Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1902-12-04
THE PRESIDENTS POSITION.
Tells South Carolina That Men As
Men Are Appointed.
HE DECLARES HIS ATTITUDE.

Washington. Dec. 1.-Prominent cit
liens of South Carolina having ad-
dressed the president in rcmonstrance
against the appointment of negro as
collector of the port of Charleston, Mr..
Roosevelt replies clearly and forcibly
defining his attitude. He says:
''In your letter you make certain
specific charges against DIR. Crum,
tending to show his unfitness in several
respects for the Office sought. These
charges are entitled to the utmost con-
sideration from me and 1 shall go over
them carefully before taking any ac-
ton. After making these charges you
add, as further reason for opposition
you say that I'VE have sworn never
again to submit to the rule of the
African, and such an appointment as
that of DIR. Crum to any such Office
forces lis to protest unanimously against
this insult to the white blood and you
add that you understand me to say that
/ would never force q negro on such a
community as yours.
"Mr. -- puts the objection of
color first; saying that first, he is
colored man, and that of itself ought
to bar him from the Office. In view of
these last statements l think 1 ought to
make it clear to you why 1 am con-
cerned and panied by your making
them and what my attitude is regards
all such appointments.
sit is and shall be my consistent
policy in every state where their num-
bers warranted it to recognize colored
men of good repute and standing in
making appointments to Office. These
appointments of colored men have in
no state made more than a small pro-
portion of the total number of appoint
ments. 1 am unable to see how can
legitimately be asked to make excep-
ton for South Carolina.
81 do not intend to appoint any unfit
man to Office. So far as l legitimately
can 1 shall always endeavor to pay
regard to the wishes and feelings of
the people of each locality, but 1 can
not consent 10 take the position that
the door of hope, the door of oppor-
tunity, is to be shut upon any man, no
matter how worthy, purely upon the
grounds of race or color. Such an
attitude would, according to my con-
victions, be fundamentally wrong. If,
as you hold, the great bulk of the col
ored people are not fit in point of
character and influence to hold such
positions, it seems to me that il is
worth while putting n premium upon
the effort among them to achieve the
character and standing which will fit
them.
1.-The question of negro domination
does n OF enter into the matter at all.
1.-THE question raised by you and Mr.
is simply whether it is to be
declared that under no circumstances
shall any man of color, no matter how
upright and honest, no matter how
good citizen, no matter how fair in
his dealings with all his fellows, be
permitted to hold Office under our gov
ernment ! certainly cannot assume
such an attitude, and you must permit
me to say that in my view it is an atti-
tude no man shall assume. 1t seems
to me that it is good thing from
every standpoint to let the colored
man know that if he shows in a mark
ed degree the qualities of good citizen
ship-the qualities which in a white
man we feel are entitled to reward,
then he will not be cut from all hope of
similar reward.
without any regard as to what my
decision may be on the merits of this
particular applicant for this particular
place. feel that 1 ought to let you
know clearly my attitude on the far
broader question raised by you and
Mr.. --, an attitude from which 1
have not varied during my term of
office. Faithfully yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"