Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-12
70 protect MRS. COX.
President is Firm in Regard
to the Postoffice at Indian
ola, Miss.
70 REOPEN OFFICE THIS WEEK
Senator McLaurin Anxious to Have Pa
pers in the Case suppressed-south-
erners Will Probably Give Negro
Postmistress Protection - Appoint
ment Of Negroes to Office Discussed.

Postmistress Protection - Appoint
ment Of Negroes to Office Discussed
Washington, D. c., Jan. 1.-THE IN
dianola, Mississippi, postofiice VIII
probably be reopened by the colored
postmistress this week.
Senator McLaurin, of Mississippi, ex-
pects to receive assurances tomorrow
from the mayor of the town and the
sheriff of the county that they Will give
protection to Mrs. Cox and make hef
return to Indianola absolutely safe. II
those officials give the postmaster gen
aral snch assurances, he will direct an
inspector to look up Mrs. Cox's hiding
place and persuade her to return ana
reonen the office. Senator McLaurin
believes the trouble will be settled, but
this is the only way it can be settled.
President Roosevelt and Postmaster
General Payne are determined to stand
nv federal officeholders and protect
them so far as the government can.
They are not trying to force negro
official upon the people of Indianoia.
hut to protect federal officer who has
held the Office for years without COM
plant, Go, :.
the selection of Mrs, Cox as postmis-
tress OF Indianola. He knew nothing
about the case until the business part
ner of the mayor Of Indianola conciud-
ed that since the republican ADMINS
tration was appointing gofd democrats
to Office in other parts OF the south
he. as gold democrat, would begin
a campaign to drive the negro postmls-
tress out Of town and then secure
the appointment to her offices
The papers in the case show that this
was the origin Of the dissatisfaction
with Mrs. Cox. A white democrat
wanted the office. He and his friends
got UP q public meeting and the peti :
ton requesting Mrs. Cox to resign.
Postmaster General Payne has offered
To lay all the papers in the case be-
fore congress or a committee OF either
senate or house, but no southern mem
Der will call for them. Senator NC
Ixaurin. who has seen the papers, is
vary anxious that they sl1all not be
made public. to reveal the true char
;acter OF the campaign made against
Mrs. Cox. He hopes to end the trouble
by having the local authorities give
assurances OF protection for Mrs. Cox
in reopening the postoffice.
The southern people have been max
Ing a great ado over the IndianOla af-
fair and over the nomination OF DR.,
sCrum, a negro, as customs collector
at Charleston, S. G. They complain
that the president Is forcing negroes
upon the whites Of the south and ask
why he does not appoint negroes in
the north. The administrations reply
is that more negroes are appointed
to good federal Offices in the north than
in the south.
Last week a negro was appointed as
sistant United States attorney in Bos-
ton and another to the same position
in Philadelphia. The southern papers
have not mentioned these appointments
nor have the white people of Boston
and Philadelphia complained.
There are not as many negroes hold
ing federal offices in Mississippi. count
ing IOuTCQ-CluSS puSliiidStSis, tAVAS
are negroes holding local offices. such
as justices of the peace, to which they
have been elected by the people. The
whole cry against the appointment of
NEGROES by the president is for political
eff ct.
The presidents declaration that he
would oppoint the best men to Office
without regard to politics when he
named Governor Jones of Alabama for
district judge gave democrats encour-
agement to strive for these places just
as they would under a democratic adj
ADMINISTRATION. They assume that any
kind OF a white man is better than the
best negro.
There Is where they misunderstood
the president. He measures men by
their attachments, and not by the color
OF. their skin.
He appointed DR.. Crum collector at
Charleston because he was the best
man recommended for the place. White
men We're recommended, but they We're
not of as high standing even at home
as was this negro. The president re-
fused to pass over DR.. Crum simply
because he is negro.