Daily Republican., 1881-08-24
PhiladeIphsa's To;orca Police.

up AOlnt]nS d nHlnDer oI coloiei l''''S'
men on his force acted AZ n roililcia
his action was a wise stroke OF polic
either in favor of independence in nu
nicipal elections or in favor of tn
Democratic paper. Nothing coni'
have been done which would more et
fectuaily wipe out tie color line il
politics. If the Mayor ac ed from mo
tives of disinteres. .edness and simpl.
upon his individual responsibility, re
gardless of political bias and becaus
he deemed such action right and proper
and is willing to take the responsibilit,
whatever it may be, then he must b
consideled in the light Of an unSaltisl
municipal officer, removed far above 1h
trade and dicker of politics Had Re
publican Mayor done the same thing, h,
woul have had to undergo an incessan
amount of badgering and political ahus'
from the Democratic press, and q por
tion of the Republican press would moi
have given him hearty endorsement,
but the same action Of a Democratic
Mayor is such a bold movement and
something so unlocked for that the peo-
ple not only admire but applaud iC.
We are finding no fault with Mayor
King for he has taken an important
step which demands our admiration aud
respect, not that it resulted in placing
colored policemen on the force, but that
it stamps him as an officer Of rare indie
pendence CT thought and character.
Had Republican Mayor acted as
Mayor King has it is doubtful if his
Colored officers would have been safe in
accepting their appointments on ac.
count of violence that they would have
encountered from the Democratic
roughs who murdered Cato, only as far
back as 1870. Thnes have indeed
changed since then, and We hail the
change with pleasure. In the year of
our Lord 1881, the political world has
whirled around so rapidly that Demo-
cratic Mayor OF Philadelphia can ap-
point colored policemen, who eau go on
duty without molestation, while ten
years ago they could receive no protec
tion from Democrats, and were sho;
down in lhe streets like dogs.
The meeting Of the colored citizens of
Philadelphia, last Monday night, to
take action in regard to the recognition
Of their race by Mayor King, in making
his appointments to the police torce, was
proper thing for them to DO, if it
meant to emphasize the principle that
all men are equal before the law, but it
1t was only a jubilation over colored
men bein appointed to office, and is a
demand lor political patronage, it is
somewhat to be regretted. Colored
citizens of course have az much right to
be appointed to public Office as any
other class of our ciiizeus, but while it
is proper that they should insist upon
their rights, it will be wise for them to
avoid making office seeking a business.
Much the wisest and safest plan for
ambitious cotvoed men to pursue is to
seek admission into the trades and pro
fessions whose doors Lave been closed
to them in the past. There is no good
reason why industrious and intelligent
colorsd men should not be carpenters,
ship-joinels, blacksmiths, merchants
and other tradesmen as well ~ white
people. A move in that direction
would be far more commencablo than
to engage in scramble for official po-
litical crumbs, whether they fall FROM
n Democratic or Republican table.
: While the colored people are rejoicing
over their recognition by Democratic
Mayor, it should not be forgotten that
this, though the first recognition from
Democratic sources in Philadelphia, is
MOI the first by any means that they
have received. For the last ten years |
Kbpublican officials have been appoint
ing colored men to office in that city,
but Mayor StocklAy did not appoint
them upon his police force, simply be
cause Of the violence from Democrats
tLat would have endangered their lives
had they been appointed. Some years
Ago Mr.. Robert Beatty, the Republican
tax collector, appointed a colored man
to clerkship in the tax office, ana
though the chief office has changed
hands the colored clerk is still in Office
and has been promoted next in rank to
tAe chief clerk by Mr.. Roberts, another
Republican tax collector. Had Messrs.
tatty and Roberts been Democrats,
very likely there would have been a
jubilation held by the colored people,
but being Republicans their action was
passed over in silence. When Colonel
F0rney was a Republican collector of
ele Port he appointed c0ored man
clerk in the Custom House and he is
siill there. Collector Comfy, Forpey's
successor, appointed colored men to lu-
crative positions, aud the next collec-
tor, Mr.. Tuition, continued them. En-
Governor Hartranft, the present col lee
tor, not only continued all the coiofed
men he found in office but he largely
increased the number. General Biug-
ham, Mr.. Fairman aud General Huiie-
koper, Postlnasters IF Philadelphia, all
appointed coIored men to office, aud
though Mayor Stockley lad no cololcd
policemen on his force he had no loss