The Enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 192?-1930, 1927-12-09
COOLIDGE LAUDS NEGRO PROGRESS
PRESIDENT SAYS
NEGRO RACE
IS WORTHY

WASHINGTON. ID. c., Dec. e.
Especially D-Presiden Coolidge has
delivered another message to Con-
gress, and he has made reference
to Negro citizens in sympathetic
vein. In q few sentences President
Coolidge extols the progress OF the
race since emancipation, deplores
lynching and asks Congress 10 "en-
act any legislation IL can under the
Constitution to provide for its elm
nation" The subject OF lynchlng
promises TO get more than an ordi-
nary play during this session of Con-
gress because OF the increase In
mob murder during the last year.
Negro leaders in Washington, who
were interviewed today by your cor
respondent, are not enthused over
President Coolidge's reference to
the Negro. One observer remarked
ut has always been the policy of
Republican leaders about campaign
time to extol and point with pride
the progress of the Negro and view
with alarm mob violence. After the
campaign and they are safely
intrenched again, they forget the
Negro and countenance segregation
in government offices, permit dis
franchisement of black citizens In
southern states and allow Democrats
to filibuster the Dyer Antl-Lynch
Bill to death" Presidential politics
Is the big stake that will be before
the American people in 1928. Presi-
dent Coolidge is close observer
OF the trend Of sentiment with refer
ence to the Negro, and It is his policy
to be ON the right hand side OF the
trend for the better, but 1t has new
or been his policy and probably
never shall be to "stir up agitation"
Careful, calculating Calvin Coolidge,
plays an entirely different game:
You may call his hand, but he is
going to hesitate about calling
yours. Congress is in session again
and from the highest authorities
there will be little legislation and
much politics curing this session.
President Coolidge has delivered
another message to Congress in
which he makes reference to NEGRO
citizens in a sympathetic vein, Here
is what he said:
History does not anywhere re-
cord so much progress made in the
same length OF time as that which
has been accomplished by the Negro
race in the United States since the
emancipation proclamation. They
have come up from slavery to be
prominent In education, the profess
sions, art, science, agriculture, bank
ing and commerce. 1t is estimated
that $4,000 of them are on the gov
ernment payrolls, drawing about
$50 900 900 each year. They have
been recipients Of presidential ap-
pointments and their professional
ability has arisen to a sufficiently
high plane so that they have been
intrusted with the entire manage-
ment and control of the great veter-
ans hospital at Tuskegee, where
their conduct has taken high rank.
"They have shown that they have
been worthy Of all the encourage
ment which they have received.
they are too often sub
jected to thoughtless and inconsider-
ate treatment, unworthy alike OF the
white or colored faces, They have
especially been made the target OF
the foul crime of lynching. For sew
eral years these acts of unlawful
violence had been diminishing. In
the last year they have shown an
increase. Every principle OF order
and law and liberty is opposed to
this crime. The Congress should
enact any legislation 1t can under
the Constitution to provide for its