Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-12-04
APPOINTING NEGROES.
President Roosevelt Shows His
Views on the Matter.
LETTER TO 4 CHARLESTON CITIZEN.
The Question Of NEGRO Domination," the
President Says, Does Not Eater Into His
Appointments Of Colorsd Men
to ONCE.

President Says, DOES Not Eater Into His
Appointments Of Colorsd Men
to ONCE.
Washington, Nov. 2s.-The presi-
dent has sent the following commu-
nication to q prominent citizen OF
Charleston, 8. c.:
my Dear Sir: I am in receipt Of
your letter Of November 10 and Of
one from Mr.. -, under date Of No.
vember II, in reference to the ap-
pointment Of DR.. Crum as collector
Of the port Of Charleston. In your
letter you make certain specific
charges against Dr. Crum, tending to
show his unftness in several re-
spects for the Office sought. These
charges are entitled to the utmost
consideration from me and ! shall
70 over them carefully before taking
any action. After making these
charges you add, as further reason
for opposition to him, that he is a
colored man, and after reciting the
misdeeds that followed carpet-bag
rule and negro domination in South
Carolina you say that we have sworn
never again to submit to the rule
Of the African and such an appoint
ment as that Of DR.. Crum to any such
Office forces us to protest unani-
mously against this insult to the
white blood and you add that you
understood me to say that l would
never force negro on such COM
munity as yours. Mr.. - puts tho
objection Of color first, saying that
first he is a colored man and that Of
itself ought to bar him from the
Office. In view of these last state
ments I think ! ought to make clear
to you why I am concerned and
panied by your making them and
what my attitude is as regards all
such appointments. How anyone
could have gained the idea that !
had said l would not appoint reputa-
BILE and upright colored men to Of
Ace, when objection was made to
them solely on account Of their color,
I confess am unable to understand.
At the time Of my visit to Charleston
last spring I had made, and since
that time have made, number Of
such appointments from several
states in which there is consider
able colored population. 1t has been
my sedulous endeavor to only ap-.
point men of high character and good
capacity, whether white or black.
But it is and should be my consist
ent policy in every state where their
numbers warranted 1t to recognize
colored men Of good repute and
standing in making appointments to
Office. These appointments Of col
ored men have in no state made
more than small proportion of the
total number Of appointments. ! 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 | have appointed three
men and continued in Office fourth,
all Of them white-three Of them
originally gold democrats-two OF
them, as | am informed, the sons OF
confederate soldiers. l have been In
formed by the citizens of Charles
ton whom have met that these four
men represent high grade d public
service.
81 do not intend to appoint any I'M
fit man to Office. So far as | legiti-
mately can | shall always endeavor
to pay regard to the wishes and feel
ings of the people Of each locality,
but | cannot consent to take the po-
sition that the door of hope-the
door of opportunities 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 convictions,
be fundamentally wrong. If, as you
hold, the great bulk of the colored
people are not yet fit in point OF
character and influence to hold such
positions, it seems to me that 1t is
worth while putting premium upon
the effort among them to achieve
the character and standing which
viii fit them.
"The question Of negro DONNA
ton does not enter into the matter
at all 1t might as well be asserted
that when | was governor Of New
York | sought to bring negro dom
nation in that state because ap-
pointed two colored men Of good
character and standing to response
BILE positions-one of them to po-
sition paying salary twice as large
as that paid in the Office now under
consideration; one Of them as d.
rector Of the Buffalo exposition.
The question raised by you and Mr..
- in the statements to which l re-
fer is simply whether it is to be de-
clared that under no circumstances
shall any man of color, no matter
how upright and honest, no matter