Evening journal., 1902-11-28
REASONS FOR
T. NAMING NEGROES
President Roosevelt Writes a
Letter Explaining Why He
I Made Such Appointments
10 UNFIT MAN WILL Be SELECTED


ernment.
n Washington, Nov. 2S.-The presi-
ent has sent the following communi-
alton to a prominent citizen os
,harleston, S, c.:
White House, Washington, Nov. 26,
1902:
"My Dear Sir-I am in receipt Of
our letter of November 19 and of
ne from Mr.. -, under GATE of
November II, in reference to the ap-
tointment of DR.. Crum as collector
f the port of Charleston. In your
etter you make certain specific
harges against DR.. Crum, tending to
how his unfitness in several respects
OF the Office sought. These charges
re entitled to the utmost considera-
ion from me, and l shall go over
hem carefully before taking any ac-
+ ion. After making these charges you
Z id, as a further reason for opposi-
+ ion to him, that he is a colored man,
nd, after reciting the misdeeds that
ollowed carpet bag rule and negro
domination in South Carolina, you say
hat we have sworn never again to
ubmit to the rule of the African, and
I uch an appointment as that of DR..
,rum to any Office forces us to pro
I est unanimously against this insult
tho white blood and you add that
rou understood me to say that would
.llever force a negro on such COM
lnunity as yours. Mr.. - puts the
objection of color first, saying: First
tle is a colored man, and that of itself
ought to bar him from the Office. In
blew of these last statements. l think
ought to make clear to you why 1
.m concerned and panied by your max
ng them, and what my attitude is as
regards all such appointments. How
my one could have gained the idea
hat I had said l would not appoint
equitable and upright colored men TO
bnice, when objection was made to
hem solely on account of their color,
confess | am wholly unable to un-
lerstand. At the time of my visit to
Charleston last spring l had made,
md since that time l have made a
lumber of such appointments from
ieveral states in which there is a con-
iderable colored population. For ex-
lmple, I made one such appointment
n Mississippi and another in Alabama.
had at that time appointed two col
4 ired men as judicial magistrates in
he District of Columbia. / have re-
ently announced another such ap-
n continent for New Orleans. and have
ust made one from Pennsylvania. The
great majority of my appointments in
livery state have been of white men
North and South alike, it has been
ny sedulous endeavor to appoint only
4 nen of high character and good ca
lacity. whether white or black. But
has been my consistent policy in
very state where their numbers war
santed it to recognize colorcd men oi
rood repute and standing in making
appointments I am unable to see how
can legitimately be asked to make
IN exception for South Carolina. II
south Carolina to the four most i'm
lortant positions in the state have
appointed three men and continued il
office a fourth. all of them white mel
three of them originally Gold Dem
bcrats-two of them, as / am inform
I'd. the sons of Confederate soldiers
II do not intend to appoint any unfi
60. I To- N,
# an. | shall always endeavor to pa,
egard to the wishes and feelings o
he people of each locality, but l can
lot consent to take the position tha
he door of hope-the door of oppoI
unity Is to be shut upon any man
20 matter how worthy, purely upo
he grounds of race or color. Such al
ttitude would. according to my cor
ictions. be fundamentally wrong. Il
& You hold, the great bulk of the co
red people are not yet fit in point c
haracter and influence to hold sue
positions. it seems to me that it
worth while putting a premium upo
he effort among them to achieve tn
haracter and standing which will
hem.
"The question raised by ycu an
tr. -- in the statement TO whic
refer IS simply whether it is to b
declared that under no circumstance
hall any man OF color, no matter ho'
lpright and honest, no matter ho'
.ood a citizen, no matter how fair
lis dealings with all his fellows,
,ermitted to hold any Office under OF
government. I certainly cannot a
ume such an attitude, and you mus
,ermit me TO say that in my view
an attitude no man should assum
whether he looks at it from the stan
!..a ,oint of the true interest Of the whit
nan Of the South or of the colore
nan of the South, not to speak Of an