The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-02
A STRONG DEFENSE.
The President Gives His Side Of the
Case Regarding Southern
Appointments. n
He Has Sought to Consider the Feel
ings Of the People in Each
Locality.

T. 4 p s. /, l.. g2 /
Atlanta. Ga, March 2.,--The presidentl
has written a letter regarding negro ap
pointmerts as follows:
white House. Washington Feb. 81,
1908. Hon. Clark Howell. Editor the Con-
stitution. Atlanta, Ga. Dear Sir: AS to
federal appointments in the south, frank |
| ly 1t seems TO me that my appointments
speak for, themselves and that my policy
is self-explana tory. So far from feeling |
| that they need the slightest apology or |
justification, my position is that on the
| strength Of what have done I have the |
right to claim the support of all good citi
zens who wish not only a high standard
of federal service but fair and equitable |
! dealing with the south as well with |
the north and a policy of consistent JUS |
tice and good will toward all men. In
| making. appointments I have sought to
consider the. feelings OF the people of each
locality so far as l could consistently do
SO without sacrificing principle. The prime
| tests l have applied have been those of
character, fitness and ability. and when /
have been dissatisfied with what has been
offered within my own party lines. have,
without hesitation gone to the opposition
party. and YOU, of course, are aware that
l have repeatedly done this in your own
state of Georgia. l could. not treat mere
color q permanent bar to holding office,
any more than could so treat creed or
birthpace. always providing that in other
respects the applicant or incumbent is a
worthy and well-behaved American citi-
zen.
! Just little will I treat it as con-
ferring right to hold office. have scant
sympathy with the man Of mere theory
who refuses to face facts, but DO not you
think that on the lines run it is safer for
Everybody if we act on the motto all men
up rather than of the motto some men
ell ,nf to |
say, but on what during the last seven
months have done. In your own state
OF Georgia you are competent to judge
from your own experience. In the great
bulk of cases l have reappointed Presi-
dent McKinley's appointees. The changes
7 have made, l think you will agree, are
all changes for the better and not for the
worse. It happens I have appointed
white man to succeed colored man at
Athens and a surveyor at Atlanta In
South Carolina ! have similarly appointed
a white postmaster to succeed a colored
postmaster. Again in South Carolina l
have nominated q colored man to fill va
cancy in the position of col
lector of the port of Charles
ton. just as in Georgia I have re-
appointed the colored man who is
serving as collector of the port Of Savan
nah. Both are fit men. Why the appoint
{ ment Of one should cause any more excite
, ment than the appointment Of the other
2 I am wholly at a loss to imagine. I need
r hardly say that to connect either Of these
7 appointments or any all my other ap
, pointments or my actions in uphoding the
: law at Indianopa with such questions Of
social equality and negro damnation' is
as absurd as to connect them with the
tnebular hypothesis or the theory Of
atoms. .---~
II have consulted freely with your. own
f senators and congressman as to the
!Cha cte nd of Mt O. q
In Georgia, concerning whom there was
EGuestion. My party advisers i'll the state
have been Major Hanson OF" Macon, alter
Johnson of Atlanta-both Of them ex Con-
federate soldiers-and Henry Stillwell Ed
! wards, also Of Macon. I believe you will
agree with me that in no state would it be
, possible to find gentlemen abler and more
! upright or better qualified to fill the posi-
e tions they have filed with reference to
me. In every instance where these gen
: tlemen have united in making a recon-
menda ton have been able to follow their
advice. Am not right in saying that the
d federal officeholders whom I have ap-
. pointed throughout your, state are, as a
, body, men and women Of a high order of
efficiency and integrity? If you know of
Z any federal officeholder in Georgia of
. whom this is not true, pray let me know
j. at once. I W ill welcome testimony from
your or from any other reputable citizen
a which will tend to show that a. given pub
, lie officer is unworthy and most emphat-
q ! ically short will be the shrift of any one
It whose lack of worth is proved. may
mention that large percentage OF the in
II cumbents Of federal offices in Georgia are
l. men as understand it, Of your own po-
"a litical faith. But they are supported by
j. me in every way long as they continue
lie to render good and faithful service to the
A" country.
H. This is TRUE Of your own state and
D. by applying to Mr.. Page of Virginia, tc
II General Basil Duke Of Kentucky to
~ George Crawford Of Tennessee, to George
y, McIlveney Of Louisiana, to Judge Jones OF
e. Alabama, and Edgar S. Wilson Of Mis-
o. sissippi, all Of them democrats and al
!e Of them men Of the highest standing: ir
o. their respective communities, you will
IN find that what I have done in Georgia
er stands not as the exception, but as the
=: rule, for what I have done throughout
70 the south. ...-, -.
RS II may add that the preparation Of col,
5. ored men among those new appointees is
~ only about one in a hundred. -
II I'm view Of all these facts have beer
surprised and somewhat panied at wha
seems to me the incornprehensible out
cry in the south about my actions
outcry apparently started in New York fol
reasons wholly unconnected with the
question nominally at issue. I am con-
cerned at the stand thus taken by sc
many southern newspa pers. but am moi
: in the least angry, and still less will this
attitude have the effect OF making me
, swerve one hairs breadth to one side
or the other from the course I have
= marked out-tae course have consistent
Z ly followed in the past and shall consis.
:. tent1y follow In the future. - II ~ I
/ with regard, sincerely yours,
q. Theodore Roosevelt. "
= T.. FOREIGN FLASHES d.