New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-04
SHY AT NEGRO POLICY
Southern Whites Not Impressed
by RooseyeIt's Attitude.
DECLARE he is INSINCERE
Representatives Say Colonel
Has Not Helped Third Term
Cause in the South.
From The Tribune Bureau

washington, Aug. SIT is believed by
Southern Representatives In Congress
that Roosevelt's declaration on the negro
question will not prove very effective and
will not contribute materially to the
realization OF his ambition to build up a
strong party In the South, with the ulti-
mato hope OF Wrestling some OF the
Southern states from Democratic control.
Representative Underwood declares
that Roosevelt's inconsistent position re-
yartiing the negroes OF the South and the
North, creating different standards for
the race, according to their geographical
location, IL entirely In keeping with his
declarations on other public questions.
mfr. Roosevelt" said Mr.. Underwood,
never loses an opportunity 20 asSal the
trusts, and yet his campaigns have all
been backed and financed by the biggest
trusts in the country, down TO and In
GLIDING the one he IN now engaged in.
1T Is 80 patent that the policy. as adj
vocated by Mr.. Roosevelt. toward the
negroes in the South Is political move.
and r. not sincere or consistent. rs to in
sure tho fact that II will be discounted
and will fall fiat in it's general effect on
the white voters OF the Southern states"
Representative Burnett declared that
tho white Republicans Of Alabama and
the Southern states would want some
very strong evidence that the colonel was
sincere in his position with reference TO
the negroes in the South.
They will remember" said Colonel
Burnett. "tust what happened right after
Alabama adopted her present constitu-
ton, which 70 effectively eliminated the
negro vote in the state.
IT am Of tho opinion, therefore, that
many Of the Republicans Of Alabama will
be from Missouri on the colonel's negro
policy In the Southern states, and that
they will have 10 have ironclad evidence
of good faith before they fall for it
Representative Dent declared that
Roosevelt was 100 recent convert to
vhitesupremacy in the South for even the
followers Of the Third Tcrmcr 20 take
his declarations seriously.
He is simply playing one end Of the
string against the other" said Mr. Dent
He cannot reconcile his present position
with his past utterances and acts HIS
theory for building UP Il party In the
South. based on the elimination OF tho
negro from Southern politics and the en-
barrasslug OF the negro In Northern poll
tics IL inconsistent and not calculated TO
inspire confidence in his motives. Active
paruosps ton OF the negro In politics Is
lust as distasteful TO the white man in
the North as 1t In In the South. The rights
OF the Northern negro over Lila brother Of
the South are not clearly defined by Mr..
Roosevelt. and no legitimate reason IS ac-
vanced why one should be admitted and
the other excluded from full fellowship
In party counclis.'
When asked what no thought about Mr.,
Roosevelts rocont attitude on the negro
question Representative Blackmon said:
"Nfr. Roosevelt says, In effect, that the
Republican party for forE-tive years has
undcr,ekcn TO establish Itself In the
south by tho negro vote, and this has
failed. Nov no proposes 10 use tho South
ern white man for the ultimate beuefit OF
tho negro. I cannot believe that tho
white mon OF the South will follow the
srrstic and undcfined views OF Mr. Roose-
welt especially IN face OF his past negro
policy, so well known 10 the people OF the
South, who have had ample reasons for
remembering then.'