The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-13
TEDDY is HANDS OFF
CRUM WAS TURNED DOWN. but
ROOSEVELT WILL NOT TAKE
UP FIGHT.
so EXPRESSED HIMSELF.
FOR SECOND TIME CHARLESTON
NEGRO LOSES OUT.

Two Republicans Voted Against
Crum-Seven others, True to
Party Predictions, Felt Com
strained TO Vote to Sustain Negro.
Several of These Admitted That
They Voted Against Their Better
Judgment and Expressed satis-
faction at Result-Senator Mason
Has Personal GrudEe Against City.
Washington, Feb. 1.-TWO Republi-
cans Joined with the Democrats to-day
in authorizing an adverse report on
the nomination of DR.. w. d. Crum. col
ored, who was appointed collector of
the port of Charleston.
The Senate Committee on Commerce,
to whom the nomination of Crum was
referred. took a formal vote on the
nomination without debate, and the re-
suit shows that six Democrats and two
Republicans combined to spare the
white citizens of Charleston from the
infliction of colored collector of GUS
toms, while seven Republicans, true to
their party predictions. felt constrain-
ed. several of them against their bet
ter judgment, to vote to sustain the
colored man, whom the President had
nominated for the office.
After the routine work of the COM
mittee had been cleared away, Chair
man Frye called up the Crum case.
No one seemed disposed to discuss the
subject further. and Chairman Frye or
dered the roll to be called as to wheth-
or no N
should be reported favorably to the
Senate.
How They Voted.
Those in favor of confirmation were
Senators Frye, Elkins, Gallinger, De-
pew, Penrose. Hanna, and Mason.
Those against: Jones of Nevada, Re-
publican; Perkins of California, Re-
publican, and the following Democrats.
Vest, Berry Turner, Martin, Clay, Nal
lory.
Nelson, Republican, was absent.
Thus the famous vote of the Electoral
Commission of 1876, which decided the
presidential contest of Hayes against
Tilden, in favor of the former, was
repeated in the Crum case to-day.
By this action the Crum case goes to
the Senate with an adverse report. II
Is a very unusual thing for the Senate
to reverse the action of it's committees
on matters of this character. Senator
| Mason was the only member of the mi.
| nority who indicated an intention o.
| carrying the fight into the Senate. He
was a recent visitor in Charleston, where
he was invited to address a. Republican
meeting.
His reception there was anything but
friendly, for he states that he was OBJ
liged to address an audience of about
three or four thousand negroes, In the
open street, because no hall could be
rented for his convenience. Later in
the day he said that in view of the
strong sentiment in the committee, and
also in the Senate, against the conf1rma-
ton of Crum. he would probably waive
his right to bring in a minority report.
Roosevelt Hands on.
Prior to the meeting of the commit
tee this morning the correspondent of
the Morning News called at the White
House and had talk with the Presi-
dent regarding the Crum case. 1t is
no violation of confidence to say that
the President freely expressed himself
to this effect. In the first place, he
said he had not attempted to influence
the vote or the opinion of any sena-
tor regarding the Crum nomination,
since it was presented to the Senate.
He added that he simply desired that
a direct vote should be had upon the
nomination of Dr. Crum. If he is re-
jected, he said, he would endeavor to
suggest the name of somebody who
would be more acceptable to the peo-
pie of Charleston. He was emphatic
however, in declaring that any attempt
to postpone indefinitely or dodge" a
direct vote on the nomination, so as
to defer action until after Congress
adjourns, would be met with prompt
denomination of DIR. Crum as a recess
appointment.
The views of the President, which
were brought to the attention of SEN
ators prior to this meeting, were large
ly responsible for bringing action upon
the nomination to-day. 1t was the
programme of the opposition to Crum
to defer a final vote until some future
day, but there seemed to be a general
disposition among the senators, espe-
cially leading Republicans, to endeavor
to put quietus upon the discussion of
the race question by disposing of the
nomination at once. Several members
of the committee who felt constrained,
for partisan reasons, to vote for the
confirmation of Crum, privately ex-
pressed their approval of the action
of the majority of the committee.
The fact that DIR. Crum was once
before rejected by Republican Sen
ate, when appointed postmaster at
Charleston, during the Harrison admin
istration, had considerable weight with
Republican members of the Senate,
who deprecate the untimely, and, as
they express it, injudicious agitation
of the race problem in the South.