The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-08-24

one Of impulse and not Of dellbeTa-
tion: fer not only did the President
once appoint Crum, but after che ap-
pointment had fallen by adjournment
OF the Senate without confirmation ne
again renewed the appointment, ano
when, Tor q second time, the Senate
failed before It's adjournment to con.
frn the appointment, he made an ao
interim appointment OF Crun; ano
the Senate at it's last session having
for the third time tailed to confirm the
appointment he again appointed hin
an interim: and thus he put and has
kept him in the Office which he has
since held and now holds.
! Now who is Crum and what doe:
his appointment involve? I know the
nan and his family. Crum has hac
an education which barely qualfe:
him to practice medicine among hi:
own race. Go more. He does not rank
specially high even there. His per
sonal character is good. OF busines:
generally he knows nothing. OF mer
camille affairs he has no experience
whatever. He cannot today keep
set Of books Of ordinary merchants
accounts, nor can be examine such &C
counts or pass upon them.
And what is the Office OF collector
Of a port such as Charleston: 1t IN
wolves contact constantly with she
leading business men CT the city, The
doing oil important business at al
times with importers OF merchandise
the passing constantly on delicate anc
serious questions Of mercantile Law
and practice; and in addition to al
this, he should be one TT to meet for
eign consuls and officers OF our mer
chant marine; and to appear on i'm
portant public and social occasions a.
the representative Of the city and na
tion. Does not every important
Northern port of the Union claim ano
get such a man as it's collector Of GUS
toms? Is not the proud old historic
City Of Charleston entitled to such
collector, if such one is to be founc
within her borders? Does any one
for moment undertake to say that
Crum is such a man? Why, then,
has ne been thrust into the Office oVel
all protests and objections, and in The
face Of non n-confrmation by the Sen
ate? There is but one possible an.
swer; he has been appointed because
he is negro. II he were white
man, no President or other appoint
ing power would ever dream Of put
ting him into any high official posi-
tion, least Of all into the Office Of COL
lector Of the of the port of such a city
and community as Charleston.
What has been the result? Precise
" what must have been known be-
| fore-hand-a great awakening OF the
negro race to old dreams and hopes ot
political advancement and supremacy;
and chagrin, disgust and a keen sense
of injury on the part of the white peo.
pie OF Charleston; a distinct disturb.
auce Of and a putting far of the time
when racial hatred and i'll feeling shal.
be only known there as history. My
discussion does not require me to say
or surmise what were President Roose'
Yelt's motives in this transa ction; but
it is perfectly obvious that they coulc
have been no other than the hope ant
discrimination to gain for himself the
support OF the negro race Of South
Carolina, through their delegates II
the next National Republican Con
vention, in his candidacy for cur nom
ination for our next President. His
work has been effective in reaching
that end, but what shall impartial o.
fair minded men say Of it except
that it is ignoble in its motives and
disastrous in it's effects?
(3) THE OTHER INCIDENT
to be noticed is OF all still another
character. A negro woman, 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 com
paratively q small part Of the white
people OF this town demanded the re-
signation 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 com.
plaint against her. Under fears
caused by the demonstration Mrs. Cox
sent her resignation to the postof1ce
department at Washington and fed te
the town. 1t is certain that not more
than $50 persons at most attended the
meeting whics demanded Mrs. Cox's
resignation, or had any connection
with it. Forthwith, without the
least hesitation, in the plenitude of
measureless confidence, the President
proclaimed to the country that the
resignation of Mrs. Cox would not be
allowed; that she would remain post.
master; and that the postodice at In
dianola would be closed and all mall
addressed to Indianola would be sent
to the town OF Greenville, thirty miles
distant from Indianola. The post
Office at Indianola was at once closed
and remained closed for considerably
more than a year. All the citizens
and people of Indianola were for al
this time deprived Of postal facilities,
and compelled at their own expense
to bring their mail from another
town.
I AM SORRY TO BE OBLIGED
to add that the Presidents action in
this case was greeted by salVos Of ap-
proval from his party friends; and it
must be further added that not a feE
who are not his political supporters
applauded his action. So slow are
men to look below the surface OF
things and see the essence OF such con-
duct So easy is it to palm of hum
bug and claptrap, yes, ald rank In,
justice and cruelty, as honorable in.
dignation or spirited defence Of right.
For what is the essence Of the Presi.
dents action? 1t is that because a
portion, comparatively small por'
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