The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-02
Policy of Selecting Negroes
for Important Positions in
the South Upheld by Pres
ident in Vigorous Letter to
Editor of Atlanta COnsti.
tuition.

tuition.
ATLANTA, Ga, March 1.-The fol-
lowing letter from President Rcpse-
welt to the editor of the Constitution is
a reply to request for an expression
concerning the recent letter by Mr..
Stillwell Edwards, of Macon, in which
Mr.. Edwards made statement as to
the presidents position regarding fed
eral appointments in the South. claim
ing the president had been misunder-
stood. The president writes:
White House, Washington Feb. 27,
1903 Hon. Clark Howell, Editor The
Constitution, Atlanta, Ga. Dear Sir.-As
10 FEDERAL appointments in the South.
frankly, 1t seems TO me that my appoint
lnents its speak for themselves and that my
policy is self explanatory So far from
leellng that they need the slightest apol-
ogy or Justification my position is thar
on the strength of what 1 have done I have
me flsht TO claim the support of all good
cltlzens. who wish not only a high stand
ard OF federal service but a fair and
EQUITABLE dealing with the South as wei
as with the North, and a policy of con-
slstent Justice and good viii toward al
appointments
10 consider the feelings OF the people
or each locality so far as l could CON
siStently do so without sacrificing priu-
clple. The prime tests / have gpuIied
have been those OF character. fitness and
aDlllty. and when l have been dissatisfied
win what has been offered within nv
own party lines, have without hesitation
or course. are aware that | have re-,
Peatedly done this in your own state Of
Georgia.
Color No Bar
wouldn't treat mere color as per-
nanent bar TO holding Office any more
than / could so treat creed or birfbnIace
always provided that i'm other reSpects
3 dne applicant or incumbent is a worthy
as little viii l treat il as conferriup a
right TO hold office
have scant sympathy with the man
OF mere theory who refuses TO face facts.
put 90 not you think that on the lines
run that 1t is safer for everybody If we
aCt on the motto all men up" rather
ask you not to judge what l say. hut
on what during the last seven months
!,,d nave We, done. In your own state of Geor-
own experience. In the great bulk of
cases cases l have reappointed President Nc
klnieys appointees. The changes L have
MADE. l think you Will agree. are changes
Tor the better and not for the worse.
1t happens / have appointed a white
man to succeed a colored man at Ath-
ems ana colored man 20 succeed q white
surveyor at Atlanta. In South Carolina
nave similarly appointed a white post
thaster 10 succeed a colored postmaster.
AGAIN In South Carolina / have nomi-
mated a colored man to fiji a vacancy
IN Ihe position of collector of the port
or Charleston, Just as in Georgia I have
reappointed the colored man who Is now
serving as collector of the port OF Savan-
nan. Both are fit men. Why tSe ap-
pontment or one should cause any more
excitement than the appointment OF tbe
otner am wholly at n loss to imagine
need hardly say that to connect either
OF these appointments or any or all az
my other appointments or my action i'm
uphoIdlng the law at Indanola wAh such
questions as social equality" and negro
GoInlhatlon, Is as absurd as to connect
them mem with the nebular hypothesis Of the
theory of atoms.
Names His Advisors.
have consulted freely with vour own
senators and congressman as to the char
acter and capacity OF any appointee In
georgia, concerning whom there was
have been Maj. Hanson. OF Macon: Mr.,
walter johnson. of Atlanta; both of them
ee,x;,confederate soldiers. and Mr.. Henry
StlllWeI Edwards. also of Macon. / be-
LeVe you VIII agree with me that in no
state would It be possible to find gentle
men a6ler and more upright or better
qualified to fill the positions thev have
filled with reference to me. in eyerv
instance where these gentlemen have
united in making recommendation I
Am not right In saying that the federal
officeholders whom 1 have appointed
throughout your state are, as a body,
men and women OF a high order OF edi-
cheney and integrity? II you know of anv
ofhceholder in Georgia. Of whom this IS
not true. pray let me know at once
Will welcome testimony from you or from
any other reputable citizen. which viii
tend TO show that given public officer
is unworthy and most emphatIca short
VIII be the shrift Of anyone whose lack
Of worth is proven.
1 may mention that a large percentage
OF the incumbents OF federal Offices IN
S,o11 Georgia are men. as | understand it. Of
your own political faith. But they are
supported by me in every way as long AZ
they continue to render good and faith
ful service to the country.
This is true of your own state and by
applying to Mr.. Page. of Virginia. 20
Gen. Basil Duke, Of Kentucky; 10 Mr.
George Crawford, of Tennessee; to Mr.
George McIlveney, Of Louisiana; TO Judge
Jones, of Alabama. and Mr.. Edgar S.
Wilson. of Alississippi-all Of them Dem
ocrats and all men of the highest stand
will find that what have done i'm Georgia
stands not as the exception but as the
rule for what have done throughout
the South.
All Good Men.
have good reason to believe that nv
appointees in the different states men
Homeland as the sum Of the parts is
the whole, necessarily in the South at
large-represent not merely an improve
ment upon those whose places they took
but upon the whole a higher standard OF
federal service than has hitherto been
attained in the communities I'm question.
may add that the proportion Of col
ored men among these new appOintees
is only about one I'm a hundred.
In view Of all these facts / have been
surprised and somewhat panied at what
seems to me the incomprehensible out
cry in the South about my actions-an
outcry apparently started in New York
for reasons wholly uncOnnected with the
question nominally at issue I am con-
cerned at the stand thus taken by so
many Southern newspapers but | am not
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 l have marked
out-the course I have consistently fol-
lowed in the past and shall consistently
follow In the future.
With regard, sincerely yours.
Theodore Roosevelt