The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-24

Editor OF The Times Dispatch:
sr.-Believing that the best white
people of the South are true friends
of the intelligent and progressive ne
cation to them. through the columns
of your valuable paper, free from any
presumption or desire to give oftense
but to call the attention Of the reason
as of The Times-Dispatch, to a few
facts which seem to be passing un-
noticed. After reading the editorial
in The Times Dispatch, of Wednesday
December 20, 1909. under the caption,
Put the Negro ofticehoders In the
South gain by her newspapers con-
iinually dragging the negro to the
front upon any slight political or So
c!al occasion. The imes-Dispatch,
as well as the intelligent reading pub
lie knows that President Taft will
never appoint, to any large extent.
negroes to Federal positions anywhere.
Does not the negro of this country
stand entirely eliminated from the
political paths Of the nation? Is not
time he is sought? Generally, his
vote and political association are not
wanted excepting possibly in such
States as Indiana, Ohio. New Jersey.
New York. Illinois and certain seq
tons Of Pennsylvania; but even in
these States, where the negro holds
something OF political balance of
power. politicians SO combine upon
trickery and secret opposition to
negro political elevation that when
OF recognized worth the news is
hurled over the country as great
surprise. Why then should the negro
be made q subject OF politics?
Il In the South he is not a political
factor, nor has he been for many
years. Every time a false cry goes up
as to his political activity Comfy
| Imaginary 1t is only conducive to the
forming of an excuse to make poll.
teal argument against the negro and
feeling existing between the races.
The negro is out of politics. but he
is helping materially to develop the
resources Of this. our Southland. His
leaders arc encouraging him from
pulpit and schoolroom to learn, to
labor and to wait. 4
| For the sake Of the great majority
| who are worthy. we beg that YOU
would not hold us up before the read.
Ing public as class that is offensive
be made to believe that sooner OF
later we would hold q Federal posi.
ton. and thereby displace white mer
who claim a special right to office. The
Of the efficiency Of the negro, espe,
cially In Richmond, the property ht
has accumulated under the most adj
verse circumstances, making favor
able impression, indeed upon 1t,
readers, and In another Issue complete
ly Offset this impression. uninten
tlonally so, perhaps. by writing suct
editorials as the one referred to. which
Is the very creative force In the pro
du,tlon OF race and color prejudice
! We agree fully with The Times-Ds
patch, that the shiftless, idle negro
Is dangerous and is a menace to thu
i community iir'Which he lives; but cal
4 Justice condemn lO,0O0,OOO people To-
! tho ignorance and depravlty found Ii
I tho lower elenentsTSof the race?
the negro has eyer had any three enc
fmies since the surrender Of that match
Il less warrior. that pre-eminent genera
ana historian, General Robert r. Lee
,they have been the politician. the poll
a Heal press and the rum shop.
Il DO you not believe that the white peo
PIG OF this country can as we'll re
proach themselves for the eSistene,
or the rum shop and Its terrible in
fluence among the ignorant negroes
here at the South as they can justl.