The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-06

case 20 l5dg as one party securely held
II all But it is a very much easier mat
ter to promise offices to colored men dur
Ing Presidential campaign than to
make those promises good. Which ever
party comes into power must unavoid-
ably disappoint the negro. or else break
up rs own white strength n all the
states where the colorei vote is large.
Since the Republicans have been carry
ing border states, like Maryland, West
Virginia, Kentucky, besides breaking in
upon their opponents n Tennessee and
North Carolina, the question OF colored
patronage has become especially troub-
lesome.
Except in a very few positions, white
people do not want colored Office hold
ers. The colored men want the offices.
despite this objection OF them. Your
correspondent was shown letter re-
ceived few days ago by an official OF
this administration in regard 10 the
postmastersnip IN small town IN
Georgia. The community happens 10 be
made up almos: entirely OF northern
people, who have gone in there since
the War, and the writer Of the letter
was himsel. New Hampshire men who
had resided hardly ten years In the
south. But these were his words: Does
this administration intend to insult this
community by the appointment OF
colcred pos.master?" The case is made
still more trying by the acknowiedg-
ment on the part Of the writer that
nelrly all OF these northern people have
become Democrats, and that the negroes
In that town form by far the larger part
OF the Republican party. II such a
community Is "insulted" at the prospect
Of = cokored postmaster. 1t may well be
asked where throughout the south can
the administration recognize" this
large element of its voting strength?
Unfortunately for the colored aspir-
ants for postoffices. Mr.. Gary. the pres
ent head Of the department, is Balt-
more man, and, although a staunch
Unionist in the war, 50 far partakes OF
the sympa thies Of his section that he
does not think colored postmasters quite
the right thing. The case Of Judson
Lyons, candidate for the postmaster
ship Of Augusta, was outlined in these
dispatches several weeks ago. He APP
peared to be an estimable man, and
creditable representative OF his race.
But the postmaster general, 1t is report
ed. could not see his way clear TO ap-
point him. The white women who are
assistants in the Augusta postoffice
| were among the chief DIRECTORS, and 1t
| is said to be on their account that Mr..
Gary decided against the negro.
But the appointment of Mr.. Rucker
as collector of internal revenue for Geor-
4 ela at Atlanta is hardly more satisfac-
| tory, although there are no women IN
the case. The deputies and clerical
force, OF the Office are all white men.
1 who at once declared that they wou.d
ressn their places. no matter how much
they needed the salaries, as soon as thu
colored man became the head OF the OF
fee. How successful colored deputy col
lectcrs of revenue would be in dealing
| with white moonshiners, is another
question which may well be left to the
i,naulnation. The moonshiner regards
| any Interference with his business on
| the part Of the government as rank
| impertinence; when that interference
comes from a colored deputy, 1t IS safe
To say that a life insurance company
would regar da policy on that deputy
as an extrahazardous risk. The wnoie
question is, however, very mucn easier
Far the administration to settle In Geor-
gia than in Maryland. for the Repubh-
| cans do not count on carrying Geors a.
and so can afford to take some chances
Of party unpopularity.
The negroes, on the other hano' are
exceedingly disuu.eted because the ID
ninistratfon Is not doing more tor theih'
Mr.. T. Thomas Fortune, well known
colored journalist. lectured in THIS CITY
a few evenings ago, and olttery ue-
nounced the Republican party Tor "hat
! he regarded as its scant courtesy 10 the
nagro He asserted that the size OF the
colored vote farranted the appointment
of one member of the race 10 the pTesI-
! denis cabinet and that when FreoerlcK
Douglass was marshal Of the district ne
should have been in the cabinet II Is
a n-eyailing idea among cclored ponti-
clans that until one Of their number pre-
sides over a government department JUS
tice will not have been accorded them.
II waIl be recalled that four years ago
| they were in a distressed state OF MIND
because the Cleveland administrator
did not do more for them. and so regular
has this dissatisfaction become with eacn
now administration that II seems safe
10 predict that in the future very
strong force viii IN each presidential
election react in favor Of the party OUT
of mower. In close states this Will amount
| 70 something. Going back few years,
the colored people were greatly dissatis-
fed with President Harrison's treatment
of them and in 1892 Mr.. Cleveland oo-
tanned a vs-v substantial colored vote
Eut his administration OF the patronage
ouestion-and the coiored politician Is
usually interested in no other-was even
more unsatisfactory. The colored vote,
| accordingly went over in full force 70 the
Republican ticket in 1886. II The present
mutterings Of the disappointed ones may
be believed. the vote is going over 10 the
Democracy, or whatever opposition party
may be in the field, in 1900. Here, then.
is force which may be counted on 20 b
with the ours" in all future contests.
One sagacious Republican politician
| privately suggested 10 your CORES. pond
ent that the only way he saw on; q he
difficulty, which ne believed was alarm
ing!y on the increase. would be for the
leaders o. the two parties 20 get togethe-,
and 80 agree - give the negroes moth
ing excep, messengerships. consulsnips
70 black caunt-ies. chapiainships in colo--
ed regiments. and such places as ZAP
proprlately" belong 20 them cco-ding
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