St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-27
RACE PREJUDICE

The Freeman. a newspaper published
in the interest of the cOlored people,
suggests that ex-senator BLANCHE K.
BRUCE s. is the proper size for cabinet
TIMBER and urges that the colored
voters are entitled to representative
in the presidential family. So far as
his physical makeup goes, Mr.. BRUCE
is the proper size beyond all doubt, and
he is unquestionably brainier man
than some who are spoken of in connee-
ton with cabinet offices. He is like
wise man OF pure character, and in
every sense most worthy representa-
tive of his race. But for all that, he
doesn't stand a ghost of show for
a cabinet position, nor does any other
c0lored man Oh the face of the green
earth. There are two reasons why
no colored man will be invited
into a Republican cabinet. First. as
long as the colored voters go to the
polls like sheep and vote the Republican
ticket the Republican managers will see
no necessity for catering to their desire
to be recognized by appointments to re-
sponsibe positions. The Republicans
will continue to ignore the negroes i'll
the distribution of official hOnors just SO
long as the negroes will consent to serve
the party by voting IN solid mass for
the Republican ticket. When, if ever,
there is anything like an equal diviSionin
politics AMONG coiored voters, then only
will there be disposition manifested
by the party managers to reward their
services with official plums. In the sec
ond place, to admit Mir. BRUCE as a
member of the HARRISON administration
would be to place him and his family on a
plane Of social equality with the other
members Of the cabinet. This is some
thing that would not be tolerated for one
moment in official circles at Washing
ton. AS much friendship as the Re-
publican leaders profess for the colored
man, there is not one of them who will
recognize the negro as his social equal.
Gen. HARRISON himself will not do it,.
Mrs. HARRISON would suffer her right
eye to be plucked out rather than en-
dure the presence of Mrs. BRUCE at a
state dinner or to have her stand by her
side at a White house reception. The
wives of the other members of the
cabinet would rise up in open rebellion
if the mistress of the White house were
to attempt to put them on a social
plane with colored woman. Republic
an fOndnesS for the negro is purely
sentimental. There is nothing prac-
teal about it. The most thoroughly
ostracized couple in Washington to-day
are FRED DOUGLASS and his white
wife. The whites oStraciZe her because
she married negro. The colored
people ostracize him because he mar
ried a white woman. And yet DoUG-
LASS and his wife are people of culture
and of good character. When BRUCE
was a senator neither he nor his wife
was admitted into the upper circle of
senatorial society. and yet there was
not more decent couple in Washing
ton. If BRUCE went into the cabinet it
would be impossible to draw caste
lines by which he and his pretty
octoroon wife could be excluded from
the whrl of high social life at the ma
iiOnal capitol. Therefore he will not go
in, and thus all embarrassmentS of this
character will be avoided. The Repub-
lican orators and the Republican press
may pirate as much as they please about
the deplorable condition of the down
trodden negro race. but when it comes
To a question Of the negro'S social eleva-
ton, they are the last ones TO extend a
helping hand. Race prejudice is just
as strong i'll the Repu lican breast as it
is in the Democratic, and il there is
any difference, it is trifie stronger.