Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-01-28

Pennsy | wants
BLANCHE X. BRUCE. avenue as a sen
ator never made him a fool. When de
feated by the people for reelection, h,
did not charge and swear and accuse
the whites of ballot box stuffing and the
like. He took his medicine. When frs,
appointed register of the treasury, he
dined that day on pot liquor and turnir
greens. He didn't ride to his office in q
carriage. He didn't walk up the steps
in the treasury building with a cigal
between his lips and all air Of superior
ity on his face. Neither did a silk tile
cover his kinky hair. 1t was a broad
brimmed plantation chapeau, and he
pulled it off when he opened the door
leading to his office. That was Bruce.
lie possesses more than ordinary in.
t%elligence. He can make a speech that
commands attention and brings about
thought from those who listen. With
the exception of Fred Douglass, now
dead, Bruce is nearer his people than
any other oolored man that has appeared
on the political stage in America. His
word with the negroes has been law.
They have followed him blindly, and he
has never yet advised them wrongly. If
it were in his power today, he would
bring about complete reconciliation be-
tween the two races. lie is devoid Of
prejudices. Slavery was tolerated by
law. 1t was abolished in a sea of blood.
For him that settled it. Neither does he
believe in negro domination, and his
views on negro equality are liberal.
Bruce was elected United States senator
as o as Mississippi was readmitted
into the Union and served the regula.
tion term Of six years. Previously he
had been sergeant-at-arms Of the state
senate and before that had been tax col
lector of Bolivar county. This was dur
ing the administration of Adelbert
Ames. 1t was the policy of most office
holders in those days to turn in just as
little money to the state as possible, but
it has been said that Bruce v held
out a cent, that his taxbooks were
clean, and that he left the office poorer
than when he entered it.
The legislature that elected him in
1876 was Republican by an overwhelm-
ing majority. There we're not more than
dozen white men in the lower branch.
II l remember correctly, John R. Lynch,
ex-member Of congress and fourth
auditor Of the treasury under the Har-
administration, was speaker Of the
house at the time Bruce was victorious.
had but little opposition. As between
Bruce and another candidate, who was
white man, the responsibility Of the
state preferred Bruce. When he went to
Washington and presented his creden-
5ials and took his seat, he had the dis
5lnction of being the first negro to have
\ voice and d vote in the upper branch
congress. He was the first, and he
las had no successor.
Bruce served his term without put
ing Oh any airs. He rarely ever made
speech. and when he did it was of the
mild type, He did not inveigh against
lis white countrymen, nor did he be-
ieve that "blaok heels should be nut
II white necks" because his race had
nee been shackled. He commanded the
aspect Of his colleagues, and when, aft
II serving his term, he was appointed
egister of the treasury his nomination
with practically no opposition by
southern senators. Bruce never re-
urned to Mississippi to live after he
vas elected senator. He has a comfort
BILE home on Capitol hill and lives the
ife Of a quiet, we'll to do fellow.
Bruce, Lynch, Quincy, Montgomery
I'LL and Washington are the represent.
tive colored mel of the nation-that
J, in q political sense. Lynch will soon-
r or later be taken oare Of by the ad.
Illustration Hill has been appointed
Of the land office at jackson,
Washington is president of the
olored school at Tuskegee, Ala, and
oes not care for any political office;
[ontgomery. the only colored member
the late constitutional convention of
Mississippi, has returned to his farm in
10 delta and says that he will advise
18th his party in the future, but that
will not be q candidate any more,
Quincy is dying In Texas. Quincy
been the Republican leader in Tex
!, politics for the past decade. He has
various factions to fight, but he has
ways come off victorious. He is the
'st educated n Of the lot. He has
astered Greek and Latin and speaks
70 or three languages with fluenoy.
Q was port collector Of Galveston I'M
Arthur and again under Harrison.
8 a debater he has but few equals. He
q profound student and thinker and
naturally q leader Of men. When
me years ago the Lilly Whites" or.
nized at Houston for the purpose Of
lminating the negro in politics, Quincy
to work to defeat it and all its
ans. That he was successful was
owed by the convention that nominated
Mckinley at st. Louis. james
Evans in Chicago Times Herald.