Evening star., 1897-04-10
COLORED MEN AND OFFICES.

One of the Race Comments on the
Contest for the Recorderxhfp.
10 the Editor of The Evening Star:
Please allow me to join you in your con-
demnation of the unseemly correspondeuce
offensive in more ways than one between
two aspirantS for the office of recorder of
deeds In this District. 1t is quite the right
thlns Tor you to publish the correspond
ence, not that 1t Is at all times instructive
or even intelligible but in so doing Won
are assisting both the President and the
citizens of the District. A political con-
test for office. conducted according to the
principles usually governing such affairs.
is TO be expected, but when the contest
ants give utterance to such crude senti-
ments, expressed in such language as has
been used, one wonders what are the
quahhcations upon which is based their
claim to official recognition. That particu-
of every colored voter within a radius of a
thousand miles-the line is not even
drawn at coal heavers" The few really
worthy men who could quietly and effec-
tiVeiy perform the work of the office are
completely overshadowed by tho blatant
ignorant demagogues. who, we are led to
DeneVe, nave no conception of the duties
oi y, .ne once but regard 1t as a good place
IN Whlch to retrieve their fallen fortunes
Such open violation of all the canons of
common political decency such lack of
knowledge of the ordinary courtesy with
nth waith even competitors for office treat one
anotner, would make the whole affair
ridiculous If there were not a more serious
aspect Oh the case to be considered Are
we, the citizens of the District to paw for
the kind of service that such nersonS ora
likely to render? Is the office of recordar
OF deeds to be reduced to the status of a
political prize-belt to be fought for every
lour years by persons who boldly, nay
proudly, demonstrate their unfitness for
tue place. ThG two
cants. not being wise enough to see that
you were actuated by motives other than
adniiratlon for the literary ability of the
writers, were evidently hattered by the
publication OF their letters and so were
iured on to their own destruction 1t is
wei: GO on with your good work. thus
Ieouchs the number Of claimants to the
minimum. All good. intelligent citizens
will call you blessed
AS a colored citizen I wish to say that
many OF that long suffering class are sim
ply c'sSusted with the whole affair and
express themselves as seeing but ono Of
Two ways for the President to settle the
qaestion.appolnt the colored men to other
ounces. 9. II there are any; if there are none,
oon appoint one of them to the recorder
snip unless he be, one of the very few ouaI
ined III every respect for tine place. And
Just mere L would like to say that the
Mania for offices which they are incanahie
of filling that has broken out among soma
OF the colored men Is going to work them
hCth1ng bEt harm. Some of the incapable
may succeed. as In the past, in getting the
places ttey seek. thus demonstrating their
inability to the general public, the ineyita-
bie result will be the reduction to a min
imum of the places they will be permitted
to hold, and the effectual shutting out OF
the few men who are really able to hold
omceS requiring qualifications of an order
higher than usual. Worthy men are usual
iy modest. and no self-respectng man could
take part in the style of rivalry which
seems to prevail in the present unhoIy
scramble for the recordership. 1t is better.
far better. that one capable, gentlemaniy
reliable colored man hold office in such
manner as to reflect credit upon the whole
people and gain respect for them than for
one hundred incapables to be appointed to
places where they can command only ILL
concealed contempt, and where they arouse
to greater ]egree that already crushing
prejudice which makes life hardly worth
living for the few who really feel ITS cruel
injustice
1t seems to me that it would be more
sensible in a people who have yet to prove
their fitness in many directions to confer
seriously as men should endeavor to Sc
lect the man who will best fill the position
sought for. then combine their strength
upon the man selected and earnestly press
his claims for the place. Under such cir
cumstances their Endorsement would mean
something and would carry weight.
A CITIZEN