The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-12-29

Pennsy vanla
e,.ANcHE x. BRUCE avenue as a sem
stor never made him fool. When de- /
feated by the people for reelection, he
did not charge and swear and accuse
the whites of ballot box stuffing and the
like. He took his medicine When first
appointed register Of the treasury, he |
dined that day on pot liquor and turnip |
green's He didn't ride to his Office in a |,
carriage. He didn't walk up the steps |
in the treasury building with cigar
between his lips and an air of superior
ity ON his face. Neither did a silk tile
cover his kinky hair. 1t was broad
brimmed plantation chapeau, and he
pulled it off when he opened the door
leading to his Office. That was Bruce.
He possesses more than ordinary in
tellipence He can make speech that
commands attention and brings about
thought from those who listen. With
the exception of Fred Douglass, now
dead, Bruce is nearer his people than
any other colored man that has appeared
ON the political stage in America. His
word with the negroes has been law.
They have followed him blindly. and he
has never yet advised them wrongly. If
it were in his power today, he would
bring about complete reconciliation be.
tween the two races. He Is devoid OF
prejudices Slavery was tolerated by
law. 1t was abolished in sea Of blood
For him that settled it. Neither does he
believe in negro domination, and his
views OH negro equality are liberal
Bruce was elected Unitetx tates senator
as soon as Mississippi was readmitted
into the Union and served the regula-
ton term of six years. Previously he
had been sergeant-at-arms OF the state
senate and before that had been tax col
lector of Bolivar county. This was dur
ing the administration of Adelbert
Ames. 1t was the policy of most Office
holders in those days to turn in just as
little money to the state as possible, but
it has been said that Bruce never held
out cent that his textbooks were
clean, and that he left the Office poorer
than when he entered it.
The legislature that elected him in
1876 was Republican by an overwhelm-
ing majority There were not more than
dozen white men in the lower branch.
If remember correctly, John r. Lynch,
ex-member of congress and fourth
auditor of the treasury under the Har-
rison administration, was speaker OF the
house at the time Bruce was victorious
He had but little opposition. AS between
Bruce and another candidate, who was
white man, the responsibility OF tho
state preferred Bruce. When he went to
Washington and presented his creden-
tails and took his seat, he had the dis
tinction of being the first negro to have
u voice and vote in the upper branch
of congress. He was the first and ne
has had no successor.
Bruce served his term without put
ting ON any airs. He rarely ever made
a speech, and when he did it was OF the
mild type. He did not inveigh against
his white countrymen, nor did he be-
lieve that "black heels should be put
ON white necks' because his race had
once been shackled He commanded the
respect of his colleagues and when, ait,
er serving his term, he was appointed
register of the treasury his nomination
met with practically no opposition by
the southern senator's Bruce never re
turned to Mississippi to live after be
was elected senator. He has comfort
able home on Capitol hill and lives thu
life of quiet we'll to do fellow.
Bruce, Lynch, Quincy, Montgomery
Hill and Washington are the represent
alive colored men of the nation--tha
is in political sense. Lynch will soon
or or later be t-l.en care OF by the ad
ministration Hill has been appointe
register of the land office at jackson
Miss; Washington is president OF tn
colored school at Tuskegee, Ala, an
does not care for any political once
Montgomery, the only colored membe
of the late constitutional convention
Mississippi, has returned to his farm
the delta and says that he will advls
with his party in the future. but thu
he will not be candidate any more
and Quincy is dying in Texas. Cune
has been the Republican leader in Te'
as politics for the past decade. lie III
had various factions to fight. but lie h'
always come off victorious. He IS u
best educated one of the lot. he NJ
mastered Greek and Latin and speal
two or three languages with huenc.
He was port collector Of Galveston ui
der Arthur aud again under Harrison
AS debater he has but few equals +
is profound student and thinker OIL
is naturally q leader Of men. VINE
some years ago the Lilly Whites 0
ganized at Houston for the purpose
eliminating the negro in politics Gun.
went to work to defeat 1t and all
plans. That he was successful VI
proved by the convention that nemisat
Major Mckinley at ST. Lovia-Jan