Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1912-09-07

United States have produced were pro
duced Tin the South-men who chiefly
governed the country until the great
Civil War-GeOrge Washington, Them
AS jefferson, James Madison. James
Mnnroe and all that followed Including
Jefferson laws, John l.. Calhoun aug
Robert E. Lee.
These men all had black "mammies. :"
and to this day in the South the tradi-
tloDS of the Aunties linFer as among
the most cherished memories of the
arlstOcratic families. The title is still
sometimes addressed to cOlOred women
by Southerners, but it has not the same
slRnIhcance OF tender relationship, nor
ia 1t used in the same affectiCnatc spirit
by those who knew nothing of the in.
describable patriarchal past.
But since the black Auntie has disap-
peared from her post in the great fami-
lies. and has ceased to preside at the
cradle and IN the nursery of the South
no such men have appeared as distn-
guished the history of that Country be.
fore "the late unpiea santness. The
secret of this deficiency is known to the
African. In Geography Africa hes been
called Arida nutrix Leonum-the d.y
nurse Of Lions;-so in the early political
history of the United States the same
description ia applicable to 1.-The grey
haired mother of civilization Lions in
church and state were born out Of her
struggles and sufferines.
1t ts Impossible to write on this sub
Ject without thinking Of Presd ent
Roosevelt and the new leaf he is turn.
ing over or rather the new chapter he
is writing in the history of his Country,
80 far ae the Negro is concerned. He
seems to be recognizing, not only AS
humanitarian. but as an enlightened
American citizen, Africa's services to
the United States. You have had Wash
lngton. you have had Jefferson. you
have had Lincoln. you have bad Grant.
and now you have Roosevelt-last but
not least when compared TO his great
predecessors If he does not stand at
their side, he stands but a little lower
than they, and it strikes me that il he
lives long enough the couree of events
may eventually bring him up to their
level, II it does not raise him above
them. as the chief glory Of American
Statesm anship. To resemble Christ to
whom President Roosevelt has been not
rashIy compared is to rise above eli
merely political or military pre-. erni-
nerce II Juetinian 3 definition of ius-
tlcc ls correct, viz ''tbe desire of render
ing to every one his due' then Roose-
veit like Aristides, stands today before
the world as the Just man of American
"a King by truly divine right. In the
years to come when the spirit Of Christ
shail have spread more generally among
the chlidren OF men, it will be consid-
e5ed one OF the most glorious facts in
the hlatory OF American civilization.
tliat the Chief Magistrate OF the United
States. III the opening year of the XXth
V. n n 81 yoy,t
ly forward as tbn protector Of the RIGHTS
Of the weak, Of whatever race or color,
and as the champion Of the peace Of the
world. The whole world is grateful TO
h'm Tor the note Of protest and animad-
Verelon which two months ago he ad-
dEesked TO the be'!igerent powers, and
Ior the br1cf bot ina pre6sive and dr,ir-
aole 'peech which he recently made to
'he PisnipOLentiGr rjes on board She Nav.
flower
20 words will ring down the ages
with greater or more uplifting force
lhp1 have not only profoundly touched
me two nations concerned, but have
moved the whole Of humanity, where.
ever man can read or think or feel. Let
us nope that these sentiments shall give
the Keynote to the whole Of the New
Century upon which we have entered,
o'"AS GIG "Olub tIlht STS OCeOS ana
deeds that are words. Tennysou saws:
The song that nerves nation s.
heart. is in itself deed" and one OF
your own poets has said:
"hene'er noble deed is wrought,
Where 'er is spoken a noble thought
Our hearts in glad surprise
TO higher level rise
The tidal wave of deeper soul
Into our inmost being roll
And lifts us unawares
Out of all meaner cares
Honor to those whose words or deeds
Ihus help us in our daily needs
And by their overflow
Raise us from what is low.
III the arbitrament Of brute for ce can
rot yet be dispensed with owing to the
hardness Of mems hearts. still it is en-
couraglpg to know that the teachinge
and example Of President Roosevelt will
tend to introduce that era towards
which. as all the greatest poets have
seen tho whole cres ton 1noves;'' when
the spirit which will not break the
bruised reed nor quenoh the smoking
tax shall dominate the affairs of men,
when Righteousness will govern as
Conqueror and Might will disappear as
90 arbitsr in human affairs. The little