Pres. Roosevelt’s Speech
May 4, 1907
Summary
The writer tells black people they must stop hoping that President Roosevelt will do the right thing. Roosevelt has lost support from blacks by his own unjust actions.
Transcription
Pres. Roosevelt’s Speech
President Roosevelt’s speech at the Jamestown Expositions, Friday, April 26, 1907 was an able dissertation on the great question of the day. It afforded him another opportunity to learn whether or not any radical change had taken place in his policies or mode of procedure. He is a brilliant statesman, but some of his utterances seem to be remarkably out of harmony with some of his actions.
In speaking of corporations, he seemed to be oblivious of the fact that the principles enunciated applied to individuals as well.
He said:
“This is the exact spirit in which this country should move to the reform of abuses of corporate wealth. The wrongdoer, the man who swindles and cheats, whether on a big scale or a little one, shall receive at our hands mercy as scant as if he committed crimes of violence or brutality. We are unalterably determined to prevent wrongdoing in the future; we have no intention of trying to wreak such an indiscriminate vengeance for wrongs done in the past as would confound the innocent with the guilty.
We are at a loss to know whether President Roosevelt gave voice to these utterances as result of the developments in the Brownsville, Texas investigation. If we could bring ourselves to believe that this was a ray of light, indicating that the door to complete justice would be opened, all would be well. But we dare not hope for such a consummation. The blooded horse of Roosevelt statesmanship has the “bit in his teeth” and he will rush on regardless of the suffering and death he leaves in his wake.
Still there are thousands of colored people in this country, who still believes that the distinguished occupant of the White House will turn to them again and that he will turn to them again and that he will revoke that celebrated order dismissing without honor the heroes of the country, the pride of the Infantry of these United States. It does not add to our strength to abuse him or from his prestige to have our unfortunate people oppose him. It is the injustice of his own action that “kills” and tends to lessen his standing among the truly great men of the world.
President Roosevelt’s speech at the Jamestown Expositions, Friday, April 26, 1907 was an able dissertation on the great question of the day. It afforded him another opportunity to learn whether or not any radical change had taken place in his policies or mode of procedure. He is a brilliant statesman, but some of his utterances seem to be remarkably out of harmony with some of his actions.
In speaking of corporations, he seemed to be oblivious of the fact that the principles enunciated applied to individuals as well.
He said:
“This is the exact spirit in which this country should move to the reform of abuses of corporate wealth. The wrongdoer, the man who swindles and cheats, whether on a big scale or a little one, shall receive at our hands mercy as scant as if he committed crimes of violence or brutality. We are unalterably determined to prevent wrongdoing in the future; we have no intention of trying to wreak such an indiscriminate vengeance for wrongs done in the past as would confound the innocent with the guilty.
We are at a loss to know whether President Roosevelt gave voice to these utterances as result of the developments in the Brownsville, Texas investigation. If we could bring ourselves to believe that this was a ray of light, indicating that the door to complete justice would be opened, all would be well. But we dare not hope for such a consummation. The blooded horse of Roosevelt statesmanship has the “bit in his teeth” and he will rush on regardless of the suffering and death he leaves in his wake.
Still there are thousands of colored people in this country, who still believes that the distinguished occupant of the White House will turn to them again and that he will turn to them again and that he will revoke that celebrated order dismissing without honor the heroes of the country, the pride of the Infantry of these United States. It does not add to our strength to abuse him or from his prestige to have our unfortunate people oppose him. It is the injustice of his own action that “kills” and tends to lessen his standing among the truly great men of the world.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Lower Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Benton Camper
Citation
“Pres. Roosevelt’s Speech,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed October 9, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/490.