The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1903-01-16

In order to make out case agains
President Roosevelt, the Southern
politicians have insisted that there
was no bulldozing effort made t.
drive Mrs. Cox out of the 1ndianols
Office. But this is grossly untrue
The following record will show that
Mrs. Cox had to leave Indianola fol
Alabama, because she was threaten
ed by the turbulent classa at Indian
ola, and some of the best citizens OF
the town called upon Mrs. Cox and
advised her it was best to leave at
once.
She took their advice, as neither
the mayor or the sheriff offered the
postmistriss that protection to which
she is entitled under the constitu-
ton. She did leave, and she will
soiourn at Birmingham until it is
safe and agreeable for her to return.
The following statement should
be read carefully by those who wish
to know the whole truth; and the
more they study It the more will
the people be convinced that the
President is justified in everything
that he has done or proposed at
1ndianola.
ALI that happened there was a
mass meeting in public hall attend
ed by q large number of citizens,
who made speeches denoun.ing
President Roosevelt for appointing
colored people to Office, declaring
that Indianole was not a ''nigger
town." and demanding that Mrs.
Cox, the postmistress, resign her
Office because she had negro blood
in her veins. Resolutions we're
passed to the same effect and were
delivered to Mrs. Cox by a COM
mittee. She asked that she might
remain in Office until the LIST Of July,
when she offered to resign, hat the
committee told her that she must
clear out at once, for they did not
propose to have their mail handled
any longer by "nigger.' Several
of the most prominent citizens of
the place. called on Ms. Cox and told
her that she had better heed the
warning and resign in order to
prevent serious consequences. and
when she appealed to the mayor and
sheriff for protection they told her
that they would not be responsible
for her life. At this she closed the
Office and fled to Birmingham, which
the committee form Indianola says,
was vey silly thing for her to do,
because nobody had the slightest
intentions of harming her, and they
say she was safe at Indinola as she
could have been anywhere in the
world. They got their answer
through Postmaster General Payne,
who told them that the Office would
be reopened whenever Senator Nc
Lau1.in and the mayor and sheriff of
lndianola we're willing to furnish
written guarantee that Mrs. Cox
might return and take charge Of it
without exposing herself to personal
danger or insult THAT she is a woman
and the representative of the govern
ment of the United States, and no
matter whether she is black, white
or yellow, she must be protected IN
the discharge of her duties or the
off will remain closed. If they
are willing to give such an assurance
Mrs. Cox will be ordered back to the
post, and special agent OF the de-
psrtwent will 90 with her to report
upon the treatment she receives.
-i-H"t Z ~S-' a4a't ~ '~"~'
The President will win in this
contest as Indianola suffers too,
much by the closing of the postofioe,
ind it will prove q wise lesson to
,ther southern cities which are in
clined to fight the national groven-
ment Milwaukee Evening Wis. |!
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