Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-12-03
SAYS HE'S COLOR BLIND.

SAYS HE'S COLOR BLIND.
President Replies to Protest From
Charlestonians.
The president has given out for pub
lication a letter that he recently wrote
to a citizen of Charleston in reply to
protest against the appointment Of
w. D. Crum, the Negro candidate for
collector of the port Of Charleston. 1t
has been understood for some time that
the president is favorably considering
the idea Of appointing Crum; but is
hesitating on account Of certain
charges, and because of the fact that
after being appointed postmaster by a
Republican president, Crum failed Of
confirmation by a Republican senate.
It is still possible that Crum may be
appointed; but there is reason to be-
lieve the chances are against him. The
presidents letter, however, Is especial
ly interesting. as giving his views on
the subject of appointing Negroes to
office. It reads as follows:
WHITE HOUSE, Washington, D. c.,
November 26, 1902.-(Personal.)-My
Dear Sir: am in receipt Of your let
ter Of November 20, and one from Mr.
=. under date of November II, In ref
erence to the appointment Of DR.. Crum
as collector Of the port Of Charleston.
In your letter you make certain specir-
ic charges against DR.. Crum, tending
to show his unfitness in several res
poets for the office sought. These
charges are entitled to the utmost con-
sideration from me and shall go over
them carefully before taking any ac-
tion. After making these charges you
add, as q further reason for opposition
to him, that he Is a colored man, ana,
after reciting the misdeeds that roi-
lowed carpet-bag rule and Negro DOM
ination in South Carolina, you say that
1--WE have sworn never again 10 SUD-
NIT to the rule of the African, and SUCH
an appointment as that OF DR.. Crum 10
any such office forces us to protest
unanimously against this insult to the
white blood" and you add that you
understood me to say that I would
never force a Negro on such COM
munity as yours.
Mr.. - puts the objection Of color
first, saying: First, he Is a colored
man, and that Of itself ought to bar
him from the office" In view OF these
last statements I think ought to make
clear to you why am concerned and
panied by your making them and what
my attitude Is as regards all such ap-
pointments. How any one could have
gained the idea that had said I would
not appoint reputable and upright col
ored men to office, when objection was
made to them solely on account OF their
color, I confess am wholly unable to
understand. At the time Of my visit TO
Charleston last spring had made, and
since that time have made, a NUMBER
of such appointments from several
states in which there ts consloerapie
colored population.
For example, I made one such ap-
pointment in Mississippi and another
in Alabama shortly before my visit to
Charleston. I had at that time ap.
pointed two colored men as judicial
in the District Of Colum-
bia. I have recently announced anoth-
er such appointment in New Orleans
and have Just made one from Pennsyl-
vania. The great majority OF my ap-
in every state have been OF
white men. North and south alike 1t
has been my sedulous endeavor to ap-
point men Of high character and good
capacity, whether white or black. But
It has been my consistent policy IN
every state where their numbers war
ranted 1t, to recognize colored men or
good repute and standing In making
appointments to office. These appoint
ments Of colored men have In no state
made more than a small proportion OF
the total number Of appointments. 1
am unable to see how can legitimately
be asked to make an exception for
South Carolina. In South Carolina to
the four most important positions IN
the state I have appointed three men
and continued in Office fourth, all or
them white men-three Of them origi-
nally Gold Democrats-two Of them. as
I am informed, the sons Of Confererate
soldiers. I have been informed by the
citizens of Charleston whom I have
met that these four men represent q
high grade Of public service.
I do not intend to appoint any UNIT
men to Office. So far as legitimately
can I shall always endeavor to pay
regard to the wishes and feelings Of the
people Of each locality, but I cannot
consent to take the position that the
door of hope (the door Of opportunity
Is to be shut upon any man, no mat
ter how worthy, purely upon the
grounds Of race or color. Such an at
titude would, according to my convic-
tions, be fundamentally wrong. II, as
you hold, the great bulk Of the colored
people are not yet fit in point Of char
acter and influence to hold such posi-
tions, it seems to me that 1t Is worth
lii =
fort among them to achieve the char
acter and standing which will fit them.
The question of Negro domination"
does not enter into the matter at all.
It might as we'll be asserted that when
I was governor Of New York I sought
to bring about Negro domination in
that state because appointed two
colored men Of good standing and char
acter to responsible positions-one OF
them to a position paying a salary
twice as large as that paid in the office
now under consideration-one Of them
a director Of the Buffalo exposition.
The question raised by you and Mr..
-, in the statements to which refer
Is simply whether 1t Is to be declared
that under no circumstances shall any
man Of color, no matter how upright
and honest. no matter how good cit
lZeH, lO UldlleT uoW ldlT III Ills uedlli6S
with all his fellows, be permitted to
hold office under our government. GER
tainly cannot assume an attitude. and
you must permit me to say that in my
view it is an attitude no man should as
sumo, whether he look at 1t from the
Of the true interest Of the
white man Of the south or of the COL
ored man Of the south-not to speak Of
any other section Of the Union. It
seems to me that it Is good thing
from every standpoint to let the COL
ored man know that II he shares in
marked degree the qualities Of good cit
qualities which in white
man we feel are entitled to reward
then he will not be cut Off from all