The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-28

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 dent; but however magnificent 1t may be 1t is not war; 1t will bring nothing but injury to the work so auspiciously carried on up to that point at Tuskegee Does someone here ask me: Must we forbear to treat MT. Washington as his merits entitled him to to be treated! Must we sacrifice our sense of right and justice in such matters to the prejudices of the white people of the south? I answer: Yes; if you are in an official position, where your acts concern and affect the people generally The president of the United States has no right, as a matter of duty or policy. to affront a large section of the nation, even If he does not personally share their sentiments on such point. 1T you are a private citizen you may do as you please, with the constant lfmi- tation that you are bound to be consid- crate of the feeling of others and he willing to accept without complaint the censture of those whose feeling you wound. If this feeling, be 1t mere prejudice or something better or worse, Is ever to pass away. its passing will not be hastened or effected by defiance of 1t, least of all by defiance of 1t on the part of those who are our nation al public officers. Not the bitter blast of wind, but the genial penetration of the suns warmth. will finally, if any, thing will cause the putting off of this cloak, whatever be its moral tex ture.
 Appointment of Crum.
 CD The appointment of MT. Crum, Ia negro. as collector of the port of Charleston. Is an act of another char acter. In this case the apologists of 3I lrA n1 1oi inn sometimes made in the Booker Wash ington case, that the act was one of impulse and not of deliberation; for not only did the president once ap- point Crum, but after the appointment had fallen by adjournment of the sen ate without confirmation he again re- newed the appointments: and when. for a second time the senate failed before its adjournment to confirm the ap- pointment. he made an ad interim ap- pointment of Crum; and the senate at its last session having for the third time failed to confirm the appointment he again appointed him ad 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 does his appointment involve? I know the man and his family. Crum has had an education which barely qualities him to practice medicine among his own race; no more. He does not rank spec ially high even there. Ills personal character is good. Of mercantile af- fairs he has no experience whatever. He cannot today keep a set of books of ordinary merchants accounts, nor can he examine such accounts or pass upon them.
 And what Is the office of collector of a port such as Charleston? It in wolves contact constantly with the leading business men of the city. doing of important business at all times with importers and exporters of mer- chandise. the passing constantly on de- licate and serious questions of mer- cantile law and practice; and in addit- ion to all this, he should be one fit to meet foreign consuls and masters and officers of our merchant marine and to appear on important public and social occasions as the representa- i've of the city and nation. Does not every important northern port of the Union claim and get such a man as its collector of customs? Is not the proud old historic city of Charleston entitled to such a collector if such a one is to be found within her borders? Does any one for a moment undertake to say that Crum is such a man? why, then, has he been thrust into the office over all protests and objections, and in the face of non-confirmation by the senate? There is but one possible an- swer; he has been appointed because,