The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1910-05-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.

school Convention, so it is said, ever
assembled. It is estimated that there are
present, ten thousand delegates represent
ing all the countries of the world. These,
with interested visitors, make throng
upon the streets of pedestrians and sight.
seers in automobile vans and other
vehicles that are suggestive of the crowds
that flock here once in four years to
witness the Inauguration Of president
and the military pageantry Of the occa-
sion. President Taft addressed the Con-
vention Thursday..a as also didJohn Wanna
maker and other distinguished men.
Unfortunately, the race question has
come up with its usual bitterness and al
race clash is the result. 1t was the ex-
pectation of the colored ministers and
church-goers Of the city to have a promi-
nent part in the Convention. Negro
Sunday school children of Washington,
it was expected, would be allowed to par
ticipate in the great parade which was
held on the evening Of the goth, but
negro ministers of the Gospel who had
made preparations for the Sunday.school
children of their churches to take part in
the line of march were notified by the.
chairman in charge that there would be
no reservation made in the line of march
for colored Sunday.school pupils. The
barring of the eolored children from the
parade Of course raised storm Of protest
from the pastors Of the many colored
churches, for 1t must be remembered that
Washington has the largest colored
population of any city in the world.
The Rev. Milton Waldron, who is
pastor of the largest colored church, in
the city. although he has such slight
admixture of colored blood that no one
from appearance would class him with
the negroes, has published an open letter
to the Convention. He says: saThe OBJ
ject of the sixth worlds Sunday.schoo1
convention is to carry forward the work
of God in the spirit of Christ among all
nations. We know how completely the
Lord eliminated race and national preiu.
dice from His social practice. 1t is nm
fortunate that any one who bears His
name should at this time, when the evan
gelizatiou Of the world in this generation
is the watchyord of millions, resort to
such offensive forms of race prejudice as
the local committee of Washington has
done in completely, so'far as it is con-
cerned, eliminating the colored people
from any part in the sixth worlds Sun
day-school convention. 1t is difficult to
see how any one can pray or hope for the
evangelization of the world when one re-
fuses to fellowship his neighbor next door
because of race and COLOR,
President Taft's address to the Con
vention was received with great applause
and he was visibly impressed with the
enthusiasm of his audience. Mrs. Taft
was on the stand with him and she was
not permitted to remain in seclusion.,
The President escorted her to the pulpit,
then in his characteristic way he said,
This is the real President of the United
States" He began, ''It is great honor
to welcome to Washington, the City
Beautiful, worlds Convention at time
when the city is most beautiful. From
all parts Of the world we welcome here
two or three great instrumentalities for
making the world better, more moral,
more religious" John Wanamaker adj
dressed the audience in behalf of the
Sunday-schools of North America. He
said: "The nations of the world believe
in America and England. They hear
and heed them and they are hearing
Theodore Roosevelt. When President
Taft has completed his term of Office and
the rext one, he will be the worlds mis-.
sionary Tor righteous laws. I can justly
call him the attorney general fortbe Sum
day-schools Of North America. The sun
day. school idea has a new vision and its
improvements and engagements are
marching on. Like the tariff, it has been
revised upward
4
~
Much interest is felt in diplomatic
circles here with regard to Secretary
Knocks role as peace-maker amid the
troubled conditions in South America,
Central America and China 1t is thought
that if Secretary Knox's proffer to China
has actually been sent to Pekin and &C
cepted there. remarkable situation in
foreign relations will have been estab-
lished. 1t was a somewhat remarkable
action on the part of the Secretary to
offer to do all this country could in CO.
operation with the Pekin government to
check auti-foreign outbreaks. A spirit of
hostility is spreading throughout China
and Is dirarfed aoaf,rcf all fsras~..,<., =.