The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-09-21
NTKINLFY,S MISTAKE.

MKINLEY'S MISTAKE.
The appointment OF a negro postmaster
down South and the subsequent attempt
10 assassinate him has naturally caused
much comment by the press Of the coun-
try. both North and South President
Mckinley has aroused the resentment Of
the Southern people generally and while
the Southern newspapers all depiore the
attempt on the life Of the negro postmas-
ter. they all denounce in bitter terms the
attempt Of the President to force a negro
ohice-holder upon a community Of white
people and that too against their indig-
nant protest.
Nobody denies the right OF the negro
TO hold office and nobody denies the
right Of the President 10 appoint negroes
to office. But in making such appoint
ments the President should be moved by
considerations other than that Of recog-
nizing tie negro race. No negro should
be appointed to Office simply because he
is a negro. President Mckinley processes
TO believe in the merit system and he
should not appoint n negro unless the
negro possesses qualifications superior to
those of the white race who apply for a
given Office.
But there is another consideration. In
making appointments the wishes and in
terest Of the people TO be served by the
applicant are more to be regarded than
the claims of the applicant himself The
President has no moral right to force
upon community an officer who. for
good reasons. is personally Objectionable
and distasteful 20 the community which
he is to serve.
Governor Atkinson Of Georgia, in re-
viewing the case says that the negro
was appointed postmaster at Hogans-
Vile over the violent protests OF thous-
ands who furnish ninety-one hundredths
Of the business of the community, who
own almost the entire property Of the
community and who represent the affairs
which have made and constitute the civil
lization Of that community.
Gail it race prejudice if you will, but
this prejudice exists at the North as well
as at the South, and we do not believe
that President Mckinley would have dar-
cd to make such an appointment in his
own State, for example, II the white peo-
pie as one man had protested against it.
The President has made a great mis-
take. and so far from doing the negro
race a favor ne has done it great in
jury in arousing the resentment Of the
whites which always and under all cir
cumstances is injurious TO the negro.
Governor Atkinson goes so far as 10 say
that IN making this appointment in def
ance Of tine wishes of the white people Of
Hogansvine, President Mckinley. from a
moral standpoint. is an accessory to the
attempted assassination.
We say that this prejudice Is not con-
fined to the people of the South. \ little
while ago a negro applied for admission
into the Naval Academy at Annapolis
and as mentioned at the time in these
columns even the Republicans ncwspap-
ers in the North took the ground that
%
forcing this negro into the Academy as a
disturbing factor and a marplot They
did not know just now to deal with the
question. but there was a genuine sigh
of relief throughout the whole country
north of the Mason and Dixon line when
the negro failed in his examination.
There is no argument against seni-
ment. The white people Of this country
without regard TO section will not recog-
nizc the negro as a social equal and
his presence is also Objectionable in all
government positions where white men
and white women must be brought IN
daily contact with him. Argue against
this as you may. it is a fact which the
| President Of the United States cannot ig-
more.