The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-28
RIGHT OF NEGROES TO OFFICE
THE PRESIDENT STATES HIS At
TI7IDE on THE 81 met.
In . Letter 10 . SOutherncr tie t'Ombsts
the Idea That Color Bars q Man From
once. However Worthy lie May he.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 27.-The President
has sent the following communication TO a
prominent citizen Of Charlest on. s. G.:
Personal WHITE House..
WAsHISOroN. Nov 20. 1910?
My DEAR SIR | am in receipt OF your let
ter Of Nov ~ and OF one from Mr. -- under
date Of Nov II in reference to the appoint
m-n' OF DR. Crum a. Collector OF the Port OF
Charleston
In your letter YOU make certain specific
charges against Dr Cram. tending TO -ho~
his unf1tne-s in several respects for the office
sought These charges are entitled 10 the
utmost considerable ion from n. aud | shall
10 over them carefully before taking any
action After making these charges YOU
add, H. further reu-o for opposition To
him, That he l. 'oloreI man and after re-
citing the mi-d-cd- that followed carp.thae
rule and negro dominat ion in South Carolina
YOU say that we have sworn never again to
snbmit to tl.. rule OF the African, and such
sn appointment ~ that of Or Crum To any
such ONCE forces ~ to protest unanimously
against this insult 20 the white blood =: and
YOU add that You understood me to saw that
! would never force negro on such COM
msnity a. yours Mr. puts the obie ton
OF color first saying first he is "a colored
man, and that oi itself ought 10 bar him
from III. orice
In view OF these Last statements. ! think
I ought 10 make clear to Won why am con
cern-d and paiucd bv your making them.
and What NV attitude j. ~ Regards 10 all
such appOiA,meIt, How any one could have
rain-d the idea that ! had said ! woul d not
spponl rel titnble and upright colorpd men
to offi,- When Oh. ion was made IN them
solely on account OF their color j confess !
! am wholly unable 10 uidr, stand Al the
time of my visit 10 Charleston last spring
! had made and since hat tim. have made,
a number Of such apnointments from several
State III which there IL = consider able oOlOrci
ropulstion For eNainple | made one such
APPOINTMENT IN Mississippi aud anot her IN
Alabana. shortly before my Ni-i, 70 Charles,
ton mad ~ that time app0inted two oolor.d
men y, Iudh iJl magistrates IA the District
OF columbia have recently announced
| and have iu-t made one from Pennsylvania
The great majority OF my appoint monts
In every state have been OF white men North
dcayor to APPOINT men OF high character and
good capacity. whether whit. OF black. But
i ha- been my consistent policy in every state
whore their numbers warranted 1t TO recog-
ni2, colorri men Of good rrpute and stand
INK ~ making appointments TO office These
| STATE made more than a small proportion
| Of tn. total number OF Appointments ]
am unable 10 see how can lecitimntely hc
asked 20 lake an exception foI South Caro-
| lima In South Carolina to the four important
| po,itin IN H." state have appointed three.
| them white men three of them originally
| gold Democrat. two OF them. ~ | am in
| formed the sons Of Confederate soldier
| have been Informed by the citi len- Of Charles
! ton whom | have met that these four men
| represent high grade Of punli" service
do not intend TO apiolht any UNIT man To-
| oiflce. 80 far as ! irgltimatelN can ! shall
| always eudeavor Ia pHr regard to tie " !sh'-
| ana feelings OF the people OF each locality.
| that III" door Of hope the door of oppor-
| tunlty is 20 be shut upon anv man. no ma
ter bow worthy prr"lN UPON a." grounds OF
| race or color Such an attitude would, lr-
| cordlnY 10 my convictions. be- nndam"n
| tally wrong II, rs you bold, ~" great hull,
Of the coiorrd p.opi. are not vet fl in point
Of character and influence 10 hold such poo
sitions, II seems 30 me that it Is worth while
| putting premium upon "a" "Nort anon !
| which will ~ them
IN" question OF negro domination" doc,
not eutsr INTO ~" matter a. all II might
| ~ we'll be asserted tha, wher | was Governor
| OF \rv York sought to bring about regio
\ domination IN that state becaus" APPOINTED
! two colorcd men of good elm ractsr a nd stand.
! INK 10 responsible posi-, ions on" of them to a
POSITION paying salary twice as large "A,
| tha' paid In The Office now under coisidera-
| EXPOSITION.
The question raised bv Won and NJ, ---
| ia tn" statements to which | refer, /. simply
| whether II IL 80 ha declared tia, under no
| circumstances shnl any man Of color, no
, matter how UPRIGHT and honest no matter
J how good citizen. 10 matter how fair il, ms
1 dealings with all his fellows, he permitted -
| hold any Office under our GoVcrnmcnt
certainly cannot asaIltue such an attitude, pi,,i
| Noll must permit me 10 say that in nay Wow
u j. "a a'ttri" no mnn should ASSUME.
! whether he looks al It iron, the STANDPOINT
of thu true interest of the white man Of Va"
| South OF ~ the colored man of IN" South
! not 20 speak OF any other section OF the nioir
! u seems 20 ~" tlHt 1t J. % good thing from
every STANDPOINT 10 let IN" ,oiOrpd man know
| that II he Slow in a marked dear"" IN" ulI,!'-
, ties Of good riti/eUshiD the Qualities which
| III whit. n,un We feel arc entitled TO reward
| then he Will not be cut on from all hops 81
, Slular reward
without any regard n 10 what my decision
/ may he on the merits of this particular npuli-
/ cant for this particular place. feel that |
! ought 10 let Won know clearly nv nttittIl.
! on the FAR broader question raised nv Won aud
| Mr. .---, an attitude from which ! hnVr
| not varied during NV term Of OfllCe Faith
! fully yours VutonoRE RoOsEyfLr
4 Han.