The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-09-15

So that the first day after a five hours session we had
hardly opened up the question.
The next day Senator Frye promptly called it up
again. 1 was feeling s~plendidly and l spoke about three
hours. l related to a full senate the whole story of my
relations with Roosevelt, the McLaurin incident, the
withdrawal of the invitation to dinner, and the presidents
cowardly ~treachery to Senator Bailey and myself in the
matter of the rate bill.
The debate was continued between the republicans
and democrats, all senators realizing by this time that the
great race problem was a problem indeed and one worthy
of most serious consideration by all. Many democrats by
by this time realizing the vital nature of the question were
anxious to participate. So there was no lack Of speaking,
and after a six hours session we were no nearer a vote than
when we began. A notable speech was made by 0. M.
Money which greatly impressed the Republicans.
The third day I spoke only two and one half hours.
Taking Tafts speech in Atlanta for a text, and reading it
paragraph by paragraph, l commented ON it at length.
My allies on both sides of the chamber by this time, the
republicans asking questions and one or another democrat
answering, were all working harmoniously towards a very
protracted debate. AT the end of the third days session
it became evident to Senator Frye that 'settling the Crum
case was not a very easy job.
There is no record of any of the speeches made in
this debate because stenographers are not admitted in ex-
ecutive session, so much valuable information on this all
important question is lost.
On the fourth day Senator Frye gave up the fight,
being pressed by the republican leaders to get out of the way
of big appropriation bills. After some inquiry as to the
intention of men to make speeches and learning that six
or seven democrats were anxious to be heard he withdrew
Crum's name and the struggle over the last negro appointee
of Roosevelt was over.
Mr.. Taft has promised US that we will have no such
appointments during his administration. One of my
strongest points and one which l emphasized with the great
Io.t ,;uo- ,,,. +ha ;no,,;r, nc to uybv Couth Coro1ino chou1d
be subjected to the modification OF having the last dose of
negro ofice-holding.
Crum's defeat was accomplished by a persistent de-
termination to debate the whole race problem, the exclu-
sion of the Chinse, the threatening attitude of the CAL
ifornians against the Japanese and Hindoos, the canting
hypocrisy of the governments attitude towards the
lFilipinos, who are Malays, and the cruelty and wrongs
which have marked the white mans treatment of the
Indians. When the republican attitude towards all these
was brought out and the inconsiste. ' and hypocrisy OF
the whole black republican program was discussed at
length by more than one speaker, it was easy to see that
the republican senators were weakened and more than
willing to stop the debate.
Northern Sentiment Changing.
NV lectures in the north delve.ed during the last
seven or eight years to hundreds of thousands OF their most
intelligent people have necessarily aided greatly in the
change of feeling and sentiment which is apparent there.
have been asked frequently why more southerners do not
come among them and tell them about this great question
and its dangerous aspects. There are thousands of COM
munities up there in which there is not a single negro and
they are wholly ignorant and Indifferent on the subject,
but when the facts are presented they grow intensely IN
terested. Scores of times 1 have had men who wear the
G. A. R. button crowd around me after a speech and express
their approval of my utterances.
The issue is one which will not down and which the
south cannot afford to let rest and as long as live and my
health holds out l expect to continue to agltate 1t and
press for it's solution along the only possible line by the
repeal Of the 9Th amendment thus permitting each state
to regulate its suffrage according to its conditions. We
viii never have any guarantee of continued good government
in South Carolina until we can limit the suffrage to white
men lust as has been done in the South African c%onfedera-
ton. Sir Arthur Balfour s recent declaration that the admls-
sion of inferior colored races to participation in government
would DESTROY civilization itself is as true of the South as it
is of South Africa.
The negro-loving papers of the South, the News and
Courier, The State, The Charlotte Observer, The SaVan-
nah News, and others, may protest and abuse me as much
as they like, but l expect to continue to discuss the race
problem as long as my health and strength permits.
The Meeting Today.
We have met here today to celebrate the victory OF
1876, the triumph of the whites over the blacks OF clvllz-