Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-09-10
THE AGE AND THE COLONEL.

The New York Age. the leading
Afro-Americsn journal in this
country has seen ft 20 give to it's
readers double-leaded editorials in
| opposition TO President Taft and his
policy. We mean HIS policy in deal
ing with citizens Of color. generally
known throughout the Southland as
Negroes. tt has always been the semi
Official organ Of Or. Booker T. Wash
ingtou. that IS II he has ever had
any semi-of8cial organ.
I'm its last issue it glories in in.
/ surgency and reads the riot act TO
the Republican managers Of the Re
publican Party as recognized by the
present Administration. II is rather
"tenderfoOted" on ex-President Roose-
Welt however. aud the indications are
that IL will support the distinguished
African traveller as against the pres
ent occupant of the White House
But the New York Age comes TO
the SUPPORT of Dr. Booker T. wash
ington in general and the National
! Negro Business League in particular.
when. under the caption OF AN TN
just Report. il says.
An unjust report 90 the effect that
| the National Negro Business League
I in New York endorsed Col. Roosevelt
as "a candidate for President In 1912
I has been widely circulated Al no
/ time during the session was there anv
such proposition I'm any form what
ever before the League Mr. Roose-
welt was most cordially received on
| the occasion OF his address and he
vas given AN ovation when ne had
finished. There were various cries
/ from the enthusiastic audience. all
I or which were Chcered But no polit-
/ zeal proposition for the endorsement
/ or Colonel Roosevelt or any one else
I was ever brought forward The false
report would hardly be worthy OF
+ notice were IL not that the wrong
/ impression may do the Business
League much harm.
This sounds very well and We have
no doubt but what our able contemp-
orary states the truth. The language
used is susceptible to a political con
struction. What We desire 20 know is.
did Bishop C. ". Clinton use the Ian
guage imputed 10 him? Is he cor
rectly quoted in the following report:
Recalling the words OF the former
executive that he would not be the
| one TO CLOSE the door of hope in
| the face OF a man because his skin
| happens 10 be black, Bishop Clinton
! expressed the gratitude Of all Ne
groes for the encouragement which
/ his attitude of the then President
/ had given TO those OF his race. and
| closed by assuring Colonel Roosevelt
/ that in whatever promotion" in pub
! lie life he might seek. he would al
| ways find the Negro element solidIy
allied with his support"
Now did Bishop Clinton do this?
! Is he correctly quoted II will be
/ observed that citizen might deny
that he proposed 20 endorse express
ident Roosevelt for another term. He
might deny that these statements had
any political significance, but the Ian
guage used is certainly subject to
that construction Colonel Roosevelt
is statesman and he is a politician,
pure and simple. He is not an elder
in the Methodist Church and he Is
not being spoken of as the President
OF any of our leading American uni.
versities just now. He is in politics
and any promotion for him must
necessarily come along political
lines.
VIII some one secure the informa-
ton as TO what Bishop Clinton
meant? He is the one to know and
in view of this agitation, II seems
to us that he should have spoken
long ago. The report says further:
The cheering which greeted this
declaration had hardly abated when
Booker T. Washington, chairman of
the meeting, advanced to the front
OF the platform and urged that all in
Isympathy with the sentiment express
ed by Bishop Clinton rise to their
feet. The entire assemblage arose