The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-03
THE PRESIDENTS SIDE
TELLS OF HIS APPOINTMENTS
 IN THE SOUTH.
Declares That His Earnest Endeavol Has Been to Name Men Best Qualified to Fill the
 Offices.

Atlanta. Ga, March 1.-The following letter from President Roosevelt to the editor of The Constitution is a reply to request for an expression concerning the recent letter from Harry Stillwen Ed wards of Macon, in which MT. Edwards made statement of the Presidents posi- aion in the matter of Federal appoint nents in the South, holding that the Pres edents Sad been misunderstood.
 President Roosevelt writes:
 White House,
 'washington, February 24, 1903. ~TIon, Clark Howell. Editor The Consti-
 tution, Atlanta, Ga:
 Dear MT. Howell-As to Federal ap- pointments in the South. frankly, 1t seems 10 me that my appointments speak Tor themselves and that my policy Is self-ex- nIanatory. So far from feeling that they heed the slightest apology or justification. my position is that on the strength Of what I have done have the right to elair the support of all good citizens who wish not only high standard or Federal service, but fair and equitable dealing to the South as well as to the North and a policy of consistent Jusuce and good will toward all men. In making appointments I have sought to consider the feelings of the people of each locality so far as I could consistently do so with nut sacrificing principle. The prime tests T have applied have been those of charac- ter. fitness and ability, and when nave heen dissatisfied with what has been off, fered within my own party lines, l have, without hesitation. gone to the opposite party; and you are. of course, aware that I have repeatedly done this in your own State of Georgia
 T certainly cannot treat mere color as a permanent bar to holding office, any rnore than could treat creed or birth olace: always provided that in other re- npects the applicant or incumbant Is worthy and ell-behaved American citi- zen Inst as little will I treat 1t as con- ferrtnE a right to hold office. have scant sympathy with the mere docrtnaire; with the man of mere theory who refuses %o face facts But do you not think that fin the long run 1t is safer for everybody
 we act on the motto, All men up rath- er than on that of Some men down?'
 .'I ask you to judge not by what say hut what during the last seventeen months I have actually done. In your own State of Georgia you are competent 10 judge from your own experience. In ehe great bulk of the cases l have re- appointed President Mckinley's ap- Sointees, The changes I have made, kuch as that in the postmastership or Athens and in the Surveyorship at Att hnta were, as I think you will agree, changes for the better and not for the worse. It happens that in each of these offices I have appointed white man to Nucceed colored man. In South Caro- hna I have similarly appointed a white Postmaster to succeed a colored postmast- Sr. Again, In South Carolina. have nominated a colored man to fill vacan- ey in the position of Collector of the Port of Charleston just as in Georgia have re-appointed the colored man who k now serving as Collector of the Port pf Savannah. Both are fit men. Why the uppointment of one should cause any hnore excitement than the appointment pf the other. I am wholly at a loss to Imagine As I am writing to a man of keen and trained intelligence. I need hardly say that to connect either of these appointments, or any or all my other appointments or my actions in upholding the law at Indianola, with such questions as social equality and negro domina- Hon' Is as absurd as to connect them with khe nebular hypothesis or the theory of atoms.
 'I have consulted freely with your own Venators and congressman as to the char Acter and capacity of any appointee in