The Nome nugget., 1903-05-27
NEED NO
 APOLOGY President Roosevelt On Federal Appointments IN THE SUNNY SOUTH Has Considered Local Feeling, lie Says, Without Sacrificing
 Principle.
IM THE SUNNY SOUTH

Atlanta, Ga, March l. The follow ing letter from Pres dent Roosevelt tc the editor of the Constitution Tn reply to request for an expression concern ing the recent letter from Henry Suli- well Edwards, of Macon, in which Ed wards mad, d sta emeW of tle prc~i- dent, position in the matter of federal appointments in the south, holding that the president had been misunderstood President Roosevelt writes:
 White House. Washington, D. C.. Feb. 24, 1909. Hon. Clark Howell, Ed itor of the Constitution, Atlanta, Ga. Dear Mir. Howell: As to federal ap- pointments in the south. Frankly. it seems to me that my appointments speak for themselves and that my pol icy is self-eXplanatOry. 50 far from feeling that they need the slightest apology or justification, my position is that on the strength of what I have done have the right to claim the sup port of all good citizens who wish not only a high standard of federal service. but fair and equitable dealing to the south as well as to the north and a poi icy of consistent justice and good will toward all men.
 "ln making appointments l have sought to consider the feeling of the people of each locality so far as l could consistently do so without sacrificing principle. The prime teS l have ap- piled have been those of character. fit ness and ability, and when l have been dissatisfied with what has been offered within my own party lines l have with out hesitation gone to the opposite party. and you are, of course. aware that l have repeatedly done this in your own State of Georgia. certainly will not treat mere color as permanent bar to holding office any more than l could treat creed or bi thpIace always pro- vided that in other respects the appli- cant or incumbent is q worthy and we'll behaved American citizen. Just as llltlt VIII l JfedU It as cOIIetfInS d right to hold office. 1 have scant sym pathy with the man of mere theory who refuses to face facts, but do you not think that in the long run it is safer for every body il we act on the motto: All men up, rather on that of some men down?'
 II ask you to judge not by what say but what. during the last seventeen months, have actually done. In your own State of Georgia you are compe- tent to judge from your own experience. In the great bulk of cases l have reap pointed President Mckinley's appoin- tees. The changes have made were, as l think you will agree, changes for the better and not for the worse 1t happens l have appointed white man to succeed d colored man as postmaster at Athens and surveyor at Atlanta. In pointed a white postmaster to succeed d cOlored postmaster. Again in south Carolina have nominated cUlored man to fill vacancy in the position of collector of the port of Charleston, just as in Georgia l have reappOinted d cOlored man who is now serving as col lector of the port of Savannah. Both are fit men. Why the appointment of one should cause any more excitement than the Appointment of the other l am wholly at loss to imagine. 1 need hardly say that to connect either of these appointments, or any or all of my appointments, or my actions in uphold ing the law at lndianOla, with such questions as social equality and negro domination is as absurd as to connect them with the nebular hypothesis or the theory of atoms
 'I have consulted freely with your own senators and congressman as to the character and capacity of any ap- pOintees in Georgia concerning whom there was question. My party advisers in the state have been Major Hanson of Macon, Walter Johnson of Atlanta both of them exCOnfederate soldiers and Harry Stillwell Edwards 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 positions they have filled with reference to me. In every instance where these gentlemen have united in making q recommends tion, have been able to follow their advice. Am I not right in saying that the federal Office-holders whom l have appointed throughout your state, as a body, are men and women of high order of efficiency and interritV2 If vOu know