The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-02-11
eRUH SIDETRAekED.
Senate Committee again Postponss
Vote.
eHaRLEsoN's PROTEST EFFECTIVE.
Majority Of Senate Committee Op-
posed TO Crum, But Hesitate
TO Reject Him; and There
by Antagonize the
President.

Washington. February 9.-6y Vote
Of 10 to 4 the Senate commerce COM
ni5tee decided today upon further
nostuonement of the case Of DR.. Crum,
The colored man who has been nomi-
mated collector Of the port Of Charles
+on. It was the intention OF the
friends of Dr.. Crum to force vote
today, for they felt that certain Re
publican Senators, who claim that
the anpoin tmen5 is an ill-advise done,
wouId not antagonize the Presidents
policy in dealing with Federal ap-
pointments in the South.
There was a spirited argument con-
ducted principally by Republican
members OF the committee, as to the
wisdom of inaicting a colored collec-
tor upon the white people Of Charles
ton, in the face of their dignifed,
manly, but vigorous, protest. No new
points of difference were brought out
and the sum total of the statements
pro and con were to she effect that DR..
Crum is Objectionable, not only be-
cause of his color, but owing to his
lack of business experience and asso-
ciation.
Thereswere other subjects claiming
the attention of the committee, conse-
cuently Senator Penrose moved that
the Crum case be postponed until a
future meeting of the committee The
vote was a complete surprise to the
supporters Of DR.. Cram, for it reveal
ed a stronger opposition than. his
friends had antici pated. The Penrose
motion was supported by Senators
Berry, Martin, Mallory and Clay,
Democrats and Elkins, Penrose, Per!
kins. Jones, of Nevada, Nelson and
Depew. Against postponement we're
Frye, chairman, Hanna, Gallinger
and Mason.
The significance Of the vote is that
an Overwhelming majority OF the
,committe is unfavorable to DR.. Crum
The vote would have been larger had
Senators Vest and Turner, both
Democrats, been present. During the
consideration Of the case telephone
communication between the committee
room and the White House was main
tanied, and several OF the Republican
Senators, who differ with the Presi
dent as to the wisdom of this appoint
ment, were in connection with the
occupant of the White House. More
than one of the Senators opposing
Crum hesitate to allow the official
fate of q chronic Office seeker, with q
dark skin to provoke a breach between
them and the President. They had
hoped that he might see his way clear
to withdraw the appointment in view
of the prevailing sentiment in the
committee. The President, however,
true to his nature, refused to yield un-
der pressure and ordered the fight to
go to finish.
Senator Hanna has suddenly become
interested in, the cause of Dr.. Crum
and boldly charges some of his Repub-
lican colleagues with 'dodging'' a
direct vote for or against confirmation,
fearing the political effect in their re-
spective States. He says he is for
Crum because he is a Republican, and
adds that he has never had word to
say-to the President on the subject.
The opponents Of Crum are confident
that he cannot be confirmed, and they
are determined that the surest way
TO encompass his defeat is TO secure a
further postponement. In the mean
time the friends of Crum are putting
the heaviest kind of political pressure
upon those members of the committee
who are siding with the Democrats,
hoping that party discipline will over.
come their personal conVictions.
President Roosevelt, it appears. is
encountering the same difficulty thai
President Harrison had when the lat
ter tried to force Republican Sente
to confirm this same DIR. C.um post
master at Charleston in 1892. Crum':
nomination was held up in the post
Office committee until Harrison wa:
convinced that confirmation was i'm
possible, consequently he reluctantl!
withdrew Crum's nomination and ap
pointed white Republican.-New'
and Courier.