Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1922-01-28
KELLEY MILLER's OPEN LETTER

" ItiSh Ilhl ulIiEy NSVAlht1
with his great Birmingham speech
writes with The pom OF inspiration. 1t
would be we'll for every citizen In this
country to not only read what he says,
but to re-rcad it and to consider the
full import and meaning Of all that he
has said in this most remarkable pro-
duction. An important fact is set forth
in the following extract:
Tho fathers and founders Of this rc-
public, though dealing with the Negro
race, tEcn relatively moro numerous
than now, and on a decidedly lower lev
or Of progress and development, were
scrupulously careful to exclude from
the organic law all suggestion Of race
distinction. The federal administratio n
should ever be kept true to the ideal Of
democracy. The foundation head must
be kept pure, although the stream ;
which flow from 1t may gather impuri-
ties from its tributaries after leaving
the original source. A corrupt fountain
cannot send forth pure streala.
Who will or can truthfully DISPUTE.
the above statement of facts They are
as unassailable Us Holy Writ. He con-
tinues:
The danger lurking in your platform,
Mr.. President lies in its essential illogi
cality.. You have attempted to derive a
Northern conclusion from q Southern
premise; and In doing so you have sat
isfied neither the North, the South
nor tho Negro. Tho South accepts your
premise, but rejects your conclusion
TIC "oSro accepts your conclusion. but
rejects your premise; while. tho Nortl,
maintains n hositaItt and lukowarm ~
tftude towards both.
This sums up tho situation exactly
nc says further:
Senator Watson of Georgia, and Sen
ator Heflin Of Alabama, who typify
the more radical Southern attitude, rs
we'll as Senator Pat Harrison, who 0,
cupies a medium position. were quick
to retort that your conclusion would al
once destroy your premise, and, there
fore. must be rejected. Tho governor o
Alabama, who presided at your meet
ing. gave O. courteous and cautioxs up
prevail to your address as a whole, but
he will probably have to pay heryS
political price when the day Of reckon
ing comes with the junior senator from
that State.
This Is summarizing and drawing dc
1npfi0no OF .,,St
ennce. Thera Is no need Of comment
He proceeds with his pitiless analysis
as follows:
From the Negroes point Of view yor
have attempted to build a superstrucl
ure Of righteousness upon q fallacious
foundation. Whatever the Intention o.
the builder, house 'builded on san.
will not stand when the rains fall ant
the floods descend and beat upon it. !
you write at top Of the page the decla,
ed and accepted doctrine Of "fundamen
tai. unacceptable and eternal difference:
OF race" 1t then makes no difference
what you may write underneath, thu
Negro would be degraded into an infe,
Tor caete which would render any form
OF equality impossible. The Negrc'
claim to political and civil eSualit.
does not rest upon any condition Of
concession. but grows out Of his In
alienable right as human being ant
his guaranteed rights as an American
citizen. When the 14th amendmen
made the Negro Il citizen, 1t was in
tended that he sirould enjoy all Of tn
benefits and fruitions Of citizenship
There was not the Slightest suggestion
or intimation that he would DO reQuir
Ell or expected to assent to any assum]
tion as n condition precedent to the 81
jOvment Of his rights These rights Il
ste"d OF being STIPULATED upon the rs
sumption Of racial difference, Wer
affirmed "withOut regard to race or co
or" The Negro. IL he would. canno
barter away his rights, or hypdthecat
them upon the acceptance or rejectiO
OF any alleged theory OF difference @
race. Tf both races should accept or !:
feet your platform or, IL ono rae
should accept and the other reject i
In whole or in mart. the rights Of III
black rnan would he wholly unaffecte
by such agreement or disagreement.
The above is written with the ski
Of master. The reasoning Ia flawles
and Fault'ess This is only another wa
OF Saying that it is unanswerable TIL
extract is in the nature Of IN epic en-
brocine and voic'ne truths that al
eternol. Logic, fact. diction, reaso
are all combined in this remarkab
declaration. No statesman would dal
question its accuracy or deny its trut'
w" could dwell further upon this ma