The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-12-15
ROOSEVELT IN AFRICA.
An Astounding Story Of What Is Be-
lieved to be the Real Purpose of
the Ex-President's Mysterious
Journey to the Dark Continent.

Journey to the Dark Continent.
William Buckley, in Leslie's Weekly.
That Theodore Roosevelt, while ap-
parently In Africa on o. hunting ex-
pedition. killing tigers and fieas, is
in reality carefully investigating con-
ditions to ascertain II 1t be not pos
sible and practicable to establish in
the Sudan country second empire
of Liberia. and thereby solve forever
the negro question of America, is
the disclosure made by United
States Federal attorney, in charge of
a southern district who relates the
supposed plans Of Roosevelt in all
their details. The plan as revealed
by the former presidents confidant
Is Ito stake out q good section of the
country in the Sudan. north of Con-
60 Free State and east of German and
British East Africa, hoist up the
Stars and Stripes at the four cor
ners have Uncle Sam declared pro-
tectorate. organize the native tribes
q suzerainty Of the United States of
America. end then will come the
expatriatlon Of the negroes from this
country to the new empire in the
heart of Africa. In the rounding out
of the plan, a wedge will be formed
by a nation under the control Of the
United States, that will prevent the
expansion territorially or CONNER
cially of Germany and will make the
United States q factor in the balance
of power among the nations of Eu.
rope now struggling to retain and en-
large their footholds in Africa.
The Federal attorney who disclos-
ed what he asserts was the intention
Of President Roosevelt to solve the
negro question while in Africa, bore
out his declaration with a buttress Of
facts that dovetail with the move
ments of Roosevelt both previous to
his departing for Africa and since he
has penetrated beyond the reach of
the newspaper arm. "His plan to
cross a territory not at present un-
der the flag Of any European ma
tion," continued the Federal attor-
ney, "his determination to take with
him men known to be expert agri-
culturists capable Of judging soil con-
ditions; his skill in surrounding him.
self with representatives of the civil
and military arms Of the government,
and above all. his persistent refusal
to allow any newspaper men to ac-
company his expedition-all these
acts and facts lead me to believe
that Roosevelt went to Africa to
carry out the plan he discussed with
me when gathering data on the ne
gro question. He has taken with
him a large quantity Of trinkets with
which to placate the natives with
whom he first would be Obliged to
deal before mapping out the country
to be populated by the negroes. Hc
has kept his plans absolutely secret.
because every nation of Europe, at
the first whisper Of his Intentions,
would direct dozen detachments to
dog his footsteps and prevent another
Fashoda maneuver.
with Roosevelt, long before he
devised his scheme to deport the
blacks to Africa. the negro question
always has been a paramount issue.
He told me that the criticism he re-
ceived from all parts Of the country
when he entertained Booker r.
Washington caused him to come to
the belief that 1t would be utterly
Impossible to educate the negro to a
standard Of social equality with the
white race, and that he saw clearly
that no inferior race could exist for
any length Of time and prosper in a
Republican country. Roosevelt said
the attitude the South assumed to-
ward the Charleston postmastership
confirmed his belief, and that 1t was
this. bed on other facts he had gath
ered' some Of which gave him, that
led him to form his plan to see II the
only logical solution of the negro
question-deportation--could not be
brought about successfully. Through
Federal officers scattered throughout
the South he ascertained that a con-
dition existed that was leading to one
certain end. and that would be the
extinction Of the negro element by a
method other than race decay. His
data correctly informs him that the
negro ~ . laborer In the South was
fast being replaced by the negro as