The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-01-16
YORK HERALD ON NEGRO
APPOINTMENTS.

The New York Herald stands pat
with the white people Of the south on
the question of appointment by the
president of negroes to offices in his
section. 1t is emphatic in it's disap-
prevail of the presidents action in the
appointment of Crum IN Charleston
and the closing of the I%ndiano!a post
office and severe in its denunciation of
these acts. 1t thinks he should with
draw Crum's appointment and accept
the Cox woman's resignation and ap-
point a successor acceptable to the
people of the town.
The Herald Of Monday says:
From the outburst of resentment
throughout the south and the express
sion of sober northern sentiment Pres
ident Roosevelt must now realize that
the i'll advised appointment of DR..
Crum. following closely or the abrupt
closing of the Indianola postofice, was
Il blunder which has already done no
little mischief n which. if persisted
in. can hardly fail to lead to the most
deplorable
ITO this prevailing opinion of the
country the president may we'll bow
and promptly repair the mistake by
accepting the resignation Of Mrs. Cox,
opening the Indianola office with a
postmaster acceptable to its citizens
and Withdrawing the obnoxious nomi-
nation from the senate to avert a Sec
tiOnal discussion to be deprecated by
the entire nation.
"One of the results Of the Spanish
war hailed with keen satisfaction by
the American people was the welding
of northern and southern feeling in pa
trotic unity. 1t vas a theme that
President Mckinley loved to dwell on
and is one on which President Roose-
welt himself has repeatedly spoken with
enthusiasm. But if the agitation now
menaced should be fomented it woul
not only undo the good then done but
would set the country back a genera
ton in color prejudice and sectional
strife.
THE sentiment against color in the
south may be unfortunate and to be de-
plored, but the vital fact is that it ex-
lists. is universal and rooted in the
growth Of centuries. 1t may wear out.
hut cannot be cut out. Mr.. Roosevelt
may buck against it, but neither he nor
any other president. neither congress
nor the republican party, can overcome
1t. He can no more enforce political
equality of the races In the matter OF
office holding, which is not a constitu-
tional right of any citizen, black or
white. than he can enforce social equal
ity. Any strenuous attempt to Go so
will simply intensity prejudice against
color. embitter race feeling and cause
sectional strife, in all Of which the ne
gro will inevitably be the greatest suf-
ferer.
Gk~1~S -~- 49, -.
trolling consideration of policy. It is
a recognized international principle
and established usage that a diplomatic
representative must be. irrespective Of
merit Or worth. persona grata to the
government and people to which he is
credited. For this reason President
Roosevelt recalled the first consul he
sent to Havana. Now the same prin-
ciple should apply to such prominent
federal officials as collectors and post
masters. who are brought into close
touch with the people. Like q diplo- |
matte representative, their usefulness
depends in a large measure on their nc
captability.
1T matters not what the personal
objection may be; If il is shared by the
community and the appointment is OBJ |
noxious to the citizens that is enough
to render ii unfit and impolitic. espa-
cially in view of the fact that there are |
plenty of other men as well qualified
and personally unobjectionable. Would
President Roosevelt think of forcing
upon New York, Boston. Philadelphia |
or San Francisco a collector or post |
matter against the unanimous protest |
of business men and citizens? Why is |
not a leading southern city entitled to |
equal consideration? He recalled con-
sui Bragg from Havana because he |
was not acceptable to the Cuban people. |
Why not recall the nomination of DR.. !
Crum from the senate because it is OBJ |
noxious to the citizens of Charleston? |
1T is an issue of more than local |
concern and of far reaching consa- !
quence The Charleston appointment
and the I~ndianola affair have stirred |
southern feeling as it has not be@n !
stirred for years. Both were unwlse |
and uncalled for steps in a policy which |
can only mean serious mischief AMI
cannot be abandoned too SOC for the
good Of the negro as we'll as the white
people of the south and the entire ma
ton. 1t is TO be hoped that the presi-
dent will retrace his steps before a bit
ter sectional discussion is provoked in
the senate"