The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-05-18
NEGROES AND OFFICES.

The President has appointed another
negro to a prominent place in one of the
executive departments, Mr.. JOHN r. LYNCH
having been made fourth auditor of the
| treasury. There is already CONSERVATION
| in one division of the land office, Rev
JAMES TOWNSEND, a colered man of Rich
mond, Indiana, having been appointed to
the recordership. There are many ladies
in the division, and it is said most of these
have asked to be transferred to other
places. They do not say why they want to
go, but it is very well understood by those
in authority. The women do not like to
take orders from negro; they do not like
to live on terms of social equality with a
black man; it degrades them in their own
estimation 10 know that their official su-
perior, to whom they must show respect
and Difference, is a negro. 1t doesn't help
matters any that the man is the equal of
the white man in the qualities which we
admire. The Rev. TOWNSEND is educated,
refined and wealthy, and if he were not
black would be leading and highly re
spected citizen in any community
but his goodness, his intelligence,
his education, his refinement and
his wealth cannot change his
color rrace, nor can they overcome in others
the repugnance felt towards the black.
There is not a man or woman in the bureau
but would accept less money if by the sur
render they could escape him. and we do
not doubt the employees would cheerfully
pay the recorders salary from their own
wages, if by so doing they could have
white man in the place.
In theory, it may be right and proper to
put negroes in federal Offices Having
made them citizens and conferred upon
them all the rights and privileges before
the law which others enjoy, they are en-
titled to equal consideration with members
of the white race, and as matter of right
in the abstract, ought not to be discrimi-
mated against But there is a race preiu-
dice which neither laws nor training can
overcome, and we doubt the wisdom of set
ting it at defiance as politicians do when
they undertake to ignore color and place
the black man on the plane occupied by
the white. The inequality has been recog-
nized since the time when records began.
anu NAiS ~ Jlloj IL VIII
to be recognized while the races exist.
Then why defy it, as is done every time
a negro is placed in position
like those to which Harrison
is appointing blacks: Why offend and
punish white men and women because of a
prejudice which is a part of their nature
and which cannot be overcome any more
than other features of their natures can be
destroyed:
We are aware that this kind of talk is
not particularly orthodox, and that in the
opinion ofisome, it is little less than trait
orous; but we also know that it is the hon
est truth which cannot be disturbed by all
the maudlin sentiment of the politicians
and of the philanthropists who are trying
to do vain thing in their efforts to destroy
the color line. If the negroes must have
office, let them have offices where they can
not offend the sensibilities or self-respect
of white men and women. Let the Rev.
TOWNSEND have his receivership, and give
the desks in his bureau to other black men
and women, but do not compel sensitive
white ladies to court him in order to retain
their places and earn money with which to
live.