The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-17
"SH0ULD RETRACE
 HIS STEPS"
PRESIDENT RoosEvELT ,ADvIs-
 ED THAT 1.-THE COUNTRY
Dos Not Want a Deplorable Color Issue'-"Why Not Recall the Nomination of Dr. Crum from Senate Because It is obnox- ious to the Citizens of
 Charlestonp"
New York Herald.

@sNW AoEk ItcIdlus From the cptburst of resentment throughout the South and the expression or sober Northern sentiment President roosevelt must now realize that the ill., advised appointment of Dr. Crum, follow ing closely on the abrupt closing of the !nulanopa post0ftice, was blunder which has already done no little mischief. and which. if persisted in, can hardly fail to lead to the most deploEable consequences.
 To this prevailing opinion of the coun- WT the President may well bow and promptly repair the mistake by accept Ing the resignation of Mrs. Cox, opening the Indianola office with postmaster acceptable to it's citizens, and withdraw ing the obnoxious nomination from the Senate to avert sectional discussion to be deprecated by the entire nation.
 One ef the results of the Spanish war hailed with keen satisfaction by the American people. was the, welding of otie unity. It was theme that Prest- dent Mckinley loved to dwell on and is .one on which President Roosevelt him- self has repeatedly spoken with enthusi- asm But if the agitation now menaced should be fonented 1t would not only undo the good then done, but would set the country back generation in color prejudice and sectional strife.
 The sentiment against color in the South may be unfortunate and to be deplored, but the vital fact is that 1t exists, is uni- xersal and rooted in the growth of cen- turies. It may wear out. but cannot be cut out, MT. Roosevelt may buck against it, but neither he nor any other President neither Congress nor the Republican par- ", can overcome 1t Ha can no more exa- Force political equality of the races in cCnstttutionai right of any citizen, black or white, than he can enforce social equality. Any strenuous attempt to do SO VIII simply intensity prejudice against color, embitter race feeling and cause sectional strife. fin all of which the negro will inevitably be the greatast sufferer.
 Apart from this view there is d com trolling consideration of policy It is a recognized international principle and es- tablished usage that a diplomatic rep resentative must be. irrespective of merit or worth, persona grata to the Govern ment and people to which he is credited. For this reason, President Rooaeyeit re- called the first consul he sent to Havana. Now the same principle should apply to such prominent Federal officials as col- lectors and postmasters, who are brought into close touch with the people. Like a acceptabiiity It matters not what the personal objec- ton may De; if 1t is shared by the com munity and the appointment is obnoxious to the citizens that Is enough to render 1t unfit and impolitic, especially ia view of the fact that there are plenty of other men men as well qualified and personally un-
 
 welt think of forcing upon New York. Boston. Philadelphia or San Francisco d collector or postmaster against the unan- imous protest of business men and citi- gems? Why is not leading Southern city entitled to equal consideration? He re- called Consul Bragg from Havana be- cause he was not acceptable to the Gu. ban people. Why not recall the nomina- ton Of Dr. Crum from the Senate because 1t Is obnoxious to the citizens of Charles ton?
 It is an issue of more than local conce,.u and Of far reaching consequence. The Charleston appointment and the Indian ola affair have stirred Southern feeling as it has not been stirred for years. Both were unwise and uncalled for steps m a policy which can only mean serious mis- cnlef and cannot be abandoned too soon for the good of the negro as well as fba white people of the South and the entire nation. It is to be hoped that the PresI- dent will retrace his steps before a bitter sectional discussion is provoked in the Senate. -0