Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-04-09

md PLANET, RICHMOND
year from date. President Taft Is
sincere In his desire and aim 10 re.
uuce race friction TO the minimum,
and increase the harmony between
the races to the maximum. Criticism
rs not likely 20 disuade him from MIS-
purpose to conserve, first, the inter
eats of the whole people, without
reference to race or color, and sec
Ondly, to conserve the interests Of
the classes without prejudicing the
cause or the latter.
Now then here is task that an
angel from heaven alone would be
able to perform. II is how to do s
thing that will surely cause friction
in manner that it will not cause
friction. In this, President Taft
yields up principles to expediency.
His position is that Of every liberal
minded Democrat in the Southland,
who has no antfpathy to the Negro.
So far as we are individually con
cerned. when the question OF politi-
cal Office is left out of the equation.
one is just about as good as the
other. II Mr.. Tyler remembers Grover
Cleveland, the first and only Demo
crat who has ever sat in the White
House since the Civil War, he will
note that he stood upon higher
ground than that He nominated Ne
grOes 10 Office and he stood by his
nominations. He did not defer TO the
race prejudice against them. In this
he was more Of man. SO far as the
Negro is concerned than Mr.. Tyler
portrays President Taft o be.
We find all over Virginia white
men of Democratic persuasion. Civ
ing voice to utterances which are
just as sincere as those which are
noted in President Taft. Mr. Tyler
says.
Before criticising the dispensing
power the race should. at least. af-
feet consistency. His appointment
OF Mr.. Emmett 7. Scott. an ideally
balanced and splendidly equipped
man. as one OF the Liberian Com
missiOners was. without Just cause.
criticised by some members Of the
race. but not by the whites. The first.
and most important term appoint
ment made by the President was that
OF Robert II. Terrell TO a place on
the municipal bench. and that ap-
pointment although a reappointment
was made tn the face OF strenuous
opposition. And, strange 90 say. the
opposition was entirely on the part
OF Negroes, the people ne thought TO
serve and please. And that opposi-
ton Was not based on any lack. i'm
Judge Terrell. OF ability, equipment
or character. but was prompted by
mean, jealous spirit IN appoint
ments OF Negroes 20 Office must be
met with opposition from within the
race, the race is. at least. incon-
sistent if 80 expects white men In be
unanimously in the Affirmative for
Negro appointments.
TAKEN as a whole. there lis much
in President Taft's first year for en-
enlargement for the race. and the
specific cases I mention stand as i'm.
conference.-the proof OF his friend
shin for the race.
Mr.. Tyler is in error n he thinks
that the Negroes opposed the ap.
pointments In question. Some OF the
disappointed. jealous ones may have
done SO. but the race In general has
appreciated every appointment OF
colored men that the distinguished
Ohioan has seen ct TO make. Mr.
Tyler's appointment was a good one.
although ne was antagonized by GER
tain race leaders. whom he had anita.
gonized in his devotion TO the white
bosses IN his locality. We return 90
our charge and that Is that Presi-
dent Taft regards the Negroes OF this
country in the same light that the
average southerner regards him, as a
child in the race OF life. as a val
liable animal. as an asset that will
yield a rich return IL properly con
trolled, as an Indian. as a ward Of
the nation and never as a political
equal entitled to all the rights and
privileges OF American citizenship
and TO say with his arm uplifted. q
am man among men"
This is our criticism OF the dis
tinguished occupant Of the White
House and this is why We have said
in a humorous vein that when IL
comes down To the race question, "He
hasn't got his bonnet on straight. d"
We would to God that we were
mistaken. He put Hon. John c.
Dancy out of a political job to put
Hon. II. L. Johnson in the same job
and both are colored men OF ability.
In the meantime white men are
swarming into the political offices on
every side and from Maine to Texas,
they are holding lucrative positions
of the most influential kind.