The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-28
Question Of Negro Domination Does
Not Apply to Appointments In the
Federal Service.
B. T. wAsHINGToN's STATEMENT
SOUTHERN EDUCATOR SAYS HE Is
NOT POLITICAL MEDDLER.
His Conferences with the President
Have Been Solely I'm the Interest
of the Negro Race.

has sent the following communicate ton to
a prominent citizen of Charleston, S. c.:
MY Dear Sir-I am in receipt OF your
letter of Nov. 10 and of one from Mr.. =.
under date of Nov. II, in reference to the
appointment of DR.. Crum as collector of
the port of Charleston.
I'm your letter you make certain specific
charges against DR.. Crum, tending to show
his unfitness in several respects for the
office sought. These charges are entitled
TO the utmost consideration from me, and
i shall go over them carefully before TAX
ing any action. After making these charges
you add, as a further reason for opposi-
tion to him, that he is colored man, and
after reciting the misdeeds that followed
carpetbag 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 of
DIR. Crum TO 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 1 would never
force negro on such a community as
yours. Mr.. puts the 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 l am concerned and panied by
your making them. and what my attitude is
as regards all such appointments.
How any one could have gained the idea
that had said 1 would not appoint repu-
table and upright colored men to office,
when objection made to them solely
on account of their color. / confess / am
wholly unable to understand. At the time
of my visit 10 Charleston last spring /
had made. and since that time have made.
a number of such appointments from sew
eral States in which there is consider
able colored population. For example,
made such an appointment in Mississippi
and another in Alabama. shortly before nv
visit to Charleston. / had at that time ap-
pointed two colored men as judicial mag
istrates In the District of Columbia.
pointment for New Orleans, and have lust
made one from Pennsylvania.
FEW COLORED MEN APPOINTED.
"The great majority of my appointments
I'm every State have been of white men.
North and South alike ii has been my
sedulous endcavor to appoint only men of
good character. whether white or black
But 1t has been my consistent policy i'm
every State where their numbers warranted
II 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
proportion of the total number of ap-
pointments. 1 am unable to how
can legitimately be asked to make an ex-
ception for South Carolina.
I'm South Carolina to the four most i'm
portant positions in the State L have ap-
pointed three men and continued in office
a fourth. all of them white men-three of
them originally Gold Democrats-two of
them, as / am informed the sons of Con-
federate soldiers. have been informed by
the citizens OF charleston whom l have
grade of public service. L do not intend
TO appoint any unfit man to office. So
far as / legitimately can / shall always
endeavor to pay regard TO the wishes and
feelings or the people OF each locality: but
j cannot conssnt to take the position that
the door of hope-the door OF opportunity
Is 10 be shut upon any man, no matter
how worthy, purely upon the grounds of
race or color. Such an attitude would ac-
cording 10 my convictions, be fundamental
ly wrong. IL. as you hold. the great bulk
of the colored people are not yet fit in
point of character and influence to hold
such positions. II seems to me that 1t is
worth while putting premium upon the
effort among them TO achieve the charac-
ter and standing which will fit them.
NEGRO DOMINATION"
THE question of negro domination does
not enter into the matter at all. II might
as well be asserted that when 1 was Gov
ernor of New York / sought to brina. about
negro domination in that State because 1
appointed two colored men of COOL char
acter and standing TO responsible positions
--one of them TO a position paying a salary
twice as large that paid in the office
now urder consideration-one of them as a
director of the Buffalo exposition.
.The question raised by you and Mr.
in the statements 10 which refer
Is simply whether IL is to be declared that
under no circumstances shall any man of
color no matter how upright and honest
no matter how good a citizen. no matter
how fair in his dealings with all his fell
lows. be permitted to hold any office under
our government. / certainly cannot as
sumo such attitude, and you must per
init me TO say that in my view IL is an at
titude no man should assume, whether he
looks at IL from the standpoint of the true
interests of the white man of the South or
the coiored man of the South-not to speak
OF any other section. IL seems to me that
IL Is a good thing 10 let the coored man
know that IL he shows the qualities OF good
citizens hip-the qualities which in a white
man we feel are entitled to reward-then
he will not be cut of from all hope of sim
liar reward.
without any regard as 10 what my de-
cision may be on the merits OF this par
ticular applicant for this particular place
feel that / ought TO let you know clearly
my attitude on the far broader question
raised by you and Mr.. -; an atti-
tuce from which have not varied durine
my term of office.