The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-06-04

taFNNfE
The Tennessee letter carrier has
become an incident Of national import.
ance. says the washington Post.
Newspapers of every section are dis
cussing him. with the intelligence one
might nave expected Of them. respect
lively, ana In due time he wiz be ~
burning issue for lecturers, orators,
and magazine writer's Meanwhile,
I've find southern comment more in
iteresting than any other, and for the
simple and sufficient reason that
,southerners only understand the sit
uation and are competent 20 discuss
it with authority. OF course. they dis
agree. The descendants of the old
slave holding class have great iilS-
ing. not TO say affection, fer the ne
groes, whereas the descendants OF
the trader and overseer hold them in
undying hatred and contempt--a feel
ling which the blacks cordially recip-
lrocate But we experience nc Difficult
lty in differentiating the two varieties,
ior in setting the proper value on their
utterances.
A commentary which especially in
terests US, and which win serve to
illustrate our point appears in Mem
phis paper, the Evening sclmitar, con
Quoted by Mr.. A. B. Pickett, OF that
city We quote few specimen sentl-
ments from an editorial article which
appeared in it's issue Of the Sth In
stant;
"The white people Of Memphis are
as fully convinced OF the recessity for
drawing the color line in the proper
places as any soutnerners could be,
but they are not childish. OF malicious
in the matter They bear the negro
no III will and are pleased rather than
disgruntled TO see him getting on in
the world. Certain 1t Is that they
would never think of objecting to a
well conducted and respectfully dres-
sed negro acting as letter carrier.
1--WE do not believe that the respon-
sible white citizens of Sumner county
differ in this respect from the white
people of Memphis. In our opinion. it
will be found. upon investigation. that
the interference with Carrier Algood
is ehargeable to a class of whstes who
rarely write or receive letters. and
who may have wanted some Darticu-
lar white man to get the job that
tho negro won in open competition
Next to the professed negrophiles
who contend that the black man is
the equal OF the white in all respects
except opportunity, and should be so
: Acknowledged, the worst trouble
breeders are those southern whites
r who would put the negro of the earth
If they could They are almost ali Of
4 the class Of whites who have had no
+ Experience with the negro in the ga
paclty of an employer. for the very
e good reason that no negro in his
v senses would work for them"
: This is, In all important respects.
d precisely the view of the matter TAX
/. en expressed on more than one ooca-
i sion within the past few days. OF
s course, we do not consider Algood's S
z certificate from the civil service COM
/ mission as a matter Of the slightest
!. consequence, holding that the exam
e lination could not possibly disclose any
,. qualification worthy of respectful no
s tice, and insisting that the postoffice
v officials should be left free to choose
d their own subordinates. The fact re-
v mains. however, as the Sclmitar de-
g clares. that there Is no place for the
! color line In such cases as this. and
n that those who try to draw It are not
r. Representative OF the better class
4 among the whites. The colored man.
1 all other things hsins equal. makes
a quite as efficient and acceptable let
d ter carrier as any white man whose
l. aspirations can be satisfied by such
II employment and he is as little likely
Al to give offense 10 well bred people in
+ the discharge Of his duties. Indeed,
our observation teaches US that the
l. negro is disposed to take a pride In
II occupations of this kind and 10 con
Il duct himself with the most exemplary
y and oommendable propriety.
<. Il is a. great pity this perilOus and
I. lamentable question should have been
(. revived The agitation will serve no
A. useful purpose or bring to tho surface