and energy. You
nave your own future TO work out.
In considering the race question we
- n
has been accomplished in the last
forty years Il has been hard work
and heart rending. At times the
agony OF the spirit has been hard TO
bear. But when we look back a
half century we see that the result
has been marvellous. ! do not tell
you this to make you feel self-lm-
portant or 20 swell your head. and
you must remember that once a man
conceives the idea that he is the
most important man In the commu-
nifty and that be is Indispensable
his usefulness comes to an end at
once.
Mr.. Taft told the truth. the whole
truth and nothing but the truth. In
all that he said is observable a vein
OF sympathy and good feeling that
TO us has never been noticeable be-
fore. His reason for this may be
found in what follows. He said:
want 70 encourage you. I want
you 20 realize that the welfare OF
an individual or or a race deuends
on his or its usefulness I know that
you have had many friends who
have been too candid in telling Won
not 70 get swelled heads. but be-
ieve that you also need advice as 70
what you should do.
That is a frank way to put It.
He continued:
II you will be thrifty and ener-
getic you will soon command the
respect that you so greatly desire
You must not look for crutches To
help you TO something which Won
have not earned.
There is not the slightest doubt
but that the race question can he
settled and that IT is now in the
process OF being settled. The North
however, must not appear as II II
would force the settlement The
south KNOWS more about the prob
lem than the North does. and we
people OF the North stand aside. or
course we must commend what has
Deen done and encourage both sides
10 accomplish more.
Here then is a very important ad
mission. He states that the race
question exists. that the colored peo-
pie must help themselves and that
the South and not the North will he
left to settle the question without anv
interference from the North. Boil
ed down, what does this meang II
means that the federal laws so far
as they affect the citizen will not bs
made operative in the cases of Ne
groes' but will be suspended. so far
a -