This Day in History:, Teddy Roosevelt Discusses br America’s Race Problem.br February 13, 1905.br Roosevelt delivered a speech to the br NYC Republican Club in which he discussed br the country’s state of race relations.br During his administration — br just 40 years after the end of the Civil War —br much bitterness existed between the North and the South.br The West had also seen an br influx of Asian immigrants, br sparking new nationalistic br and racial tensions.br Roosevelt’s solution was to proceed slowly toward br social and economic equality, taking caution br against radical changes in government policy.br He suggested a gradual adjustment in the attitudes br of whites toward ethnic minorities.