The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-26
A MISERABLE sUBTERFUGE.

Senator Pritchard has secured the re-
moval of his appointee, Sam Wick, as
postmaster at Wilson. If Sam had the
same political pull today that
he had in 1894 and in 1896. Pritchard
would have stood by Sam as
actively now as he did in 1897 when he
importuned Mckinley to appoint him
postmaster at Wilson.
He promised that every negro holding
office in North Carolina should he re-
moved. The removal of Wick leaves no
negro presidential appointee in office In
this State. The remaining negro officials
hold under appointment of the postmas-
ter general or revenue collectors,
Pritchard made his promise when he
thought to organize white Republican
party in North Carolina. He has kept
it-but before doing so, he had to back
down from his position of removing me-
gro officials from office on the ground OF
color. The president believing it to be
the only way to secure the North Caro-
lima delegation in the National Conven
ton, sold Senator Pritchard he would re-
move Sam Wick, but that he must ask
his removal upon some other GROUND
than his color. He had told the negroes
that he would not close the door of hope
and opportunity" to the best of theil
race. Wick is the best negro and the
most capable negro in North Carolina
Roosevelt had to kick him out upon some
other charge Then it was that he was
party and in removing him, the President
makes a statement, telling the North
Carolina Lilly Whites that he did not re-
move Wick to please them. but because
Wick wasn't a good Republican. Here
is his statement:
After a careful investigation the de-
partment came to the conclusion that
Senator Pritchard was right in the state
ment that Mr.. Wick had not supported
the Republican ticket, and consequently
he had forfeited his claim to party re-
cognition. Therefore, Mr. Person who
was recommended by Senator Pritchard
has been nominated"
There isn't ten year old boy in North
Carolina who does not know that the
whole business is miserable subterfuge
Wick is kicked out because he is negro
in North Carolina Wick is kicked out
because he is traitor to the Republican
party-in the North. No negro ought to
be appointed to a position of Importance
in any community in the South. Pritch-
ard rammed negro postmasters down the
threats of white communities when all
the negroes could vote. Now that the
negro has no vote, he kicks them out OF
office in order to make fair weather with
white voters. 1t is an ungrateful piece
of business that damns Pritchard with
white men who believe the gratitude has
not played out.
Democrats do not appoint negroes tC
office. Pritchard gave plenty
of them office when it got him into higf
office. As soon as negro voters
were impotent to keep him in office he
turns around and kicks them out. The
negro vote was the ladder upon which he
climbed into tho Senate Without thai
vote he could never have been elected tC
any bigger office than representativ,
from Madison county. He owes all his
political honors to Wick and other ne.
grocs. Now that he thinks he can stanC
upon some other support than theil
shoulders he displays an ingratitude tina
is unworthy of any man.
In his speech in the Craig Prtchart
debate at Smithfield, the then Senator
Pritchard told the people that he haC
caused the removal of every negro off
cial in North Carolina, except the negr,
postmaster at Wilson, and he pledge,
himself to see that all were removed
He made, that declaration in that rock
ribbed Democratic county, hoping tina
its people would forgive him for havin;
helped to put Loco negroes in office il
North Carolina between 1895 and 1906
Johnson's answer to the bid for forgive
ness was 1897 majority against Senate
Pritchard's party.
The white people of North Carolina q
all parties believe in fair play. Democrat
have ever denounced white men VIII
were willing 10 put negro rule on tn
East in order to get a big office 70
themselves. That is what Pritehard die
But they have had less respect for Re
publican who has thus used the negr
for the purpose Of his own elevation an
then kicked his political associate down
stairs.