The gold leaf., 1910-03-24
A Lame Political Feint.
Wilmington Star.

Wilmington Star.
Ii the meeting on the platform o.
Wiiberforce University, in Ohio, oI
President Taft, Senator Dick, and the
negro president OF the University was
intended for political consumption
to the Buckeye State, we have nc
doubt the President has by this time
fully recognized his mistake.
Tie negro president referred to is
a Southern negro, born in slavery,
and after the war became imbued
with the doctrine of Fred Douglas.
He maintains white wife, who is a
teacher in his institution. In view OF
the negro vote in Ohio and the des-
perate condition OF the Republican
party in that State, Wilberforce Uni
versity was probably for this reason
chosen as a good place for President
Taft to appear and make a speech,
as showing his sympathy for what
he considered a typical negro am
bition of the middle west.
In view OF the Presidents attitude
respecting negro appointments in the
South, the plan was doubtless well
reasoned, SO far as it went, as indica-
ting that the Southern policy was
adopted in the interest of concen-
sus of opinion among Southern peO-
| pie, and that in the States where the
objection to negroes is supposed not
to be so stressed, the negroes were
dear to the heart of the Administra-
ton.
We say $50 far as it went," because
we believe that while laws against
miscegenation are sectional, the spirit
OF the American people against it is
universal. The practice is illegal in
North Carolina and legal in Ohio.
We do not believe, however, that it
is any more popular in the latter
State than in the former The drivel
and sentimentality concerning the
negro has been pretty thoroughly
eliminated from the North and West
alike Experience has taught a fall
icy which lack of it engendered. 1t
is very different matter politically
to hold to the principle of the negro's
rights under the constitution and to
openly cOndOne what white men every
where have come to consider crime
against both nature and society.
If by his action. President Taft
sought to better Republican cOndi-
tiOns in Ohio, we conceive that he has
blundered egregiously. For every
negro vote which such a policy might
gain, two white votes will be lost.
This is on the assumption that it will
gain negro votes. We think it will
even aleniate them. Forin the chorus
OF disapproval of the Presidents
tacit endorsement Of miscegenatiOn,
not the least Outspoken voices have
been those of negroes. 1t appears, in
fact, that WilberfOrce College is in
financial straits on account of the
perversion of Americana deals for
which its president stands. What
Mr.. Taft appears to have overlooked
is that there is among negroes new
sort OF race-cOnsciOusness-nOt the
old and dangerous sort, but the
constructive, fOrbearing and hopeful
spirit that aims no less toward keep
ing pure the negro strain than ad-
vancing the Intelligence and the for
tunes of the race. The better class
of negroes see that their salvation
lies not in hope of equality with
the white man, but in a self-respect
ing culture for themselves. In the light
of this sanpr view the more thought
full negroes, as we'll as the whites
everywhere, see only shame and hurt
in anything like an official endorse
ment OF the sin against its cardinal
tenet.
The Ohio situation must indeed be
desperate, to have led so sane and
fair a man as Mr.. Taft into so su-
perlative an error.