The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-22

letter. When ne came IN sight they al
hred, and but for bad marksmanshi,
ne would nave been instantly killed. Tht
assassins fed, supposing that they had
accomplished their work. Loftin. how.
ever, was able 20 reach colored physi-
| clan WHO treated the case so unSkillfully
| that Loftin is now liable 20 die from
Dlood-poisUning.
Tie white residents OF the town had
tried other means OF preventing the ne
gro from becoming postmaster; they had
reused 10 rent him an Office in the vii
lage, and very little Of the mail was a.
lowed to go through his hands The Old
postmaster deposited the village coiec-
ton directly in the mail car, which de-
p-ived the regular postmaster OF his rev.
enues dependent upon cancellations.
lsace prejudice Is very strong in that
town About a year ago Lof.in's bro
Their, revenue officer, was killed in
er brought TO justice for the crime.
When Mr.. Harrison became president.
eight years ago ne appointed a negro
named Cloften postmaster. Notice was
served upon the negro that II would not
be safe 10 accept the office, and-the very
persons who had threatened MS life turn
ed about and secured him a place as a
porter on Pullman car, and TIE man
IS said 70 be now running on train
between Boston ana New York.
Some OF the negro politicians from the
South, who are now in Washington. say
that Lof,in acted very indiscreetly They
assert that a negro postmaster never
ought 10 60 out after dark, especially
during the first few years OF his admin
istration, and that this man ought 70
have known what any invitation taking
him into the darkness menat
The situation is very puzzling one
politically for the administration, ana
especially so since the necessity is urged
For rhe appointment o. a postmaster az
Augusta Two strong forces in opposite
directions are at work upon the presi-
dent in ais general treatmen, OF the
question. Mr.. Gary, the Postmaster
General. who represents white Republi-
canism of the border-s;ate region. does
not look with favor upon the appoint
ment OF negroes 10 these Offices. As one
or mis- friends remarked: He is a South
ern mag. and understands the scenti-
ment perfectly. At the same time. ne
would like go be liberal with The negroes.
and give them anything that he can con-
But no issue could be more disastrous
70 the Republican party in the forthcom-
ing Maryland campaign than the negro
question. Maryland Republicans have
the same opposition 10 ne
gro office holders as the whites further
south, and il has not been considered
safe 10 give the negroes any places ON
he Baltimore legislative ticket this year,
they constitute about one /
sixth of the population Of the city ana
presumably a fourth of the party vote |
here
While Mr.. Gary and the white Republl- !
ans OF Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri. /
ana SUCH states "a are very anxious 10 /
nave the negro kept in the background. !
'lr. Hanna, as man OF his word nat
iralIy desires TO have the president give I
he negroes that recognition which they
we're promised before the convention OF
&C.
w. A. Pledger, a prominent negro poll
ician from Georgia, now in the city, ex-
'resses MS belief this morning that il
ne Augusta case should be settled
:raightway, Stallings. the white candi-
ate, would be appointed postmaster AMI
lyons. the colored man, given something
equally as good" which he could doubt
ess be persuaded TO accept. Mr.. Piedg-
= adds that If the decision in the case
an be postponed for some weeks. until
ne present excitement blows away, Ly-
rs will undoubtedly be appointed