Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 February 1903 — HOAR ATTACKS ROOT. [ARTICLE]

HOAR ATTACKS ROOT.

Senator Criticises Secretary for Atti' tude on Negro Problem. Eulogy of George Washington by Sew ator George F. Hoar at the Union J-eague Club Washington day banquet in Chicago was turned into an expression of views on the negro question, with criticism for Secretary of War Root, ooJ a defense of the views of Presid*ut Roosevelt. Senator Hoar declared that In forty years Die present generation had don* something for the negro, that the colored man had advanced and that consequently the views of Mr. Rbot could not be upheld. So strongly did he speak on the question that he was answered by Bishop Gailor of Tennessee, who gave the southerners’ side of the problem. And though both warmed strongly to their subject, their words were at all times tempered and au open clash avoided. Senator Hoar said: “I see that m.v excellent friend, Mr. Root, Secretary of War, thinks something of the same way about Abraham Lincoln. lie says that reconstruction and the achievements which followed the war have been a failure. Mr. Root thinks that this series of events in which all of us who have reached an advanced nge have something to do has been a failure in relation to the negro. Well, now, let us see. In the first place we have abolished slavery; they do not own-the negro any more. He owns himself. They do not separate the negro’s wife from him or his children from him any more; they do not whip women or sell their children. They do not prevent them from working where they please; they do not make it a crime to teach him to learn to read the Bible. They cannot send lilr children to a distance from him withou his consent. Well, is that a failure 7" Bishop Gailor followed Senator Hoa; and declared that he had no intentloi of mentioning the negro question until, the Senator had started the discussion. He said the views of the Southern men should be gravely listened to, for they alone had good chance to study the jiegro question. He said: “In the fir.it place, the negro race has no more earnest, honest, sincere friends in the world thnn the people who live in the Southern States. There is no section of any country where there are so many affectionate and loyal friendships existing between white and black as exist in those States. Remember also that negroes of the full blood have not been conspicuous for their achievements even in this country and that it is the half-blood which has attracted our attention.”