The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-28

and only because he Is a negro. If he were a white man, no president or other appointing power would ever dream of putting him into any high of- fical position, least of all, into the off, flee of collector of the port of such city and community as Charleston.
 What has been the result? Precisely what must have been known before- hand-a great awakening of the negro race to old dreams and hopes of politi- cal advancement and supremacy; and chargin, disgust and a keen sense of injury on the part of the white people of Charleston: a distinct disturbance of good relations between the two races and a putting far off the time when racial hatered and illfelling shall be only known there as history. My dis cussion does not require me to say or surmise what were President Roose- velt's motives in his transaction; but it Is perfectly obvious that they could have been no other than the hope and determination 70 gain for himself the next national Republican convention. in his candidacy for nomination for our next president. His work has been ef- fective in reaching that end but what shall impartial or fair-minded men say of it except that 1t is ignoble in its motives and disastrous in its effects?
 The other incident to be noticed Is of still another character. A negro wo- man, named Minnie Cox. had been for several years postmaster at the town of Indianola in the State of Mississippi a town with a population of possibly 1000. Last year a public meeting of comparatively a small part of the white people of this town demanded the resignation by this woman of her office. The general view was and Is that she had conducted her office well and had done nothing to warrant any complaint against her. Under fears caused by the demonstration Mrs. Cox sent her resignation to the postoft1ce department at Washington and fled the town. It Is certain that not more than 150 persons at most attended the meet ing which demanded Mrs. Cox's resig- nation, or had any connection with it. Forthwith, without the least hesitation. in the plenitude of his measureless confidence the president proclaimed to the country that the resignation of Mrs. Cox would not be allowed: that she would remain postmaster; and that the postoffice at Indianola would be closed and all mail addressed to h. dianola would be sent to the town of Greenville. thirty miles distant from Indianola. The postoffice at Indianola
 
 for considerably more than a year. All the citizens and people of Indianola were for all this time deprived of postal facilities. and compelled. at their own expense, to bring their mail from another town.
 am sorry to be obliged to add that the presidents action in this case was greeted by salvos of approval from his party friends: and 1t must be further added that not few who are not his political supporters applauded his &C., ton. So slow are men to look below the surface of things and see the es- sence of such conduct! So easy Is 1t to palm of humbug and clap-trap yes, and rank injustice and cruelty, as hon. orable indignation or spirited defense of right For what Is the essence of the presidents action? Is 1t that be- cause a portion, comparatively a small portion, of one entire community acts badly the president may take it upon himself. without law. to punish the whole community, the guilty and inno- cent alike. The president had not a shadow of authority or right to close the postofflce at Indianola, none what ever, and no man can show such au- thority. The act was a purely wanton opd Iawless act What he could do and what he should have done was to set in motion the legal remedies so abundantly provided by our federal statutes for the punishment of those who caused Mrs. Cox to resign and abandon her of1ice. The federal sta- tute book is literally stuffed with provisions framed to meet and punish such offenses. Let one open our Uni ted States revised statutes and read, under the title of Grimes" especially sections 5SS2 and 5412 and 5SOe to