The record-union., 1897-10-24
THE PRESS ON THE HOGANSvILLE
INCIDENT.

Views concerning the Hogansvflle in
cident widely differ among the press.
Through the Postal Department a negro
was appointed Postmaster at Hogans-
vile. Ga. The man was distasteful to
the people of the village because of
his color There was no serious ques-
tion concerning his ability to discharge
the duties of that office. He was as
saulted and finally was shot from am
bush. He has since recovered, but is
unable to rent a room in the place for
his office. and has therefore to keep it
in his dwelling, not a convenient place.
The Minneapolis Tribune" thinks
the best way to deal with that people
is to abolish the Postoffice at that place.
The people had a right to petition the
President to name a Postmaster not
distasteful to them for social reasons,
but when they resort to attempted as
sassination they place themselves with
out the pale of decent consideration.
The Atlanta Constitution" holds that
the appointment was an insult to the
people and an outrage upon their senti-
ments. Moreover, it contends that the
appointment was the result of bargain
and sale, a reward for service. Besides,
1t denied to the people Of Hogansville
practically the right OF self-govern-
ment.
The Baltimore Sun" declares the ap-
pointment to have been the outcome of
a political spoils bargain. One aD-
pointed to such a position should be
agreeable to the community he is to
serve. 1t was a barbarous thing To
shoot the Postmaster at Hogansville:
out it is an uncfvilized system under
which Postmasters are appointed whom
the people are inclined to shoot.
The New York Press" would have
all colored officials appointed to Fed
eral offices in the South arm themselves
to the teeth, and thus be provided with
means of personal defense. precisely as
if their duties took them among yell
low or brown, instead of white saw
ages.
The St. Louis Republic thinks it
would be prudent for the Administra-
ton to refrain from appointing negroes
to Postofices in the South until the ne
gro there has demonstrated his fitness
and ability to compete with a Chinaman
IL running laundry.
The Charleston News and Courier
sneers at the President for selecting
Hogansville in which to assert and
demonstrate principle. It will be time
enough to do that when there is a ne
gro in the official family at Washing
ton.
The Chicago 'Inter-Ocean" comedies
that the Government should not fo-
ment race prejudice, but neither should
it encourage the idea that the negro
must not hold local Federal offices. To
give countenance to such an idea would
be to cut the colored citizen off from
practical participation in self govern
ment
The Houston CTex.) Post" says it
has always felt kindly to the negro at
the South, but he is wasting his time
thinking of politics until he has become
educationany and financially able ,o
command the respect of the public
The Atlanta Journal" holds that
there is peculiar and absurd distinction
between the negro South and North, in
the estimation Of the Republican party
North they get none of the pudding
victory, but it is thought to be essen
tial to distribute spoils among those OF
the South who do nothing to help tbs
party on to victory.
The Boston Herald holds that the
President has taken wrong way Il
help the dark-skinned race. He has
contributed to stiffen prejudice h
acted well enough when he appointed
a competent colored man to be Internal
Revenue Commissioner at Atlanta, but
it fears that it has been the misfortune
of the President to confer office upon 3
colored citizen at New Orleans wis