The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-02
President Roosevelt Writes a
Letter to Clark Howell
Regarding His Appointments Of
Negroes in the South.
FOLLOWED M'KINLEY.
Nothing Will Cause Him to
Change His Policy.
Thinks Agitation Was Started
by Disinterested Parties.


letter from President Roosevelt has been
received by Clark Howell, editor of the
Constitution, in reply to a request for
an expression concerning the recent let
ter from Mr. Harry Stillwell Edwards
Of Macon, in which Mr.. Edwards made
q statement of the presidents position
IN the matter of federal appointments in
the south, holding that the president
had been misunderstood
President Roosevelt writes:
Dear Mr.. Howell:-As to federal ap-
polntments in the south. frankly. it
seems to me that my appointments
speak for themselves and that my policy
IS explanatory. So far from feeling
th&t they need the slightest apology or
justification. my position is that on the
strength of what l have done l have the
right to claim the support of all good
citizens who wish not only high stand
ard OF federal service, but fair and
equitable dealing to the south as we'll as
to the north and a policy of consistent
justice and good will toward all men. In
making appointments I have sought to
consider the feeling of the people of
each locality so far as I could consist
entity do so without sacrificing princi-
pies
The prime tests have applied have
been those of characters. fitness and
ability, and when 7 have been dissatis
fled with what had been offered within
my own party linessI have without hes
Itation gone to the opposite party, and
YOU are. of course. aware that / have
repeatedly done this in your own state
of Georgia. L certainly cannot treat
mere color rs permanent bar to hold
ing office. any more than I could so
treat creed or NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. pro-
yIded that in other respects the apph-
cant or incumbent is worthy and we'll
behaved American citizen. Just as little
viii L treat it as comforting a right to
hold office [ have scant sympathy with
no of ffs
face facts; but do you not think that in the
long run it is safer for everybody if we
act on the motto All Men Up" rather
on that of Some Men Down."
I askyou to judge not by what I say, but
what during the last II months 1 have
actually done. In your own state of
Georgia you are competent to judge
from your own experience. In the great
bulk of the cases I have reapDointed
President McKinIey's appointees. The
changes have made were. as 1 think
you will agree, changes for the better
and not for the worse. It happens I
have appointed white man to succeed
a colOred man as postmaster at Athens
and surveyor at Atlanta. In South Car
DINA I have similarly appointed a white
postmaster to succeed a colored post
master.
Again, in South Carolina I have nomi-
mated a colored man to fill a vacancy
in the position of collector of the port
of Charleston, just as in Georgia l have
reappOinted the colored man who is now
serving as collector of the port of Sa-
vannah Both are fit men. Why the ap-
pointment of one should cause any more
excitement than the appointment Of the
other I am wholly at loss to imagine.
/ need hardly say that to connect either
of these appointments, or any. or all
my other appointments, or my actions
in UNFOLDING the law a IndianOla, with
such questions as social equality" and
negro DONNA ton IS as absurd as to
connect them with the nebular hy-
pothesis or the theory Of atoms.
I have consulted freely with your
own senators and congressman as to the
character and capacity of any apDOln-
tees in Georgia concerning whom there
was question My party advisors in the
state have been Major Hanson of Ma
con, Mr. Walter Johnson of Atlanta
both Of them eX-cOnfederate soldiers
and Mr.. Harry Stillwen Edwards, also
of Macon. I believe you viii agree with
me that in no state would it be possible
to find gentlemen ADLER and more up
right or better qualified to fill the posi-
tons they have filed with reference to
me. In every instance where these gen
tiemen have united in making recon-
mendation I have been able to follow
their advice Am [ not right in saying
that the federal officehOlders whom
have appointed throughout your state
are, as a body. men and women of b
high order Of efficiency and integrityy
IF you know of any federal officeholder
in Georgia Of whom this is not true,
pray 3et me know at once.
I VIII welcome testimony from you or
from any other reputable citizen which
Will tend to show that a given public
officer is unworthy and, most emphat-
ically short win be the shift of anyone
whose lack of worth is proven. Incl
dentally, 1 may mention that large
percentage of the incumbentS of federal
Offices in Georgia under me are. as
understand it, of your own political
faith But they are supported by me
+ in every way as long as they continue to
f render good and faithful service to the
public.
This is true Of your own state and by
/ applying to Mr.. Thomas Nelson Page Of
Virginia. to General Basil Duke of Ken
tuclzy, TO Mr.. George Crawford of Ten
/ nessee- to Mr.. John McIlheny of Louisiana.
+ to Judge Jones of Alabama and Mr. Ed
gar 5. Wilson of Mississippi. all OF them
+ Democrats and all of them men of high
est standing in the respective committees
You VIII ma that what nave done lf
/ Georgia stands not as the exception. but
as the rule for what / have done through
out the south. l have good reason to be
4 lieve that my appoinfees in the different
( states mentioned and the sum of the
pasts a the whole necessarily in the south
/ at large, represent net merely an improve
ment upon those whose places they took
but uDOn the whole a higher standard oi
federal service than has hitherto been at
tanned in the communities IN question
may add that the proportion Of colored
men among these new appointees is only
about one in a hundred
In view of all these facts I have beer
surprised and somewhat panied at wha'
seems TO me the incompre lenSlnle OutcfA
/ in the south about my actions-an outcrS
apparently started in New York for rea
sons wholly uncOnnected with the question
/ nominally at issue am concerned at th'
/ attitude thus taken by so many Of th'
/ southern people. but I am not in the leas
angry. and still less viii this attitude have
1 the effect of making me swerve one hair
/ breadth to one side or the other from
the course / have marked out-the course
have consistentIv followed in the past ana
shall consistently follow Ia the future
With regard. sincerely yours
THEODORE ROOSEN ELF