The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-04
ARE SHOOTING AT WRIGHT.
REPUBLICAN LEADERS SAY HE is
TOO ACTIVE POLITICALLY.

They Charge Him With Making Use
of His Office 10 Further His Politi-
cal Ambitions and Make the Point
that ~ College President who Is
Paid by the state should Give His
Entire Time to His Duties and Let
| Politics AIone-Wright Might Have
Been Census Supervisor, But Mem
bers of the College Commission
Were Opposed to His Acceptance
of the Position.
The Republican newspapers and Repub-
lican leaders of the state are going for
President r. r. Wright OF the Georgia
State Industrial College for colored youth
with gloves off. Not only at Savannah,
but at Atlanta. Augusta and elsewhere
they are charging him with giving too
much attention to politics and the lci-
dental inference that he is neglecting the
college in order to serve his political ends
The latest charge is that Prof. Suggs
one Of the teachers of the college, recently
made a tour OF North Georgia in the in
terest of President Wright. his alleged
purpose being to secure the Endorsement
of the District Convention at Rome for
Wright as a delegate from the state at
large to the National Convention. The
charge, if true, is a serious one. and the
Savannah Tribune. in a recent issue, de-
votes considerable space and pontedly
calls the attention of the members of the
commission which have the control of the
colored college to this alleged violation of
the prophecies by the president of the col
lege.
It is not unlikely that this college will
be pressed before the commission, Colec-
tor J. II. Deveaux and other members Of
the faction which now appears to have the
upper hand in local Republican politics
are very bitter against Wright and openly
assert that they want to see him oustel
from his position.
"The head of an educational institution
supported by the state has no business TO
take an active part in politics" said Col
DeveauX yesterday. 1t is sell evident
that man cannot be so constantly active
in politics and at the same time properly
DISCHARGE the duties for which he is paid
by the state. This conduct on the part
of Prof Wright is disapproved by the best
element of The Colored people without re
gard to political affiliations. Many of the
respectable colored people of this city ana
of the surrounding country are now send
ing their children to the Atlanta Univer-
sity, to Booker Washington's school at
Tuskegee, Ala, and to other schools, IN
stead of sending them to the college at
Thunderbolt, solely because of the offen-
sive political activity of the president
I'VE do not dispute Prof. Wrights priv
ilege to take an interest in politics." said
Col. Deveaux. What we object to is that
he should make his position as college
president stepping stone for his ambi-
ton. If he wishes to engage actively in
politics let him get out of the college and
hustle with his coat off believe ii would
be a good thing both for Wright and the
college If he were out"
Col. Deveaux said 1t was well under
stood that Wright is exceedingly anxious
to be delegate to the National Repub-
lican Convention from the state al large,
with the ultimate object of securing some
lucrative appointment from the govern
ment. His ambition is said to lie in the
direction of the treasury, an office with
a large salary attached, which has been
several times filled by colored men.
II a charge of undue political activity Is
preferred against Wright before the COL
lege commission it will be likely to re-
ceive serious consideration. Several
months since, when the appointment of
census supervisors was under considera-
ton the president of the colored college
was given a pointer that he would do
well to stick to his school, and let poll
ties alone. 1t Is stated on good author
ity that the appointment of supervisor for
this district was offered to Wright by
President Mckinley, and that he was
anxious to accept it, going so far as to
| address communications to members of the
college commission. laying the case before
| them and stating his desire to accept the
| appointment, if there We're no objections
| on the part of the commissioners. 1t Is
| understood that of thp commits SOO-
! ers expressed their opposition quite plainly
| and the best evidence that such was the
case is the fact that the appointment was
| not accepted by Wright. Wright's pre-
/ vious acceptance of a paymastership in
/ the United States volunteer army, which
position he filed for several months, was
not approved of by some of the members
| of the commission, and when the question
of the supervisorship was broached they
concluded that II was time to call halt.