Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-24
IN ADDRESS AT NASHVILLE
Congratulates Southern People Upon
Progress in Cancellation.
APPEAL TO COURTS, NOT MODS
Says President Has Gone Farther
Than Any of His Predecessors
Toward Pacification.

| NASHVILLE, Tenn, September "a
| The presence of Secretary of War Dickin-
son as the speaker on topics affecting the
| interests of the north and the south at
| tracted a great crowd to the state fair
grounds yesterday. Mr.. Dickinson, after
giving a summary of President Tafts
career. to show his especial knowledge of
| conditions in the south, went on to say:
Il said that he was sympathetic with
! the south and the unfortunate conditions
| peculiar to it. While this is true, it must
not be expected that he will see things
| just as we see them, and exactly from our
point of view. He is a northern and not
southern man. He is a republican and not
d democrat. 1t is not probable that north
ern democrats would in all respects take
our view. 1t is quite certain that northern
republicans would not.
1T is not probable that any statesman
| from the outside, though sympathetic.
would entirely agree with us. L have not
| found it so. We cannot alone make our
| view permanently effective, for We have
not and will not have the political power
| to do so. Under these conditions, 1t is
! fortunate that the leader of the party
| which is in control of our national AFFAIRS
! is earnestly and warmly sympathetic with
us and understands our convictions and
| the reasons for them.
Extent of Irritation.
He appreciates the extent of the irrita-
| ton that has come from appointing
negroes to Offices In the south, which
bring them into unpleasant relations with
the white people, and the injurious eff
fects upon both races. He understands
| that this is broad, deep-seated race ques-
! ton that cannot be ignored or argued out
/ n and that for the peace oil
| both races it is the part OF wisdom that
| such appointments should not be made,
and he has publicly declared this to be his
policy and has carried it out.
He holds With his distinguished prede
cessor who declared in his famous speech
made in New York before the Loyal Le-
gion. that the purity of the races must
be maintained While he is thus miti
eating the difficulties of our situation. we
should do our part to sustain him and
make this burden of his office as easy to
bear as the eXgencies Of the condition
will admit
IF the white people assert the right to
govern, then the government should be
one of fairness and justice. government
of law and not of passion. The courts,
and not mobs. should punish lawbreak-
ers. Negroes should be protected in
their property rights, settled with justly
and governed by the constituted authori-
ties.
Presidents Policy.
President Taft has gone farther than
any republican President to meet the
wishes of the south in establishing a
policy looking to the promotion of peace
within her borders. In this he has not
responded to any demand either of his
party or the people of the north.
His vindication will depend mainly
upon the wisdom. self-control and con-
servatism manifested by the southern
people. 1t would be calamity if his
efforts should be nullified and his good
will alienated. If a man of Ibis char
acter position and patriotism fail, then
it will be long before another will fol-
low in his footsteps.
NO question of the south giving him
political support is involved. The south
can cooperate with him in his great
work of Cancellation and promoting peace
and harmony, and yet cast every one Of
should become a candidate for reelection
l am confident that no thought of win
ming its votes has Influenced his course
toward the south, and that even if he
expected to become candidate to sue
coed himself, he would, though confident
that the south would vote against him.
do exactly what he has done, deeming it
sufficient reward If he brings peace
where discord prevailed and establishes
a sounder basis for dealing politically
with the conditions that affect the rela-
tions between the races in the SOUTH
Gen. Frederick d. Grant, who is also
a guest of the fair, reviewed a uniformed
| regiment of Confederate soldiers in front
| of the Srandstafd, himself appearing in
the full uniform Of a general of the
| United States. Army.