The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-28
ROOSEVELT POSITION
President Writes a Letter 10 a Cor.
respondent from South Carolina.
WILL APPOINT NEGROES
10 Office When He Finds Them
Worthy 10 FIJI The Place.
MAKES A FINE DISTINCTION
Says the Numbers ia the State Must
Also Warrant the Recognition.
BRYAN HAS ASKED HIN FOR A TEST.
Desires Him to Appoint a Negro TO a
Big Postotfiee in Northern State
to See What Would Happen.
MAKES A FINE DISTINCTION
Says the Numbers ia the State Must
Also Warrant the Recognition,
BRYAN HAS ASKED HIN FOR A TEST.

Washington, November 81 The president
has sent the following communication TO a
prominent citizen Of Charleston, S. C.:
PERSONALLY
White House. washington, November 20.
NV Dear sir: am 10 receipt Of your let.
ter OF November 10 and 81 one from Mr..
---, under date Of November Ii, In ref
erence TO the appointment OF nr. crum az
collector OF the port Of Charleston
TN your letter you make certain specific
charges against DR.. Crum tending TO show
his unftness in several respects for the
Office sought. These charges are entitled
10 the utmost consideration from me- and l
shall so over them carefully before TAX
Ing any action. After making these charges
you add as Il further reason for opposing
him. that he is a colored man, and. after
reciting the mlsdeeds 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 appointment ma that
Of Or Crum TO any such office fosces US TO
protest unanimously against this insult 10
the white blood aud you add that you IN
derstood me TO say TINT ] would never
force negro on such a community as
yours.
Mr. puts the objection OF color
first, saving that, first, he is colored man,
and that, Of itself, ought to bar him from
the office. 10 view Of these last sta Elements
] think ought to make clear to you why
] am concerned and panied by your max
Ing them aud what my attitude is as re-.
CARDS all such appointments How anyone
could have gained the idea that had said
would not appoint reputable and upright
cOlored men To Office whom objection was
made solely on account OF their color, I
confess J am WISELY unable 10 understand
st tho time OF my visit 70 Charleston last
spring ] had made. and sfuce Tint time I
have made a number OF such appointments
from several states in which there Is con-
siderable colored population For example
made ono such appointment In Mississippi
and another In Alabama shortly before my
visit TO Charleston. bad at that tune
appointed two colored men MS judicial mag
istrates in the District Of Columbia. have
recently announced another such nppoint-
ment FOR New Orleans and have just made
one from Pennsylvania. The great ma.
jorty Of my appointments IN every state
have been Of white men, North and South
alike. and it has been my endeayor to an
point only men Of high character and good
capacity. whether white or blnck.
1T has been my consistent policy In eyery
State where their numbers warranted # 10
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 q small pro
portion of the total number OF appoint.
ments. ! am unable TO see how can Ieeiti.
mately be asked to make an exception for
South Carolina. In South Carolina 10 tho
four most independent positions In the
State have appointed three men and con.
tInued In office fourth, all of them white
men-three Of them originally gold demo
crats-two Of them, as l am Informed, the
sons Of Confederate soldiers. have been
Informed by the citizens OF Charleston
whom I have met that these four men rep-
resent high grade OF public service.
~ do not intend to appoint any mint
man to office, So far as legitlmately can
l shall always eudeaYor to pay regard 10
the wishes and feelings Of the people Of
each locality; but I can not consent TO take
nuUG-tH4
door Of opportunity to be shut upon INV
man, no matter how worthy. purely on the
grounds Of race aud color. Such an atti-
tude would, according to my convictions.
be fundamentally wrong. II. as you hold.
the great bulk Of the colored people nre
not yet TT In point OF character and IN
auence to hold such positions, It seems TO
me that It is worth while putting a premium
upon the effort among them 10 achieve the
character and standing which viii at
them.
'The question Of negro domination does
not enter into the matter at all 1t might
as well be asserted that when ! was gov
ernor Of New York 1 sought to bring about
negro domination In that State because
appointed two colored men OF good charac.
ter and standing 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 as
a director OF the Buffalo exposition. The
question raised by you and Mr.. IN
the statements 20 which / refer is sim.
DIV whether Il is to be declared that, un-
dor no circumstances, shall any man OF
color. no matter how upright and honest.
no matter how good citizen, no matter
how fair In bis dealings with all his fell
lows be permitted 70 hold any offlee under
our government. 1 certainly can not as
sumo such an attitude. and you must per-
init me 10 say that, In my view, IL is an
attitude no msu stAud assume. whether
he looks at n from the standpoint Of the
,rue interests Of the white man
Of the south or Of the coIored man Of
the south mot 70 speak q any other