Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-11-28

FITNESS THE SOLE TEST
Sharp Communication Addressed
to a Citizen of Charles
ton, S. G.

sent the following communication to q
prominent citizen Of Charleston, 8. c.:
Personal. ....a r-
White House, Washington, Nov 2s. 1902
My Dear Sir: I am in receipt Of your
letter of November 10. and of one from
Mr.. --. under date Of November II. in
reference to the appointment Of DR.. Crum
as collector Of the port Of Charleston.
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 en-.
titled to the utmost consideration from
me and !! shall 20 over them carefully
before taking any action. After making
these charges you add as further reason
for opposition to him that he Is colorec
man. and after reciting the misdeeds thas
Followed carpctbaG rule and negro DOM
enatin In South Carolina. you say that
we have sworn never again to submit to
the rule Q: Africans, and such an ap-
pointment 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 understA Ind
me to say that l would never force .
negr. on such a community az yours.
Mr.. ---------- puts the objection Of color
fret. saying that ,''flrst he is a col3red
man. and that OF itself ought tD har him
from the ONCE" In view Of these last
statements think ought to make clear
to you ~hy I am concerned and palned by
your making them. and what my attitude
10 - regards all such appointments. How
anyone could have gained the idea that
! had said would not appoint reputable
ana upright colored men to office when
objection was made to them solely on ac-
count OF their color. I confess am who'll
~ unable to understand. At tho time Of
my visit to Charleston last spring had
made. and since that time I have made,
Q number OF such appointments from e.v-
sral states in which there Is consider
able colored population. For example.
made one such appointment n Mis.is-
sippi and another In Alabama shortly bs-
Tore my visit to Charleston. AZ that time
I appointed two colored men as judicial
magistrates in the District OF Columbia,
have recently announced another such
appointment for New Orleans and have
Just made one from Pennsylvania The
great majority Of my appointments In
--,ary state have been Of ftwhite men.
nc. - and south alike At has been my
sadulous sendeaves 70 appoint only men OF
!hich character and good capacity. wheth-
er white or black But It has been my
consistent policy In every state where
their numbers 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 proportion
Of the total number Of appointments.
am unable to soc how l can lcgitimately
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 men
three Of them originally gold democrats
two Of them, as understand. the sons Of
formed by citizens OF Charleston whom
have met that these four men represent a
high grade Of public service.
I do not intend to appoint any UNFIT man
to office. So far as I legitimately can ]
shall always endeavor to pay regard to
the wishes and feellnge Of the people Of
each locality; but I can not consent to
take the position that the door Of hope
the door of opportunity-is to be shut upon
any man. no matter how worthy, purely
upon the grounds OF racc or color Such
IN attitude would. according to my con-
be fundamentally wrong. r. as
you hold, the great bulk Of the colored
people are not yet fit in point OF charac-
ter and influence to hold such positions, It
seems to me that It Is worth while put
ting q premium upon the effort among
them to achieve tho character and stand-
Ing which will At them.
The question OF negro domination
does not enter into the matter at all. 1t
might as we'll be asserted that when
was governor Of Now York I sought to
bring about negro domination In that
state because l appointed two colored
men Of good character and standing to
positions-one of them to
Dayltion paying salary twice as large