The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-17
DISCUSSED THE CASE
 OF THE NEGRO CRUM
MT. Murphy'S Call at the White House Results in an Interesting COnverSatiOn---Bill to Use
 COOSa'S Waters Beaten.

Washington. Feb. ls.-(special. )-Ref- erence has been already made to the visit paid to President Roosevelt by Mir. Ed gar G. Murphy of Montgomery.
 MT. Murphy remains entirely unwilling to quote the President directly, but 1t seems that the conversation touched upon matters connected not only with Alabama but with the South at large.
 The President opened the conversation With the subject of the appointment of Dr. crum. colored, as Collector at Charleston. s. c. News had just reached the White House that the Senate Com mittee had decided to report the appoint ment adversely and that the Senate as 8 whole would rather reject 1t or more probably adjourn without acting upon 1t. In the latter event. the President said that 1t would be within his legal right to ap- point crum anyway. The appointment would then hold good and Crum could serve until the next session of the Senate and it might never be directly revoked.
 MT. Murphy found, however, that the President was quite reluctant to take this course and yet having appointed Crum he did not like to go back on him alto gether. As the President seemed to de- sire an expression of opinion, Mir. Mur- phy said that in his Judgment the wise and patriotic thing for Crum to do was to voluntarily withdraw. Such action would not only free the President from the embarrassment of an open conflict with the wishes of the Senate but would serve the best interests of the colored race In the South. Nc man, white or black, said he, ought to insist upon the tenure of an appointment when 1t be- comes clear that the appointment is di- . | IA -~-fSr 1N ..A.. A. ly the whole constituency with which he must deal
 Mir. Murphy said he had strong hopes that Crum would withdraw. After ieav- ing the President Mir. Murphy said to me further, 'T believe in giving the negro a chance, but If were In his place would rank my chance at an office as a sort of deferred prerogative.'
 Tt is a chance which comes to only one in a million and then u Is of no real use to him, to his country or to his race. Civilization should give hitl a chance at a good school. at system of educator that will fit him for practical life in a practical world, and civilization should also give him exact and equal justice un- der the laws Of the land. But civilization is not bound to give him an office.
 There was a time not so long ago when hle Hdo u ttldnIE dt OthACO ftt effS OOutti and he took it. Until the memories of that experiment pass away the negro should not be surprised if suspicion and prejudice are strong.
 "The question of office holding assumes to many negroes a nexaggerated impor- tance. There are two great classes of white men. not to speak of ouh women, who practically never hold offices. refer to clergymen and teachers But 1 suppose they lose little sleep over it. The glory of life in democracy lies in the fact that any man, white or black, who yields his whole manhood to the wise and patient and faithful service of his country will surely be counted, however humbiy, among the statesmen of his tine.r While Mir. Murphys statement is tho | clearest and most authoritative yet given out to any newspaper as to the Crum case. 1t is further declared here tonight that there Is no certainty as to the Presi. dents future action respecting Crum iu the case the Senate allows to nomination to go over without decisive action. But in this emergency, it is alleged, the Presi. dent will immediately designate Crum as a recess appointee. This would bring on bitter talk in the Senate next winter For 1t would be made to appear that the President had taken advantage of a mere technlcallty of law to force upon the peo- pie of Charleston a negro to whom every person in that city who pays customs duties, the whole white population in fact, Is Inalterably opposed
 On this same blank line the President has finally determined that he will not force upon the people of Wilson, N. c, the now notorious negro P M. Vick, for a second term. Thus if the President should shelve Wick and vel mama Crtlrfo as a recess appointment. such action will be bound to be bitterly resented in Charleston and throughout the South, for while the town of Wilson is obscure and nobody cared about the local concerns, every Southerner Is interested in Charles ton and if tho President forces the negro