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

Taft can recognize the color line
Oficially. he has no right SO to do.
He is sworn to recognize the civil
and political equality of all men be
fore the law. Yet, IL is admitted that
he has not done SO. He has permitted
racial determinations 10 be made in
public buildings, owned by the United
States government. He has issued or
ders 10 the census enumerators.
through bureau chiefs that colored
enumerators shall be assigned only
to colored sections and has issued no
orders that white enumerators shall
be assigned only 20 white sections.
He has thus destroyed the basis OF
equality that he is sworn to recog-
nize
Educated coIored men have OBJ
served these distinctions and they
have resented them. President Taft
should have closed his eyes 20 the
existence OF a color line when it came
to his ofAcial duties and if he could
not close them himself, it would
have been right and proper for him
20 have some one close his eyes for
him Mr. Tyler says further:
IF those Negroes Who are impa-
tient for shower or political fruit
from the Presidential plum tree Will
stop TO consider that when the Mary
land DISTINGUISHING law was before
the electors Of that State for adop-
ton. President Taft threw the
weight of his influence against il. and
I'm vigorous terms denounced it as an
unjust discrimination; and that with
| out that influence, probably. every
! Negro i'm Maryland today would be
/ disiranchised, perhaps they will con
| clude the benehcent effect Of his
| influence in Maryland was far more
/ fruitful for the race than any mum
| Der Of political appointments.
But this subject is not being dis
cussed by a Negro who is impatient
+ for political fruit. He is therefore
unprecedented in this particular and
4 believing that the administration NAV
/ be honestly seeking that light which
is necessary to have in order TO un-
derstand the situation and TO apply
the remedy, he is discussing the sub
ject from the standpoint OF a Re
publican. who sees a radical de
parture from the principles OF the
party with which he is AFFILIATED.
President Taft does not need any
credit for throwing the weight Of
| his influence against the Maryland
DISTINGUISHING law for the reason
| that ne is a Republican and the law
/ in question must necessarily be an
tagonized by every Republican I'm the
country. who is true to the party's
! teachings
Mr.. Tyler speaks about President
Taft, just as though there could have
been probability OF his secretly Ia
voring such legislation The trouble
with President Taft is that he does
not stand up on vital questions when
q the proprieties OF the occasion seem
4 not 20 warrant such action and his
/ silence is construed 90 be acquies-
cence I'm the Anu-Negro sentiment
: prevailing at some Of the places
, where he is the guest For our part.
we are disposed to favor and COM
pliment those Maryland Democrats
who are now antagonistic 20 their
party on this vital issue.
They Certainly deserve as much
il not more credit for standing out
against Acknowledgement than does
President Taft. who has been trained
in the school of Republicanism az
most from his birth and yet is nov
disposed 10 condone and bow TO the
prejudices of the age Mr.. Tyler says
I -'..tt..-.- -e'rN --'... ..,-- ~ '
II the Negro critics of the Presi.
dent viii recall his Hampton, How
ard University, and Wdlberforce Uni
versity speeches. IN which he declared
unqualihedly for, and urged vigor-
| ously the widest most varied and
best possible education for the Ne
I gro, perhaps; ii they are honest and
94ACtAcl4 Interested IN the race al
yancement. will conclude that the in
| fuence eXerted by the President for
education will have a vastly more
| important bearing on the uplift Of
our ten millions Of Negroes than a
hundred political appointments Of
| high or low degree could have.
President Taft was ali right in his
declarations at the places noted and
we were outspOken ia our common
dation of his utterances The trouble
with him is that he is disposed TO
treat the colored people. just o5 he
! treats the Indians and provide qDe
cial plans and policies in handling
them. All we ask is an equal chance
/ TO make our own way and we resent
any barring rule or regulation that
tends to restrict us in our field o.
usefulness on account of our race
or color.
According 10 Hon. Ralph w. Ty.
ler's logic. he is rapidly arguing him