The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-10

WICK y CRUM

sam WICK, cOlOred, wilson 6 eIHc'-Ht,
courteous and accommodating postmas-
ter, whose term of office expired !ast
summer is still delivering our mail 'e
is only supposed to be nov TOR
~auS and as there has been no
murmur or complaint from the test
citizenship of this town, democrats
whom Mr.. Roosevelt might naturally
suppose would be his enemies, We would
see no consistency in his remoVal
should that event occur
The above is taken from the editorial
columns of a democratic newspaper
published in Wilson. Still, at the re-
quest of ex-senator Pritchard the pres
ident has decided to GUST Wick and
place a white man in his place. We
have yet to near from the man, white
or black. democrat or republican, who
says that Wick has not made an eff
cient postmaster. The president insists
tina the negroes of the south shall
have their proper representation in Of
flee and right on the heels of that dec
laratiOn he turns down a negro VINO.
barring his color, has for four years
made an acceptable postmaster to the
patrons of the office. Wick must go.
He must make room for a white man.
There are no charges against him that
are worthy of consideration. For four
years he has served the white people
of Wilson acceptably as their postmas--
ter. He is said to be polite, well-manner-
ed and courteous to all with whom he is
thrown in business relations. If there
is a negro in all the south who should
be kept in office Wick is the man, but
still he has to go because h lily
white faction of the republican party
wants him ousted. The president with
all his boosted desire to do the negro
right and to give him an equal showing
with the white man, has not the coTr-
age to say to Mr.. Pritchard that Sam
Wick shall remain in office. The white
people of Wilson have made no strenu-
Gus opposition to him. The people and
the press of that town ave given him
high commentator.
On the other hand the president ap-
points as collector of the DOrt of Char
lesion Il man who is obnoxious to the
entire white population of that city.
They show valid reasons why he should.
not be appointed. One OF the leading
committees of the nat says he is not
the proper person for the place. Not
withstanding the opposition IF the peo-
pie of Charleston and the adverse re-
port of the senate committee, a majority
of which is composed of the PRESIDENTS
party friends, he on the very first day
that the senate of the new congress
meets again sends to that body this
man Crum's name as his appOintee to
the position of collector for the port
of Chrleston. He is in hopes that by
reason of the changes in this commit
tee through the retirement of a number
of alto he will be able to get a
favorable report on the nomination.
He is determined. if possible, to force
this negro on the Charleston people.
The public asks the question why
ference between these two negroes.
When you remember that Mr.. Roose-
welt is raising eaven and earth to Sc
cure the nomination for president the
reason for his cOnduct is perfectly
plain. He is no more at heart the
special friend of the negro than any
other politician. He wants the negro
vote in the national convention and at
the polls If he is nominated. In Nor tn
Carolina the Pritchard faction domi-
mates the republican party and will
control the vote of his state in the con-
ventiOn. That faction saws Wick must
go, and the president bows TO its Will.
In South Carolina there IS no white re-
publican party to kick against Crum's
appointment. but the republican organ
izatiOn has its quota of votes in the
convention II Mr.. Roosevelt expects
to secure this by his backing of the
claim of the negro candidate for collec-
tor of customs at Charleston. This
may not be the kind of politics we ad-
mire in our president, but this is what
Mr.. Roosevelt is doing all the same.