The St. Louis Republic., 1903-01-31
THE HYPOCRISY OF RoosEvi, :,

D.. -. - nc 'A' pct well.
self Of hypocrisy in the negro AAa.,,n, -.
deeds by his words. s"'- "'
Flatly and emphatcaly he announced ~,
negro seeker of Government employment n -
judged precisely the white mainly Qualii:cs =. -
and not by color. Color should not be a crltcrio -
should operate neither against the negro nor for
Improvement of the negro's condition should l -,
encouraged, but the Roosevelt pronuncamento we .
no further than to proclaim that the negro slo,A
have recognition when he had earned n right to /
and when conditions were such that his appointment,
might go by the established rule and precedent which
governed the selection of white men. In other
words whenever the negro leveed up the standard
and the conditions, they must in the white mans
case, pointed to his selection then he should have
the post
Color distinctions shall be effaced. said Roosevelt
The negro shall not be chosen because he is negro
but because all things being equal he is the suitable
man for the place. So much for Mr.. Rooserelt's
statements. aftE
Contrast them with what he has DONE At Charles
ton and Boston he has appointed men solely because
they were negroes, and at Indanoa he has attempted
to force woman postmaster upon the people solely
because she is n negress
The time-honored rule governing selection of the
officials in question rule enforced and conspicuous,
~ eAempined by Roosevelt himself in appointing
white persons. is of fitness primarily. Then it
requires that the appointee be recommended in the
regular way, that he be representative of the people,
and especially that he be acceptable to that part of
the community with which the most important ard
intimate business is transacted
Presidents have required that the party leaders in
a State recommend acceptable persons generally in
dorsed, persons whom the community might naturally
choose to serve them. with whom the community
would elect to deal The rule in appointing local Of
cals has been that local public opinion should have
the final word at least negatively protest offered
by any considerable part Of the people would pe alb
solutely conclusive against candidate.
Roosevelt has selected public servants for the
South against whom the communities manifest bit
terest objections. servants not recommended and in
ordinary requirements In such cases-but nonrep-
servants and personae non Era.ae In
Boston he has gone out Of his way create and fill
an office for no other than to give employ
ment to a negro.
Solely because Of color the three appointments
were made. They Determinations in favor of the
negro in favor Of color; and the inference is that
Roosevelt has sacrificed principle deliberately to play
for solid negro vote In the Republican National
Convention. The vote amounts to one-thrd or one
fourth of the convention. Other Presidents have
openly courted negro favor-by means not dssimilar.
Roosevelt is no less human; and he is fevered by
political ambition
In the light Of his first statements Roosevelts
subtiety and sophistry evident By gradual
oblique defexion from announced principle he has
veered around to plead the fitness of the negroes
as an excuse instead of reason for selecting them
He has abandoned the rule based upon the equality
of American citizenship and takes political stand
attractive to the negro. He has craftly employed
the casustry Of hypocrisy in attempt to veil his
shifting course. But the hypocrisy is too patent to
deceive.